Spanish Commands with Pronouns

Overview

You can attach certain direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns to command forms! If you’re using affirmative commands, the pronouns are attached directly to the end of the verb. If you’re using negative commands, the pronouns go directly before the verb. If the word (with the command and the attached pronoun) ends up being more than three syllables, an accent mark is added to where the emphasis would usually fall if the word was unchanged.

Waist up factory manager point finger to command female worker

July 14, 2023

Stephen Sovenyhazy

Reflexive, direct object and indirect object pronoun, must be attached to an affirmative command. In all cases, with affirmative commands, the object pronouns are attached to the imperative form of the verb. One way to remember the order is with the accronym: RID that stands for Reflexive+ Indirect+Direct object pronoun.

Compre ud. El carro.

Cómprelo ud.

If both direct and indirect object pronouns are attached, for example when you write “lo,” or “la” at the end of a word, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. To emphasize a direct command in Spanish, we add “lo”; “la”; or emos; melo; at the end of the word.

Cómpremelo ud. Buy it from me

When you write a command with a two pronoun, an accent is used to emphasize the force of the verb.

Command: haz (one syllable)

hazlo (one pronoun, no accent required)
házmelo (two pronouns, accent is required)

When writing a negative command, the object pronoun goes before the imperative form of the verb.

No venda usted el carro – Do not sale the car.

No lo venda – Do not sale it.

One way to remember how to write commands with pronouns is to follow this rule: if one of the pronouns starts with the letter “l,” you change the “l,” for “se.” This applies when you see the pronouns: lo; los, la, le, les.

le lo = se lo                               Gladys se las regaló a ella. (thrid person)
le los = se los                           Julio te las dió a ti (second person)
le las = se las                           Laura me las compró a mi ( first person)

les la = se Ernesto se los vendió a ellos.
les los = se los
les las = se las Les los = se los

Highlighted Author:

Stephen Sovenyhazy

Stephen is the President of CORE Languages having founded the company in 2007. His focus is on empowering those with a need for community, culture and communication. For over a decade, CORE has helped businesses achieve their strategic international goals by empowering employees to learn and find joy in communicating in a new language and cultural context. With our online instructor-led courses, we now bring this to community members across the globe. A quote from Stephen. "When I started teaching, I sought to bring that same energy, dedication, and sense of purpose into my own classrooms. I founded CORE Languages to expand that vision, seeing the growing need for language training options designed to meet the unique needs of business environments. For over a decade, CORE has helped businesses achieve their strategic international goals by empowering employees to learn and find joy in communicating in a new language and cultural context. With our online instructor-led courses, we now bring this to community members across the globe. It’s a privilege to do what we do and share what we love with you.”

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Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The CEFR is an international standard used to describe language ability. Here are specific details of the CEFR for this topic.

General Explanation:

Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Specific Capabilities at this Level

Writing:

I can write a short, simple postcard, for example sending holiday greetings. I can fill in forms with personal details, for example entering my name, nationality and address on a hotel registration form.

Spoken Production:

I can use simple phrases and sentences to describe where I live and people I know.

Spoken Interaction:

I can interact in a simple way provided the other person is prepared to repeat or rephrase things at a slower rate of speech and help me formulate what I’m trying to say. I can ask and answer simple questions in areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics.

Reading:

I can understand familiar names, words and very simple sentences, for example on notices and posters or in catalogues.

Listening:

I can recognize familiar words and very basic phrases concerning myself, my family and immediate concrete surroundings when people speak slowly and clearly.