Indirect Objects vs Direct Objects with People

Question

Can DOP's be used with people or can only IOP's do that. For example, "I know her." Technically, her is the direct object. However, in Spanish would I say "La conozco" or "Le conozco"?

Answer 1

Can DOP's be used with people or can only IOP's do that. For example, "I know her." Technically, her is the direct object. However, in Spanish would I say "La conozco" or "Le conozco"?

Yes, DOPs are commonly used for people.

Almost exclusively you would say “La conozco”. There is a phenomenon known as leísmo, mainly in Spain, in which people say le instead of lo when it refers to a person (male, singular), but this typically (emphasize typically) is not extended to los, la, or las. In most areas outside of Spain though, the DOPs are used as one would expect, even for people.

Interestingly enough, there is also laísmo and loísmo which can convert le (IOP) into la or lo respectively.

I have heard said from someone who learned Spanish (as a second language) exclusively in an area with leísmo that when I say encantado de conocerlo it sounds like the person is being referred to as a thing, but it is the most common way through most of the Spanish speaking world .