Replace Le or Les Before Lo, La, Los, and Las
Le and les change to se before a third-person direct object pronoun. Keep the intended recipient clear through context or an optional a phrase while avoiding sequences such as le lo.
Learning objective
Form and interpret se lo combinations without losing track of the recipient.
Before any third-person direct object pronoun, the indirect forms le and les change to se. This replacement applies with lo, la, los, and las, avoids the disallowed sequence, and does not erase the recipient from the meaning.
Se puede representar a una persona o a varias, porque neutraliza la diferencia entre le y les en esta combinación. El objeto directo conserva número y género: se lo para el informe, se la para la copia, se los para los informes.
Context must identify the recipient. Se lo envié can mean I sent it to him, her, you formal, or them. Add an a phrase when needed: Se lo envié a Ana, a ustedes, or a los clientes. That phrase clarifies rather than duplicates carelessly.
No interpretes automáticamente se como reflexivo. En Pablo se lo explicó a Marta, Pablo no se explica algo a sí mismo; se representa a Marta como destinataria y lo recupera el asunto explicado.
A direct object can also be a person. When that person becomes a pronoun, the personal preposition disappears with the full noun phrase. The direct pronoun still identifies the person presented, while se identifies whoever receives the introduction.
Para construir la combinación, vuelve siempre a los sustantivos: identifica destinatario, identifica objeto, elige lo/la/los/las, convierte le o les en se y añade una frase con a si la conversación no deja claro quién recibe.
Examples
Preparé el informe para Ana y se lo entregué esta mañana.
I prepared the report for Ana and gave it to her this morning.
Se retrieves Ana as recipient; lo agrees with masculine singular informe.
Compré las entradas para mis padres y se las envié por correo.
I bought the tickets for my parents and posted them to them.
Se can represent the plural recipients, while las identifies entradas.
¿La dirección? Se la expliqué a ustedes en el mensaje anterior.
The address? I explained it to you in the previous message.
A ustedes resolves the recipient ambiguity; la retrieves dirección.
Antes de presentar a Marta al nuevo equipo, se la presentaron a la directora.
Before introducing Marta to the new team, they introduced her to the director.
La represents Marta as the direct object; se identifies the director as recipient of the introduction.
Common mistake
- Instead of
- Les las envié a los clientes y le lo di a Ana.
- Try
- Se las envié a los clientes y se lo di a Ana.
Les and le must become se before direct-object forms. Las retrieves a plural feminine item and lo a masculine singular item; the a phrases preserve the plural and singular recipients explicitly.
Practice
Try it yourself
Report two completed deliveries with every referent visible: give the report to Ana and send the invoices to the clients. Replace both objects with pronouns, retain the clarifying a phrases, and explain why the two forms of se are not reflexive.