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June 30, 2020 by Ashley Reid Homeschooling, Spanish Grammar 0 comments

Indirect Object Pronouns in Spanish: 10 Great Online Exercises

What did they say to you? I bought you something for Christmas. Both of these sentences express how a verb affects other people using indirect object pronouns. While they may seem like small, insignificant words these pronouns are essential in representing the depths of our interpersonal relationships—both in English and in Spanish. In today’s blog post, we will review how to use indirect objects in Spanish and then practice how to use them!

What are Indirect Object Pronouns?

There are numerous types of pronouns, and indirect object pronouns show how a verb affects a person. Because they refer to a person, they are derived from the subject pronouns (learn more on our blog post about pronouns). Check out the chart below to see how to form the indirect object pronouns in Spanish.

Subject Pronoun EnglishSubject Pronoun SpanishIndirect Object Pronoun Spanish
IYoMe 
YouTú (informal)Te
Usted (formal)Le
HeÉlLe
SheEllaLe
WeNosotrosNos
TheyEllos, ellasLes
You allUstedesLes

Notice how three pronouns use the same indirect object pronoun: le. While it is often understood which person you are referring to based on context clues, you can always add a phrase a + persona to clarify who you are talking about.

Le dije que no.

Le dije a ella que no.

Remember, the phrase a + persona is optional, but the indirect object pronoun is not!

indirect object pronouns

When do you use them?

Indirect objects answer the question “to whom?” or “for whom?” For example, in the sentences above, the italicized words answer those questions. 

What did they say? (Question: “to whom?” – to you) What did they say to you?

I bought something for Christmas. (Question: “for whom?” – you) I bought you something for Christmas.

In Spanish, the same rules apply:

¿Qué dijeron? (Pregunta: ¿a quién? – te) ¿Qué te dijeron?

Compré algo para la Navidad. (Pregunta: ¿para quién? – te) Te compré algo para la Navidad.

Where do you place them in a sentence?

Notice how in English, the indirect object pronouns go after the verb, but in Spanish, they go before the verb – but not always. They can be placed:

  • By themselves before the verb (te digo)
  • Attached to the end of an infinitive verb (decirte)
  • Attached to the end of a verb in the imperative mood (dime)
  • Attached to the end of a gerund (diciéndote)

What Verbs Take an Indirect Object Pronoun?

There are several verbs that are commonly accompanied by an indirect pronoun, and they all express an action done to or for someone. 

  • Agradar – To please
  • Comprar – To buy 
  • Compartir – To share
  • Contar – To tell 
  • Dar – To give 
  • Decir – To say 
  • Encantar – To love
  • Gustar – To like
  • Importar – To be important
  • Mostrar – To show 
  • Pedir – To ask 
  • Preocupar – To worry
  • Regalar – To gift 
  • Traer – To bring

While an indirect object pronoun is not absolutely necessary with the majority of these verbs, they usually require one because of the interpersonal actions they represent.

Verbs to Watch Out For

There are some verbs that seem like they should take an indirect object pronoun but instead, use a direct object pronoun. Two of the most common are amar and ver. 

Incorrect: Le amo mucho. (I love him very much.) Indirect object pronoun

Correct: Lo amo mucho. (I love him very much.) Direct object pronoun

Incorrect: Le vi. (I saw her.) Indirect object pronoun

Correct: La vi. (I saw her). Direct object pronoun

Both of these examples ask the question “who?” not “to whom?” The difference is very small but important. For other verbs that can take either a direct or indirect pronoun (like escribir), check to see if your sentence is answering the question “to whom?”

Le escribí una carta. (I wrote him a letter.)  

Does this answer the question “to whom?” Yes – use an indirect object pronoun

Lo escribí ayer. (I wrote it yesterday.) Direct object pronoun

Does this answer the question “to whom?” No – use a direct object pronoun

Practice Makes Perfect!

Make sure you understand how to use indirect object pronouns in Spanish by completing the following exercises. Don’t forget to check your work with the answer key below.

