Kilo Lingo

Spanish · Chapter 17 · Lesson 15 · Grammar primer

Pronoun order

Stacking two object pronouns: indirect before direct, the le -> se switch (se lo di), and where they sit around the verb.

The short version

Le lo is impossible, so le becomes se

Spanish refuses to put two l-pronouns side by side, so when le or les would land in front of lo, la, los or las, it changes to se. Se lo doy, never le lo doy. This se has nothing to do with the reflexive, and it costs you clarity, since se lo doy could mean to him, her, you or them. Pin it down with a él, a ella or a ustedes.

Se lo doy a él.

I give it to him.

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Lesson 15 of 22 in this chapter

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