When is "leísmo" acceptable?

Question

Is it ever permissible to use the 3rd person indirect object pronouns "le" and "les" when referring to direct objects? For example, can you say, "Yo le amo" (I love him) as well as "Yo lo amo."?

Good question, and I had to vote up all the answers for being so interesting! - galsally, Nov 1, 2010

Answer 1

Yes, as long as you are refering to someone, and not to something.

You could say "le he visto", where "le" is the direct object (what you saw) and you'll be always talking about a boy, not an object, nor a girl.

Answer 2

Hello, and welcome to the forum. It is perfectly acceptable and quite widespread in Spain.

Update: Oh. The RAE does call it "improper" though.

Es el uso impropio de le(s) en función de complemento directo[...]

But then it goes on to give all sorts of rules governing its use and saying when it's wrong. At any rate, I may not move in very grammar-curmudgeonly circles, but I've never heard anyone really object to it. All my Spanish professors say it's fine to use or not use it, but that you should just be consistent.

Answer 3

Adhiero con la info anterior. Cuidado con el "loísmo", incluso los hispanohablantes cometemos errores crueles. "Leísmo Los pronombres Le y Les –los cuales funcionan, como hemos dicho, como complemento indirecto- pasan a utilizarse como complemento directo masculino, refiriéndose a personas. De forma que, en vez de decir “Lo vi”, o “Los vi”, se dice “Le vi” (para él) o “Les vi” (para ellos). En vez de “A tus compañeros los conocí ayer”, decimos “A tus compañeros les saludé ayer”, incurriendo en el fenómeno que se ha denominado leísmo.

En cualquier caso, el leísmo no es un fenómeno especialmente reprobable y que, además está muy extendido, sobre todo en las zonas del sur de España. Si bien sí hay variaciones que son absolutamente aberrantes para el buen uso del idioma, como estas:

• El empleo de Le o Les como complemento directo femenino, de forma que digamos, en vez “Ayer la ví” (a tu hermana, por ejemplo), digamos “Ayer le vi”.

• El uso de Le o Les para hacer referencia a animales o cosas: “¿Has visto al gato?”, Sí, le he visto ahí fuera”. El uso correcto para este caso es, y debe seguir siendo, el uso de Lo. "

I don´t understand why is that difference between a cat, a rocket and a girl. - mediterrunio, Oct 29, 2010

Between rockets and and cats, not much difference but if you don't understand the difference between girls and rocket/cats, you need help. - samdie, Oct 29, 2010

lol :) - Kiwi-Girl, Nov 1, 2010

Answer 4

That kind of leísmo is called "de cortesía", and despite the name, it is perfectly acceptable even in very formal and academic Spanish, and it is used in most countries.