{"id":3334,"date":"2021-11-01T16:54:53","date_gmt":"2021-11-01T20:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/contextos\/?p=3334"},"modified":"2023-08-16T16:08:49","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T20:08:49","slug":"combinacion-de-los-pronombres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/contextos\/combinacion-de-los-pronombres\/","title":{"rendered":"Combinaci\u00f3n de los pronombres"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Recap<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By now, you have learned about direct object pronouns<\/span> (1), which indicate what or who is directly influenced by an action, and indirect object pronouns<\/span> (2), which show you to whom or for whom an action is done:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(1)<\/p>\n

La <\/span><\/strong>vi en la mesa (la carta)<\/p>\n

I saw it on the table (the letter)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Le <\/span><\/strong>regal\u00e9 una mesa (a \u00e9l)<\/p>\n

I bought him a table (to him)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both direct and indirect object pronouns are placed before<\/u> the main verb of the sentence (3). Only in some cases these pronouns may be placed after the verb: when the verb is in the infinitive or gerund form (4) and in imperative constructions (5):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(3)<\/p>\n

Os<\/span> <\/strong>traigo este libro.<\/p>\n

I bring you(pl) this book.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(4)<\/p>\n

Voy a traeros<\/span><\/strong> este libro.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to bring you(pl) this book.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Estoy ley\u00e9ndoles<\/strong><\/span> este\u00a0libro.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m reading them\u00a0this book.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(5)<\/p>\n

\u00a1Tr\u00e1elo<\/span><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Bring it!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Combination of pronouns<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many times we need to mention both the direct and the indirect objects in a given sentence.\u00a0 When combining object pronouns, make sure that the indirect object pronoun (IOP)<\/em><\/span> precedes the direct object pronoun (DOP)<\/em><\/span>:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(6)<\/p>\n

Te<\/span> lo<\/span><\/strong> compr\u00e9 anoche (el libro)<\/p>\n

I bought it for you last night (the book)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s examine the previous example more closely:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(7)<\/p>\n

\"PronombresDirectosIndirectos_Gram_Graphic1\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As you can see, the subject is optional (the morphology of the verb already shows you who is doing the action) and both object pronouns occur before the main verb. Also, the indirect object pronoun precedes the direct object pronoun.\u00a0 Remember that in order to figure out to what these pronouns refer, you can simply ask a couple of questions:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(8)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Question<\/strong><\/td>\nAnswer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00bfQu\u00e9<\/span> compr\u00e9 anoche?<\/em><\/td>\nEl libro\u00a0\u2192 lo<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What did I buy last night?<\/span><\/em><\/td>\nThe book <\/span><\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

(9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Question<\/strong><\/td>\nAnswer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00bfA qui\u00e9n<\/span> le compr\u00e9 el libro anoche?<\/em><\/td>\nA ti \u2192 te<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
To whom did I buy the book last night?<\/span><\/em><\/td>\nTo you <\/span><\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Take a look at these other examples and pay close attention to the referent of each pronoun:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(10)<\/p>\n

Me<\/span> lo<\/span> <\/strong>compr\u00f3 (el libro)<\/p>\n

He\/She bought it for me (the book)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(11)<\/p>\n

Te<\/span> la <\/span><\/strong>mostr\u00e9 (la foto)<\/p>\n

I showed it to you (the picture)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(12)<\/p>\n

Nos <\/span>la <\/strong><\/span>trajeron (la pizza)<\/p>\n

They brought it for us (the pizza)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(13)<\/p>\n

Os<\/span> lo <\/span><\/strong>dieron (el mensaje)<\/p>\n

They gave it to you(pl) (the message)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the indirect object pronoun refers to a third person singular (a\u00a0\u00e9l\/ella\/usted<\/em>) or plural (a\u00a0ellos\/ellas\/ustedes<\/em>), le\/les<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0changes to se<\/em><\/strong> when it is combined with a direct object pronoun:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(14)\"\"<\/p>\n

Se<\/span> lo<\/span> <\/strong>dieron (el mensaje)<\/p>\n

They gave it to him\/her\/to them (the message)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(15)<\/p>\n

Se<\/span> las<\/span> <\/strong>regal\u00e9 todas (las flores)<\/p>\n

I gave them all to him\/her\/to them (the flowers)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s examine one of these examples more closely:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(16)<\/p>\n

\"PronombresDirectosIndirectos_Gram_Graphic2\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Again, we see that the subject (Yo \u2018I\u2019<\/em>) is implied in the morphology of the verb\u00a0regal\u00e9\u00a0<\/em>(I gave\/gifted<\/em>). The pronoun\u00a0las <\/em><\/span>corresponds to las flores<\/em> (the flowers<\/em>) and se<\/em><\/span> refers to the person for whom the flowers were bought (him\/her\/them<\/em>). In reality, se<\/em> should have been produced as le<\/em> (for him\/her<\/em>) and les<\/em> (for them<\/em>). However, due to a pronunciation change that took place in Old Spanish, the repetition of the \u201cl\u201d sound was avoided by replacing it with an \u201cs\u201d sound:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(17)<\/p>\n

Le<\/span> las <\/span><\/strong>regal\u00e9 todas\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2192 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Se <\/span>las <\/span><\/strong>regal\u00e9 todas<\/p>\n

(18)<\/p>\n

Les<\/span> las <\/span><\/strong>regal\u00e9 todas\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2192 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Se <\/span>las <\/span><\/strong>regal\u00e9 todas<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The downside of this change is that in Modern Spanish you could confuse this indirect object pronoun se<\/em><\/strong> with other se<\/em><\/strong> pronouns:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(19)<\/p>\n

Se <\/span>las <\/span><\/strong>lavo.<\/p>\n

I wash them for him\/her\/for them.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(20)<\/p>\n

Se<\/strong> lava.<\/p>\n

He\/She washes himself\/herself.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(21)<\/p>\n

Se<\/strong> lavan.<\/p>\n

They wash themselves\/each other.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(22)<\/p>\n

Se<\/strong> lavan carros.<\/p>\n

Cars are washed.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These other se<\/em><\/strong> pronouns are either reflexive, reciprocal or impersonal\/passive (you will learn about the impersonal and passive se<\/em><\/strong> in the future). However, you should have in mind that se<\/em><\/strong> may have multiple meanings and that you need to rely on context to determine its real meaning and function.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finally, remember that in certain constructions both object pronouns may be placed after the verb. And even here, the indirect object pronoun precedes the direct object pronoun:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(23)<\/p>\n

Voy a tra\u00e9rte<\/span>lo<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to bring you this book.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(24)<\/p>\n

Estoy\u00a0cont\u00e1ndose<\/span>lo<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am telling\u00a0him\/her\/them about it.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(25)<\/p>\n

\u00a1Tr\u00e1eme<\/span>lo<\/span><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Bring it to me!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PR\u00c1CTICA<\/h3>\n

Contesta las siguientes preguntas sobre tu vida usando pronombres de objeto directo e indirecto. F<\/strong>\u00edjate bien en la persona del verbo para comprender qu\u00e9 es lo que se est\u00e1 preguntando:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • Si tienes un problema personal o te pones enfermo, \u00bfa qui\u00e9n le pides ayuda? Y a ti, \u00bfte pide ayuda alguien?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n