confusion over le as direct object
Why is it le creo and not lo creo for I believe him? Also, why is it le animo (I encourage him)? Does someone have a faily comprehensive list of verbs that require le when in English we would use a direct object? Are their rules governing when this occurs?
8 Answers
My understanding is that "le" is only meant to be used as an indirect object, which usually only refers to people (masculine OR feminine) and sometimes pets since the gender is ambiguous. Using "le" as a direct object instead of "lo" is leísmo. As far as I've learned, an indirect object can't exist unless there is a direct object in the same sentence. So if anything is receiving the benefit of the action, it is the direct object even if it is a person.
Towards the bottom of this webpage, Direct Object Pronouns there are some great examples where the direct object is a person.
So with those verbs like llamar, creer, amar, animar, ver, conocer, etc. in which the object receiving the action of the verb happens to be a person, you should really use the direct object pronouns: me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las. Here are some examples: "Lo creí cuando me contó la historia." [I believed him when he told me the story.] "Voy a llamarla en la mañana." [I'll call her in the morning.] "El profesor los animó a estudiar." [The professor encouraged them to study. It's easy to get mixed up though, and slowly the spoken language changes. That's why in some places, people are used to using the indirect objects with certain verbs.
However, with verbs like, gustar, importar, interesar, emocionar, etc.you should always use the indirect object pronouns: me, te, le, nos, os, les. With these types of verbs, you could say the subject/object of the verb is functioning like the direct object in the sentence. I say "subject" because the verb conjugates according to it. "Le gusta el helado." [She/He likes ice cream.] More Verbs like Gustar. Indirect objects are never the subject of a sentence. There doesn't strictly have to be a direct object though, but an infinitive verb instead: "Me gusta traducir." [I like to translate. Or literally, Translating is pleasing to me.].
Why is it le creo and not lo creo for I believe him? Also, why is it le animo (I encourage him)?
Hi Isonder, welome to the forum
Actually it isn't
Lo creo.
Lo animo.
Thy are direct objects and should carry the lo pronoun.
However, as sturdust has explained, the "le" used as a direct object when talking about men, is "accepted" in Penunsular Spanish. I think we have used it wrongly such a long time, that the Royal Academy finally chose to "accept" it , it is not correct though
As far as I've learned, an indirect object can't exist unless there is a direct object in the same sentence.
That is an English language concept. It doesn't exist in Spanish. Spanish loves using the indirect object pronoun in intransitive sentences. Your own examples of gustar-like verbs is a typical example. And the subject of those sentences correspond to what would be the direct object in the English translation, but it is in no way a direct object in Spanish.
Another common example are pronominal sentences where the "detransitizing" se is used.
- Se me olvidaron los libros. I forgot the books.
- ¿Se te perdieron las llaves? Did you lose the keys?
- Sí, se me cayeron ayer. Yes, I dropped them yesterday.
Like the gustar-like intransitive sentences, what is the direct object in the English sentence is the subject in the Spanish sentence, there is an indirect object pronoun, a reflexive pronoun, and no direct object pronoun.
The books are forgotten to me. (intransitive sentence)
Despite the rough association, it is not as simple as "Le is for people and lo is for things." The easiest way to find out which object pronoun to use is to look the word up in the dictionary, where it will tell you what sort of verb it is (transitive or intransitive). The dictionary on this site writes it in bold green letters above the definitions. Then, apply the following rule:
Transitive verbs take a direct object; intransitive verbs do not. (When they take one, they take indirect object pronouns.)
Direct object pronouns are: me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las. Indirect object pronouns are: me, te, le, nos, os, les Leísmo is the practice of using le instead of lo to indicate politeness. For example, saludar (to greet) is a transitive verb, and therefore uses a direct object pronoun (lo). However, it is common, especially in Spain, to write le saluda. (Ending saluda with the letter A is another thing, which also indicates respect. It’s like “you are greeted” instead of “I greet you.”)
Animar and creer are both transitive verbs, which means that they must take direct object pronouns. You have probably seen them with indirect object pronouns (le, etc) because of leísmo. Though this usage is common and accepted, it is not strictly correct, or at least it didn't use to be. It has become accepted because everyone does it, at least in Spain.
Welcome to ¡LEISMO!
Lo/La are direct object pronouns for people. According to "leísmo", now accepted by RAE, "LE" can be used to replace "LO" but only for a singular man. That is to say, you cannot replaced LOS with LES, nor can you replace LA with LE. I learned this in a grammar class at University of Salamanca and this is also validated here: http://www.rae.es/consultas/uso-de-los-pronombres-los-las-les-leismo-laismo-loismo
The idea that LE and LES can be used for "people " whenever you want, is apparently not true, even though we want it to be.
"Le creo" could also mean that "I believe the words coming from his mouth" while "Lo creo" could refer to something more general, not what he is saying. I share this with you because I asked the same exact question several years ago to my professor in Spain because it was driving me nuts. She gave me that explanation.
Transitive verbs take a direct object; intransitive verbs take indirect object pronouns.
I have always wondered about the sentence "Te quiero," whether the te is an indirect object or a direct object. It's good to know now that it's a direct object pronoun, as querer is a transitive verb.
Le is for masculine people and Lo is for masculine things. Occasionally you will hear Lo used for people, but Le is the proper way. It's the same situation for Ceer and Animar.
I was under the impression le was sued for verbs of speaking
le mando, le pregunto, le hablo, etc. as well, with the implicit direct object being the thing being said. Maybe animar is this type of verb?
Also, according to this site, you see lo creo for I believe it, but le creo for I blieve him or her. Maybe because le creo is really I believe it of or to him or her.
