2. Direct Objects and Direct Object Pronouns

3. Look at the sentences: Yo lavo el carro. Ella ayuda a la niña. Nosotros escribimos unas cartas a nuestros amigos. There are various parts to each: a subject a verb a direct object

4. A direct object answers the question “who” or “what” in a sentence. A direct object receives the action of the verb. Yo lavo… what ? The answer is el carro. -direct object Ella ayuda… who ? Ella ayuda a la niña. – direct object

5. Many times, the direct object in a sentence is replaced by a direct object pronoun. ¿Lavaste el carro? Did you wash the car? Yes, I washed it. Sí, yo lo lavé.

6. The direct object pronouns are: me nos te os lo los la las

7. The direct object pronoun will always agree in gender and number with the direct object.The direct object pronoun will always agree in gender and number with the direct object. Masculine singular : lo Masculine plural: los Feminine singular : la Feminine plural : las

8. The direct object pronouns replaces the direct object in the sentence and has it’s own meaning.The direct object pronouns replaces the direct object in the sentence and has it’s own meaning. me – menos - usme – menos - us te – youos - youte – youos - you lo - it, himlos- themlo - it, himlos- them la – it, herlas - themla – it, herlas - them

9. The difference in Spanish and English is that the direct object pronoun in Spanish comes before the conjugated verb. I wash it. Yo lavo el carro. lo Yo lo lavo.

10. Ella ayuda a la niña. Ella la ayuda. Other examples… la Nosotros escribimos unas cartas a nuestros amigos. Nosotros las escribimos a nuestros amigos. (We write them…) She helps her.

11. If you have a negative sentence, the pronoun still goes right in front of the conjugate verb. Ana y Chela no secan los platos. Ana y Chela no los secan. los Ana y Chela don’t dry them.

12. One more thing… If the sentence has an infinitive, you should attach the pronoun to the infinitive. Debo planchar la camisa. la Debo plancharla. I should iron it.