Chapter 4-Indirect Objects (& Pronouns)

Question 1

Indirect Objects

Answer 1

While a complete sentence must always have a subject and a verb, it can also contain other optional elements, such as indirect object pronouns.
An Indirect object (el complemento indirecto) tells TO WHOM or FOR WHOM something is done; it usually refers to a person. A sentence with an indirect object often has a direct object, too.
I.E. Siempre LES sirvo vino A MIS INVITADOS. - What do I serve? WINE=Direct object
TO WHOM do I serve the wine? TO MY GUESTS=Indirect object

Question 2

Direct OBject pronouns

Answer 2

Indirect objects may be nouns (as in for the children or to Sam) or pronouns (as in to me or for us).

Question 3

Direct Object Pronouns

Answer 3

to/for me-me
to/for you-te
to/for you-le
to/for him or her-le
to/for us-nos
to/for you-os
to/for you-les
to/for them-les

Question 4

Position in the sentence

Answer 4

Same rules as direct object pronouns.

• Place an indirect object pronoun in front of a single, conjugated verb.
• With a verb phrase consisting of (conjugated verb + infinitive), place the pronoun before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive.

Question 5

Duplication

Answer 5

In Spanish, when the indirect object is a noun (such as TO MARY or FOR MY PARENTS), the corresponding indirect object pronoun appears in the sentence together with the noun. Although this kind of “duplication” is not used in English, it is a standard feature of Spanish.

• Use LE together with (A + singular noun/name)
• Use LES together with (A + plural noun/names)