  1. Find the Indirect Object Pronouns in the Following Sentences
    Note that there are both direct and indirect object pronouns. Only look for the indirect object pronouns.
    1. ¡Te lo dije!
    2. Dame el lapicero, por favor.
    3. Sí, claro, te lo puedo traer.
    4. ¿Le doy el azul o el rojo?
    5. Les regalamos un pastel. 
    6. Me tiró agua. 
    7. Él me escribió un correo muy largo.
    8. Prestámelo.
    9. Les preocupa mucho a ellos la situación.
    10. ¿Te importa si uso esto?
  2. Fill in the Blank with the Correct Indirect Object Pronoun
    1. Yo _____ compartí las respuestas. (él)
    2. ¿Ya _____ contó Elisa lo que pasó? (tú)
    3. Ellos _____ traen cena cada domingo. (nosotros)
    4. Raúl no _____ quiso decir la verdad. (yo)
    5. Yo _____ debo dinero. (usted)
    6. La maestra _____ regaló galletas. (ellos)
    7. El perro _____ mostró su juguete. (yo)
    8. Yo _____ (él) pedí a Miguel que _____ (yo) trajera una hoja de papel y una regla, pero  _____ (yo) me trajo un cuaderno. 
    9. ¿Qué quiere que _____ compro? (usted)
    10. ¿_____ sirvo más café? (ella)
  3. Translate These Sentences to English
    1. ¿Me prestas un poco de dinero?
    2. Ellos nos dijeron que su amigo está en el hospital.
    3. A él le encanta el helado.
    4. Te paso la información más tarde.
    5. Nos llevaron las maletas al cuarto.
    6. Te quiero dar un consejo.
    7. Mi tía le envió un regalo por correo.
    8. Su jefe le trajo medicina.
    9. Mi cosa favorita que me han regalado es un libro en español.
    10. ¿Les gustan más este o el otro?
  4. Change the People in the Following Sentences to an Indirect Object Pronoun
    Example: Yo vendí el carro a Juan. — Yo le vendí el carro.
    1. Ella mostró su tarea a Fernando.
    2. Preparamos una fiesta a Teresa.
    3. Di un abrazo a Paola.
    4. ¿Cuento las noticias a ti?
    5. Llevaron la cuenta a María.
    6. ¿Importa el ruido a ti?
    7. Regalamos un perro a Jessica.
    8. Traigo dulces a Felipe, Mariana y Eudelys.
    9. La compañía compró comida fresca a nosotros.
    10. Las películas de comedia gustan a mí.
  5. Add the Personal Phrase to the Following Sentences
    Example: Te compré chocolate. — Te compré chocolate a ti. / A ti te compré chocolate. (For sentences with le or les, you can choose between the possible pronouns. Be creative!)
    1. Les gusta viajar.
    2. Le voy a dar algo muy especial.
    3. Me encantan las flores.
    4. No le quedan bien los zapatos.
    5. Me agrada tu forma de ser.
    6. ¿Le compartiste el juguete?
    7. Me pasas eso. 
    8. Le pedimos el carro. 
    9. Nos dio el número telefónico.
    10. ¿Te preocupan las noticias?
  1. Translate These Sentences to Spanish
    1. The boy threw me the ball.
    2. He really liked the card.
    3. She brought them pizza last night.
    4. Can you share your secret with me? (formal)
    5. His dad showed him the guitar.
    6. They bought her new shoes.
    7. You sent me the wrong address. (informal)
    8. I hope he gives us another opportunity.
    9. She bought us a gift from Ecuador.
    10. You all told them the wrong story.
  2. State Whether the following statements are Verdadero or Falso.
    If the statement is false, correct it.
    1. In Spanish, all indirect object pronouns are the same as direct object pronouns
    2. Indirect object pronouns answer the question “to whom?” or “for whom?”
    3. Spanish indirect object pronouns always come before the verb
    4. There are unique indirect object pronouns for each subject pronoun
    5. The verb ver does not take an indirect object pronoun
    6. Indirect object pronouns show to whom the action of the verb is done
    7. The verb escribir only takes a direct object pronoun
    8. Spanish can have only a direct object pronoun or an indirect object pronoun, not both.
    9. Every sentence that uses an indirect object pronoun must have the phrase a + persona
    10. The verb amar only takes an indirect object pronoun
  3. Find the Mistake and Correct the Sentences
    1. Regaló una rosa para el día de la madre.
    2. Nosotros nos encanta la lluvia. 
    3. ¿Sirvo más comida te?
    4. Voy a pedir que bajen el volumen.
    5. Le vi ayer en el supermercado.
    6. Pasó nos las notas de la clase.
    7. A ti me cuentas lo que pasó.
    8. ¿Qué vas a me regalar para mi cumpleaños?
    9. A nosotros preocupa su comportamiento.
    10. Le cuento que Eduardo dio un nuevo cuaderno a mí.
  4. Choose the Correct Sentence
      1. Les comparto un poco de pastel.
      2. Comparto les un poco de pastel.
      3. A ustedes comparto un poco de pastel.
      1. Necesito te decir algo.
      2. Necesitote decir algo.
      3. Necesito decirte algo.
      1. Enviaron una carta a nosotros.
      2. Nos enviaron una carta.
      3. A nosotros enviaron una carta.
      1. Le escribí a ellos la carta de renuncia.
      2. Escribí le la carta de renuncia.
      3. Le escribí la carta de renuncia.
      1. ¡Compré una sorpresa a ti!
      2. ¡Te compré una sorpresa!
      3. ¡Te compré a usted una sorpresa!
      1. Ellos te trajeron la comida.
      2. Ellos trajeron a ti la comida. 
      3. Ellos trajeronte la comida.
      1. Las botas gustan mucho a mí. 
      2. A mí gustan mucho las botas.
      3. Me gustan mucho las botas.
      1. ¿Te llevo la caja a la oficina?
      2. ¿Llevo a ti la caja a la oficina?
      3. ¿Llevo te la caja a la oficina?
      1. Ella me dio un regalo, pero no gustó.
      2. Ella me dio un regalo, pero no me gustó.
      3. Ella dio un regalo, pero no me gustó a mí.
      1. No me queda bien la ropa que me compraste.
      2. No me queda bien la ropa que compraste a mí.
      3. No queda bien la ropa que me compraste.
  5. Reorganize the Words to Makes Sentences
    1. contar / chistosa / te / una / historia / quiero
    2. ¿? / vaso / me / un / pasa
    3. que / nos / nos / regalo / el / enviaste / encanta 
    4. no / respuesta / gustó / le / le / di / pero / una 
    5. agrada / a / le / mucho / ella
    6. algo / gustar / les / va / trajimos / les / a / que
    7. pronto / envío / respuesta / te / una 
    8. proyecto / me / su / mostraron
    9. un / a / favor / les / pedir / voy 
    10. mucho / no / importa / me

