me / che / lle / nos / vos / lles
Indirect Object Pronouns
Indirect object pronouns show who receives something or benefits from an action: Dime a verdade (tell me the truth), Deiche un regalo (I gave you a present).
How It Works
The forms.
- me: to me. Dime (tell me)
- che: to you (ti). Deiche (I gave you)
- lle: to him, to her, to you (vostede). Mandeille (I sent him or her)
- nos: to us. Escríbenos (write to us)
- vos: to you all (vós). Tróuxenvos (I brought you all)
- lles: to them, to you (vostedes). Tráiolles (I bring them something)
What they mean. These pronouns answer "to whom?" or "for whom?": the person who receives, hears or benefits. Verbs such as dar, dicir, mandar, traer, escribir and preguntar use them all the time, and so do verbs like gustar (gústame = it pleases me).
Only the ti and third-person forms differ from the direct set. Me, nos and vos look the same as the direct object pronouns. The ones to watch are che (not te) and lle / lles (not o, a, os, as). See te and che and direct object pronouns.
Naming the person too. It is very natural to use the pronoun even when the person is named: Deille o libro a Xoán (I gave the book to Xoán). Make the number match: Díxenlles aos nenos (I told the children).
Position and spelling. Like other unstressed pronouns, they follow the verb in a plain statement and join it, with accents as for a single word (pronouns after the verb). A verb with a diacritic accent keeps it: dá + lle → dálle. When an indirect and a direct pronoun meet, they fuse: che + o → cho; see mo, cho and llo.
Examples (6)
- Dime a verdade.
Tell me the truth.
Word by Word: Tell-me the truth.
- Onte deiche un regalo.
Yesterday I gave you a present.
Word by Word: Yesterday gave-to-you a present.
- Mandeille un correo á directora.
I sent the headteacher an email.
Word by Word: Sent-to-her an email to-the director.
Lle and á directora refer to the same person; using both is natural.
- Escríbenos cando chegues!
Write to us when you arrive!
Word by Word: Write-to-us when you-arrive!
- Dálle un bico á avoa.
Give grandma a kiss.
Word by Word: Give-to-her a kiss to-the grandma.
Dá keeps its accent when lle is added.
- Tráiolles pan aos veciños.
I bring the neighbours bread.
Word by Word: Bring-to-them bread to-the neighbours.
Common Mistakes
Using singular lle for a plural recipient.
Díxenlle aos nenos que viñesen.Díxenlles aos nenos que viñesen.Aos nenos is plural, so the pronoun must be lles.
Using te instead of che for "to you".
Deite a chave onte.Deiche a chave onte.You received the key, so "you" is an indirect object: che. Te is only for a direct object, as in Vinte (I saw you).
Using o or a instead of lle for "to him" or "to her".
Escribina unha carta á miña nai.Escribinlle unha carta á miña nai.The letter is what you wrote (direct object); your mother is who received it, so she is lle.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Indirect object pronouns name the recipient or affected person.
Related Patterns
- me / te / o / a / nos / vos / os / asDirect Object Pronouns
The direct object pronouns, which differ in the second and third persons.
Level 2 - te / cheTe vs. Che
The contrast between te and che in detail.
Level 2 - gústameLiking with Gustar
Gustar uses indirect pronouns: gústame, gústache, gústalle.
Level 1 - mo / cho / lloCombined Pronouns Mo, Cho and Llo
How an indirect pronoun fuses with o, a, os, as.
Level 3 - Pronouns After the Verb
Why these pronouns follow the verb in plain statements.
Level 2 - Dative of Solidarity
A later use of che that involves the listener without being a real object.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice me / che / lle / nos / vos / lles in Bubblegum
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