Where do direct object pronouns go in a Spanish sentence?

Before the conjugated verb in standard placement (Lo veo). With infinitives / gerundios, you can attach to end OR place before main verb (Voy a verlo = Lo voy a ver). With affirmative commands, always attach (¡Mírame!). With negative commands, always before (No me mires).

What's the difference between direct and indirect object pronouns?

Direct object answers what / whom (Compro el libro → lo). Indirect object answers to whom / for whom (Le doy el libro a Juan → le). Third-person forms differ: lo / la (direct) vs. le (indirect).

How do you choose between lo and la?

Match the gender of the noun replaced. Lo for masculine (el libro → lo), la for feminine (la pizza → la). For people: lo for masculine (a Juan → lo), la for feminine (a María → la). In leísta Spain, le is also accepted for masculine people.

How can I get better at Spanish direct object pronouns?

Practice substituting full nouns with pronouns in your own sentences. Then absorb native input, listening to natives use lo / la / los / las locks in the placement and gender matching. Parrot's daily videos feature these pronouns constantly.

Spanish grammar · Intermediate

Spanish Direct Object Pronouns: Forms, Placement, and Examples

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Spanish direct object pronouns (pronombres de objeto directo) replace the direct object, what or whom the verb acts on. Forms: me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las. They go BEFORE the conjugated verb or attach to infinitives, gerundios, and affirmative commands.

Lo veo.

I see him / I see it.

What it is

Spanish direct object pronouns replace the direct object, the what or whom the verb acts on. Forms: me (me), te (you), lo (him / it m.), la (her / it f.), nos (us), os (you all, Spain), los (them m.), las (them f.). They go BEFORE the conjugated verb (Lo veo), or attach to infinitives (verlo), gerundios (viéndolo), and affirmative commands (¡mírame!).

In Lo veo (I see him / I see it), lo replaces a masculine direct object, could refer to el libro (the book), Pedro, or any masculine singular noun. Context tells you which.

How to spot it

Look for me / te / lo / la / nos / os / los / las before a verb. They answer what? or whom?, never to whom?

La compré ayer. — I bought it (f.) yesterday.
Te quiero. — I love you.
No los veo. — I don't see them.

Direct object answers what / whom. Indirect object answers to whom / for whom. They're different sets of pronouns (lo/la vs. le).

Direct Object Pronouns Quick Reference

Spanish direct object pronouns

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	me (me)	nos (us)
2nd familiar	te (you)	os (you all, Spain)
3rd masculine	lo (him / it)	los (them)
3rd feminine	la (her / it)	las (them)
3rd formal	lo / la (you formal)	los / las (you all formal)

Common Direct Object Pronouns Examples in Spanish

Direct object pronouns replace what / whom the verb acts on:

Replacing People

¿Conoces a Juan?, Sí, lo conozco.: Do you know Juan?, Yes, I know him.
Te quiero.: I love you.
Los vi en la fiesta.: I saw them at the party.

Lo / la / los / las replace people as direct objects. Personal a is dropped when using the pronoun.

Replacing Things

¿Compraste el libro?, Sí, lo compré.: Did you buy the book?, Yes, I bought it.
Tengo las llaves. Las pongo aquí.: I have the keys. I'll put them here.
¿Quieres pizza?, La quiero.: Do you want pizza?, I want it.

Lo / la match the gender of the noun replaced. El libro → lo. La pizza → la.

Placement: Before Conjugated Verb

Lo veo.: I see him / it.
No la conozco.: I don't know her.
Los compramos ayer.: We bought them yesterday.

Default placement: directly before the conjugated verb. Negation (no) goes before the pronoun: no lo veo.

Attach to Infinitive / Gerundio / Affirmative Command

Voy a verlo. (or Lo voy a ver.): I'm going to see him / it.
Estoy mirándolo. (or Lo estoy mirando.): I'm looking at him / it.
¡Mírame!: Look at me!

With infinitive / gerundio: attach to end OR place before main verb (both correct). With affirmative commands: always attach.

How to Use Spanish Direct Object Pronouns

Identify the Direct Object First

The direct object answers what? or whom? after the verb. In Compro el libro (I'm buying the book), el libro is the direct object. In Veo a María, a María is the direct object (people take personal a, but it's still direct).

Compro el libro → el libro = direct object. Lo compro.

Replace with lo / la / los / las matching gender and number.

If you can answer what? or whom? with the noun, it's a direct object.

Match Gender and Number

Lo (masculine singular). La (feminine singular). Los (masculine plural). Las (feminine plural). El libro → lo. La pizza → la. Los libros → los. Las pizzas → las.

