Double object pronouns

Question

How do I use double object pronouns to answer questions?

Example questions:
Tu me das un dolar?
Quien te lleva las flores?
Uds. les dieron la tarjeta a ellos?
Tu le regalas el libro al profesor'

Answer 1

Remember that the word order is indirect + direct+ conjugated verb

Tu me das un dolar? > Sí, te lo doy.
Quien te lleva las flores? Miguel me las lleva.

On these 2 examples, both the indirect and direct objects are 3rd person. In thiscase, both pronouns would begin with L You can't put le los or les la ( or combinations such as these) together. Change the first one to se
Uds. les dieron la tarjeta a ellos? Si, nosotros se la dimos.
Tu le regalas el libro al profesor? Sí, yo se lo regalo.

Answer 2

Follow-up question:
Is this correct:
No me los he cepillado - I have not brushed them (as in teeth).

Answer 3

Yes, that is correctly written, but it is a case of reflexive pronouns.

Answer 4

Gracias. I would never use that, though, it is extremely akward!

Answer 5

Not akward at all! Just as normal as "Hola, ¿qué tal'".

Answer 6

Just saying it though! I think I would confuse myself with all the me's and he's and los' (or worse, les') =)

Answer 7

Sorry to sound dumb (i'm sure i'll do this many times whilst learning spanish !) , but i have a couple of questions on these, hopefully someone can clarify :

In the second lot of examples (the third person ones), why does there need to be an extra pronoun in the question? Presumably the 'les' in the first example and 'le' in the second example, before the relevant verb conjugations, stand for 'them' and 'the teacher' respectively, but if you are including the recipient of the action in the sentence anyway ('them' , 'the teacher') , then why does the question require a pronoun for them also? How come it translates as 'you give him the teacher the book'' - why does it need the 'him' in the question? In the answers given, it seems enough to just have the pronouns.

Thanks in advance for any help !

Answer 8

When using 3rd person pronouns, you need to clarify what the noun was because there are so many possibilites which causes confusion. It isn't necessary to do it in a conversation or paragraph if the noun was already stated.

Answer 9

Thanks - so in the case of those example sentences, the 3rd person pronouns weren't strictly necessary is what i'm trying to get at ? If the teacher is the noun in the second sentence,and this is stated explicitly in the sentence itself, then there is no need for the 'le' before the regales, or is it a requisite of the verb directly after it that a pronoun be used (much like a reflexive verb) ?

Similarly in the other sentence, with 'them' being a pronoun for an implied group of people that presumably both involved in that particular conversation are aware of, is the 'les' before the conjugated verb not necessary or is it a requisite of the verb's meaning that it must be preceeded by a pronoun?

Thanks again

Answer 10

Can anyone clarify, thanks.

Answer 11

Clarification.
Cherry was very accurate.

Uds. les dieron la tarjeta a ellos? Si, nosotros se la dimos.

in the question there is a repeated pronoun in 'les' and 'a ellos'
It could have been said
Uds les dieron la tarjeta?
but not
uds dieron la tarjeta a ellos
(although apparently linguistically correct it sounds awkward and is not used)

If you said Uds les dieron la tarjeta? it may not be clear if it was this group or that group.
The meaning could have been inferred through context if it was in writing or by pointing if it was spoken.
So the full text of Uds. les dieron la tarjeta a ellos? would only be used where there was the possibility of confusion as to whom you are referring to.

As to the answer
Si, nosotros se la dimos.
There are here no spare words.
se refers to them who received the card
la refers to the card we gave

Tu le regalas el libro al profesor?
Sí, yo se lo regalo.

similarly in this case, in the question both le and al profesor refer to the person being given the gift.
the addition of al profesor is only required where there is the possibility of confusion.
if not 'Tu le regalas el libro' would have been enough.

in the answer as before there are no spare or repeated words.

note that the forms used by Cherry in her example could also be used for emphasis.
Tu le regalas el libro al profesor.
could also be translated along the lines of 'you are giving the book to him, the professor''
so they are used like that for a number of reasons.

I hope this clarifies it for you

Answer 12

Instead of Tu le regalas el libro al profesor? Could you say Le lo regalas'

Answer 13

When using 3rd person double object pronouns, change the indirect to se instead of le or les and keep the direct as usual. In the case of your example it would be, "¿Se lo regalas'"