Keep Practicing!

Great job on those exercises! Don’t forget to check your work with the answer key below. If you have any questions about the answers, make sure to ask your Spanish teacher in your free trial class. Our native Spanish-speaking teachers can give you even more information about indirect object pronouns (and so much more!) as well as giving you the perfect opportunity to practice your spoken Spanish. Sign up today and master those Spanish pronouns. ¡Te van a encantar las clases de español!

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Answer Key

Exercise 1) a: te, b: dame, c: te, d: le, e: les, f: me, g: me, h: prestámelo, i: les; j: te

Exercise 2) a: le, b: te, c: nos, d: me, e: le, f: les, g: me, h: le – me – me, i: le, j: Le

Exercise 3) a: Can you lend me some money?, b: They told us that their friend is in the hospital, c: He loves ice cream, d: I’ll give you the information later, e: They took the suitcases to the room for us, f: I want to give you some advice, g: My aunt sent him (her/you) a gift in the mail, h: His (her, your) boss brought him (her, you) medicine, i: My favorite thing that anyone has given me is a book in Spanish, j: Do you like this one or the other one more?

Exercise 4) a: Ella le mostró su tarea, b: Le preparamos una fiesta, c: Le di un abrazo, d: ¿Te cuento las noticias?, e: Le llevaron la cuenta, f: ¿Te importa el ruido?, g: Le regalamos un perro, h: Les traigo dulces, i: La compañía nos compró comida fresca, j: Las películas de comedia me gustan.

Exercise 5) a: A ellos (ustedes) les gusta viajar, b: Le voy a dar algo muy especial a ella (usted, él), c: A mí me encantan las flores, d: No le quedan bien los zapatos a él (ella, usted), e: A mí me agrada tu forma de ser, f: ¿Le compartiste el juguete a él (ella, usted)?, g: Me pasas eso a mí, h: Le pedimos el carro a ella (él, usted), i: Nos dio el número telefónico a nosotros, j: ¿A ti te preocupan las noticias?

Exercise 6) a: El niño me tiró la pelota, b: Le gustó mucho la tarjeta, c: Ella les trajo pizza anoche, d: ¿Me comparte su secreto?, e: Su papá le mostró la guitarra, f: Ellos le compraron zapatos nuevos, g: Me enviaste la dirección equivocada, h: Espero que él nos de otra oportunidad, i: Ella nos compró un regalo de Ecuador, j: Ustedes les contaron la historia equivocada.

Exercise 7) a: falso – Only some pronouns are the same (te, me, nos), but they serve different functions, b: verdadero, c: falso – They can come before or connected to the end of some verbs, d: falso – Le is used for usted, él, and ella, and les is for both ustedes and ellos, e: verdadero, f: verdadero, g: falso – Escribir can take either a direct or indirect object pronouns, h: falso – Many sentences include both pronouns, i: falso – The a + persona phrase is not essential, j: falso – It only takes direct object pronouns

Exercise 8) a: Le regaló una rosa para el día de la madre, b: A nosotros nos encanta la lluvia, c: ¿Te sirvo más comida?, d: Les voy a pedir que bajen el volumen, e: Lo (La) vi ayer en el supermercado, f: Nos pasó las notas de la clase, g: Me cuentas lo que pasó, h: ¿Qué me vas a regalar para mi cumpleaños?, i: A nosotros nos preocupa su comportamiento, j: Le cuento que Eduardo me dio un nuevo cuaderno a mí.

Exercise 9) a: i, b: iii, c: ii, d: iii, e: ii, f: i, g: iii, h: i, i: ii, j: i

Exercise 10) a: Te quiero contar una historia chistosa, b: ¿Me pasa un vaso?, c: Nos encanta el regalo que nos enviaste, d: Le di una respuesta, pero no le gustó, e: A ella le agrada mucho, f: Les trajimos algo que les va a gustar, g: Te envío una respuesta pronto, h: Me mostraron su proyecto, i: Les voy a pedir un favor, j: No me importa mucho.

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Ashley Reid
Ashley Reid
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
I have a B.A. in Linguistics and a passion for Spanish. I've lived in Latin America for almost a decade. I'm a freelance writer and ESL teacher, as well as a loving mom and wife. In my free time, I dabble in art and music.
Ashley Reid
Latest posts by Ashley Reid (see all)
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