me / te / o / a / nos / vos / os / as
Direct Object Pronouns
Direct object pronouns stand for the person or thing an action is done to: Vinte onte (I saw you yesterday), Coñézoa ben (I know her well).
How It Works
The forms.
- me: me. Chámame (call me)
- te: you (ti). Vinte (I saw you)
- o / a: him, her, it, and polite you (vostede). Coñézoa (I know her)
- nos: us. Víronnos (they saw us)
- vos: you all (vós). Espérovos (I will wait for you all)
- os / as: them. Chámoos (I call them)
Direct, not indirect. These pronouns answer "whom?" or "what?" (I saw whom? — you). For "to whom?" Galician has a different set: me, che, lle, nos, vos, lles. The difference is most visible with ti: te here versus che there. See indirect object pronouns and te and che. Also note that lle is never a direct object: "I saw him" is Vino, not Vinlle.
Position. In a plain affirmative statement the pronoun goes after the verb as one written word, following the rule for pronouns after the verb. After non, a question word and several other words it goes in front: Non a coñezo.
The third-person forms change shape. O, a, os, as have two variants that depend on the sound before them:
- after a verb ending in -r or -s, they become lo, la, los, las and the consonant drops: facer + o → facelo. See lo and la after -r and -s.
- after a verb ending in a diphthong, they become no, na, nos, nas: comprou + o → comprouno. See no and na after diphthongs.
Everywhere else they stay o, a, os, as: vexo + o → véxoo, vin + a → vina.
Examples (6)
- Vinte onte no mercado.
I saw you yesterday at the market.
Word by Word: Saw-you yesterday in-the market.
- Coñézoa ben: é a miña veciña.
I know her well: she is my neighbour.
Word by Word: Know-her well: is the my neighbour.
- Os teus pais? Chámoos logo.
Your parents? I will call them later.
Word by Word: The your parents? Call-them later.
- Quérote moito.
I love you very much.
Word by Word: Want-you much.
- Espérovos na porta do cine.
I will wait for you all at the cinema entrance.
Word by Word: Wait-you-all in-the door of-the cinema.
- Este libro? Non o coñezo.
This book? I do not know it.
Word by Word: This book? Not it know.
After non, the pronoun goes in front of the verb.
Common Mistakes
Using lle for "him" as a direct object (Spanish leísmo).
O teu irmán? Vinlle onte.O teu irmán? Vino onte.Lle means "to him or her". "I saw him" needs the direct object o: vin + o → vino.
Using lo where no -r or -s comes before it.
Véxolo todos os días.Véxoo todos os días.Lo only appears after -r or -s, which then drop (facelo, cómelo). After vexo, which ends in a vowel, the pronoun is simply o.
Starting the sentence with the pronoun.
Te vin onte.Vinte onte.In a plain statement with nothing that pulls it forward, the pronoun follows the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Direct object pronouns replace the person or thing directly affected by the action.
Related Patterns
- me / che / lle / nos / vos / llesIndirect Object Pronouns
The indirect object pronouns, used for "to me", "to you" and "to him or her".
Level 2 - te / cheTe vs. Che
The key contrast between direct te and indirect che.
Level 2 - Pronouns After the Verb
Explains why the pronoun follows the verb in plain statements.
Level 2 - lo, la After -r and -sPronoun Forms Lo and La After -r and -s
The lo, la variant used after -r and -s.
Level 2 - no, na After DiphthongsPronoun Forms No and Na After Diphthongs
The no, na variant used after a diphthong.
Level 3 - Neuter o for Ideas
The same pronoun o can stand for a whole idea: Non o sei.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice me / te / o / a / nos / vos / os / as in Bubblegum
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