Hola Amigos!

Here is a partial script from an interactive lesson in our Spanish Digital Learning Center (DLC).

In order to learn “Indirect Object pronouns”, first we need to briefly review what a “Direct Object” is. Direct Objects are the “First goal or action of a verb”. The best way to learn what that means is to look at a few examples.

The first one is: “She gives the money”. Here the verb is “gives” and “the money” is the “Direct Object”. It receives the action of the verb – it’s “what” She gives. In Spanish, this would be said “Ella da el dinero”. The “ella” is optional.

See if you can pick out the “Direct Objects” in the next few examples. Just a hint, the “Direct Object” will turn blue a second after the sentence is said (Note: this only happens in the interactive lesson). Try to pick it out before it turns blue.

We send letters:  Now in Spanish – Mandamos las cartas

She asks for a favor: Now in Spanish – Pide un favor

They tell secrets: Now in Spanish – Dicen secretos

I throw the ball: Now in Spanish – Tiro la pelota

I deliver the packages: Now in Spanish – Entrego los paquetes

Were you able to guess the direct objects? Remember, they receive the action of the verb.

Now you’ve had a brief review of Direct Objects, let’s add Indirect Objects to these sentences. An “Indirect Object” is the secondary goal or action of the verb.

An example of this is:

She gives the money to me – In this sentence, “the money” is the first action of the verb; it’s what “she gives”. And, “to me” is the secondary action of the verb. “She’s giving the money…to me”.

Now we’ll look at a few more. The next one is:

We send letters to him – In this sentence, “letters” is the first action or goal of the verb, or the “direct object”  – it’s what “we send”, and “to him” is the second action of the verb or the “indirect object” – in other words, “we’re sending letters – to him”.

She asks for a favor of him – “Favor” is the “direct object” and “of him” is the “indirect object”

They tell secrets to her – “secrets” is the “direct object” and “to her” is the “indirect object”

Now we’ll look at 3 more examples. See if you can pick out the “direct” and “indirect objects”. After about 1 second, the Direct Object will turn blue and after another second the Indirect Object will turn red (this only happens in the actual interactive lessons). Are you ready?

He writes emails to us

I throw the ball to them

I deliver the packages to you

Were you able to guess the direct objects and indirect objects?

This concludes Part I of indirect object pronouns in Spanish. Stay tuned next Wednesday for Part II!

If you want learn with more in-depth free lessons now (that teach you how to build sentences), try our free Spanish lessons online.

For more on the course this script comes from, click on our Spanish Digital Learning Center.

¡Hasta luego Amigos!