When combining indirect and direct object pronouns, the indirect object (who receives it) always comes first.
However, Spanish has a strict rule: you cannot put le or les (to him/her/them) directly in front of lo, la, los, or las. Instead, le and les change to se.
| to/for him, her, them (before another object pronoun) | se |
| Indirect | Direct | Result |
|---|---|---|
| le / les | lo / los | se lo / se los |
| le / les | la / las | se la / se las |
| The waiter serves it to him in the glass. | El camarero se lo sirve en el vaso. |
| The recipe is very good. I send it to them today. | La receta es muy buena. Hoy se la envío. |
Context
Because both le and les become se, a phrase like se lo can mean "it to him," "it to her," or "it to them."
Usually, context makes it obvious who is receiving the item. When it isn't clear, you can add a clarifying phrase like a él (to him) or a ella (to her) earlier in the sentence.
| He likes paella. I prepare it for him on Sunday. | A él le gusta la paella. Se la preparo el domingo. |
| The glasses are clean. The waiter brings them to her. | Los vasos están limpios. El camarero se los trae. |
Attaching to Commands
Double object pronouns attach directly to the end of affirmative commands. The order stays the same: indirect object (se) first, followed by the direct object (lo/la/los/las). You will often need to add a written accent mark to the verb to maintain the original spoken stress.
| Are you making dinner? Serve it to them now, please! | ¿Haces la cena? ¡Sírvesela ahora, por favor! |
