Spanish 2.7.1. Combining Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns in Spanish

We will examine how to combine direct and indirect object pronouns in the same sentence through the following two examples:

First Example

Let us take the example: “She sells me the house.” This translates to:

Ella me vende la casa.

In the above example, we recognize that “la casa” (the house) is the direct object being acted upon, i.e., being sold, whereas “me” (me) is the indirect object that receives the direct object, i.e., the house is being sold to me.

Let us first focus on the direct object in “Ella vende la casa” (She sells the house). If we remove the direct object “la casa” (the house) to say “She sells it,” we must use “lo” or “la” to refer to the direct object pronoun “it.” Since “la casa” is feminine, we must use “la”:

Ella la vende.

Next, we add the indirect object “me” before the direct object “la” to say “She sells it to me”:

Ella me la vende.

Second Example

Let us take another example: “I give him a gift.” This translates to:

Yo le doy un regalo.

Here, “un regalo” (a gift) is the direct object, whereas “le” (him) is the indirect object.

Let us first focus on the direct object in “Yo doy un regalo …” (I give a gift …). If we remove the direct object “un regalo” (a gift) to say “I give it …,” we must use “lo” or “la” to refer to the direct object pronoun “it.” Since “un regalo” is masculine, we must use “lo”:

Yo lo doy …

Now, we add the indirect object “le” before the direct object “lo” to say “I give it to him”:

Yo le lo doy.(This would be wrong)

To avoid alliteration when saying “le lo” in this case, one must replace the indirect object with “se.” Thus, we instead say:

Yo se lo doy.

Alliteration Rule

As a general rule to avoid alliteration:

(le/les)         +        (lo/la/los/las)        =        se (lo/la/los/las)

I give them to her.	Yo se los doy.	le + los = se los
I give it to them.	Yo se lo doy.	les + lo = se lo

Notice also that Spanish speakers maintain the indirect object pronoun even when the indirect object itself exists in the sentence, which may seem redundant to English speakers, for example:

Ella me la vende a mí.	She sells it to me.
Yo le doy un regalo a mi amigo.	I give a gift to my friend.
Yo se lo doy a mi amigo.	I give it to my friend.

Next: Relative Pronouns

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