Replacing words with direct object pronouns
How would you write the following sentences, replacing the bold words with the appropriate direct object pronoun?
Ella tiene el dinero. Es importante leer los libros. Voy a comprar unos lápices.
For the first one, I wrote: Ella lo tiene dinero. Is this correct or not? If not, how would I write it.
8 Answers
Where to put the pronoun: regular verbs vs. infinitives
Ella tiene el dinero.
As has been said already, el dinero gets replaced with lo. And, in normal usage, the pronoun is put in front of the verb: Ella lo tiene.
.
Es importante leer los libros.
When pronouns are used with infinitives, they are tacked onto the end. In this case, los libros gets replaced with los, which is then tacked onto the end of leer: Es importante leerlos.
.
A word about context...
Yes, pronouns almost always need some context to be understood in either Spanish or English. I mean, if you just saw it is important to read them sitting on a page by itself, would you have any idea what them was referring to? We would know it would be something that could be read, but it could be referring to user manuals, web pages, a set of PDF files, books, magazines, post cards, or who knows what.
On the other hand, if you saw: Here are the books. It is important to read them, suddenly it becomes clear. In Spanish, that would be: Aquí están los libros. Es importante leerlos.
Ella lo tiene (do not include dinero, because the pronoun lo substitutes the noun dinero)
Now try the next two and post them back for correction.
¡Buena suerte!
In the lessons section there is a great video that explains how to use pronouns. It is really easy to understand. Click on the blue link to go there. If that doesn't work, it is lesson 2.3. Good luck!
Oh, gosh, I really have to think long and hard on these!
So to use direct object pronoun for the following sentence: "Voy a comprar unos lápices," I would write:
Me voy a comprar.
Because "me" is the direct object pronoun before the verb, "going to"? And comprar is implied that the person you are talking to already knows you are referring to pencils?
Voy a comprar unos lápices.
The verb you are working with in this sentence is "comprar".
The object of the verb is "lápices".
So you need the direct object pronoun for "lápices" placed before the verb "comprar".
I'm assuming you are buying more than one pencil, so the pronoun should probably be plural.
Is that correct?
So the third person plural direct object pronoun is "los". Right?
Voy a los comprar.
or Voy a comprarlos.
That's my guess. I'm a little more secure with the first one, but maybe someone else can help.
Susana, I appreciate you asking this question. I have wrestled with direct object pronouns for months and I believe these responses may have helped me.
For example, in English, if the subject (money, in this case) has been established by context, we can insert a direct object pronoun in the sentence.
"She has money"
In order to say
"She has it"
The person we are speaking to must understand "it" refers to "money", a concept that must be established by context. Otherwise, "it" could describe anything.
The only difference I see in Spanish is the placement of "it". The direct object pronoun is placed before the verb, giving the sentence
"Ella lo tiene"
I know this seems juvenile, but it appears that direct object pronouns must derive their antecedent from context.
I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong. This has been a problem for me to understand. Thanks again for the question.
