What are Direct Object Pronouns?
A direct object is the noun that directly receives the action of a verb. Just like in English, where we replace a noun with "it" or "them" to avoid repeating ourselves, Spanish uses direct object pronouns.
Because Spanish nouns have gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural), your pronoun must match the noun it is replacing:
| English | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| it | lo | la |
| them | los | las |
Placing the Pronoun
In English, words like "it" and "them" come after the verb. In Spanish, direct object pronouns are placed directly before the conjugated verb.
If you are replacing a masculine singular noun (like el libro), you will use lo:
| The book is difficult, but I understand it. | El libro es difícil, pero lo comprendo. |
If you are replacing a feminine singular noun (like la comida), you will use la:
| I make the food and you eat it. | Hago la comida y tú la comes. |
If the sentence is negative, the word no goes directly before the object pronoun:
| Do you see the museum? No, I do not see it. | ¿Ves el museo? No, no lo veo. |
Using Plural Pronouns
The exact same rules apply when replacing plural nouns. Use los for masculine plural nouns (like los boletos) and las for feminine plural nouns (like las revistas). Notice how they sit right before the conjugated verb:
| I have the tickets and I sell them. | Tengo los boletos y los vendo. |
| We buy the magazines and take them to the hotel. | Compramos las revistas y las llevamos al hotel. |