Compro la manzana. → La compro. Compro las manzanas. → Las compro.

Match gender and number of the noun you're replacing.

Personal a + person doesn't change pronoun gender, Veo a María → La veo (feminine because María is feminine).

Standard Placement: Before Conjugated Verb

Direct object pronoun goes immediately before the conjugated verb. No (negation) goes before the pronoun. Subject pronouns (yo, tú) go before everything.

Yo lo veo. No lo veo. Yo no lo veo.

I see it. I don't see it. I don't see it.

Order: [subject] + [no] + [pronoun] + [verb].

Alternative Placement: Infinitive / Gerundio / Command

With infinitive (verlo) and gerundio (viéndolo), you can either attach to end OR place before the main verb. With affirmative commands, you MUST attach (¡Mírame!). With negative commands, place BEFORE (No me mires).

Voy a verlo / Lo voy a ver. Mírame / No me mires.

I'm going to see him / it. Look at me / Don't look at me.

Affirmative commands often need a written accent to preserve stress (dímelo, cómprala).

Lo as Neuter Object, Replacing Ideas

Lo can replace an entire idea / clause / abstract concept, not just a masculine noun. Sé que es difícil → Lo sé (I know it / I know this).

¿Sabes que viene?, Lo sé.

Do you know he's coming?, I know it.

Neuter lo is shorthand for the whole previous statement or idea.

Common Mistakes with Direct Object Pronouns

Incorrect: Veo lo. — I see him / it. (wrong, pronoun comes BEFORE the verb)

Correct: Lo veo. — I see him / it.

Direct object pronouns go BEFORE conjugated verbs in standard Spanish. Lo veo, not veo lo.

Incorrect: Le veo. (when seeing a man, in most dialects) — I see him. (wrong outside leísmo regions)

Correct: Lo veo. — I see him.

Direct object is lo (or la). Le is the indirect object pronoun. In Spain (leísmo dialect), le is accepted for masculine people direct objects, but lo is universal.

Incorrect: No mírame. — Don't look at me. (wrong, negative command needs pronoun BEFORE)

Correct: No me mires. — Don't look at me.

Negative commands place pronouns BEFORE the verb. Affirmative commands attach the pronoun (mírame). The switch is important.

Pronoun Placement Across Tenses and Forms

Simple Tenses, Before the Verb

Direct object pronoun goes immediately before the conjugated verb in present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, subjunctive.

Lo veo. (present): I see it.
Lo vi. (preterite): I saw it.
Lo veré. (future): I'll see it.

Negative no goes before the pronoun: No lo veo.

Infinitive / Gerundio, Both Placements OK

When there's a main verb + infinitive (voy a ver) or main verb + gerundio (estoy mirando), the pronoun can attach to the end OR go before the conjugated verb. Both are correct.

Voy a verlo. = Lo voy a ver.: I'm going to see him.
Estoy mirándolo. = Lo estoy mirando.: I'm looking at him.

Attaching to gerundio requires an accent: mirándolo, not mirandolo.

Commands, Attach (Affirmative) vs. Before (Negative)

Affirmative commands: attach to the end (¡Mírame! ¡Cómpralo!). Negative commands: pronoun goes before (No me mires. No lo compres.).

¡Cómpralo!: Buy it!
No lo compres.: Don't buy it.

Affirmative often needs an accent to preserve stress (cómpralo, dímelo).

Direct Object Pronouns FAQs

What are direct object pronouns in Spanish?: Direct object pronouns replace the direct object (what / whom the verb acts on). Forms: me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las. Veo a Juan → Lo veo (I see him). Compro la pizza → La compro (I buy it).
Where do direct object pronouns go in a Spanish sentence?: Before the conjugated verb in standard placement (Lo veo). With infinitives / gerundios, you can attach to end OR place before main verb (Voy a verlo = Lo voy a ver). With affirmative commands, always attach (¡Mírame!). With negative commands, always before (No me mires).
What's the difference between direct and indirect object pronouns?: Direct object answers what / whom (Compro el libro → lo). Indirect object answers to whom / for whom (Le doy el libro a Juan → le). Third-person forms differ: lo / la (direct) vs. le (indirect).
How do you choose between lo and la?: Match the gender of the noun replaced. Lo for masculine (el libro → lo), la for feminine (la pizza → la). For people: lo for masculine (a Juan → lo), la for feminine (a María → la). In leísta Spain, le is also accepted for masculine people.
How can I get better at Spanish direct object pronouns?: Practice substituting full nouns with pronouns in your own sentences. Then absorb native input, listening to natives use lo / la / los / las locks in the placement and gender matching. Parrot's daily videos feature these pronouns constantly.