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Direct and Indirect Objects in Spanish Grammar

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Direct Object

The direct object is replaced with the pronouns "lo", "la", "los", and "las", depending on the gender and number of the object. For example, in the sentence "John bought a car," the direct object 'car' is singular and masculine, so the pronoun will be "lo". The sentence becomes "John bought it" ("John lo compró"). The direct object is governed by the verb.

Indirect Object

The indirect object is replaced with the pronouns "le" and "les", depending on the number. For example, in the sentence "John bought a car for Mary," the indirect object is 'Mary'. Since it is singular, we use the pronoun "le": "John bought her a car" ("John le compró un carro"). The indirect object is governed by the preposition "a" or "para".

Replacing Both Objects

You can replace both objects at the same time. In this case, "le" becomes "se": "John bought it for her" ("John se lo compró").

Active to Passive Voice

Another way to recognize the direct object is to change the sentence from active voice to passive voice:

  • The active verb becomes passive.
  • The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent complement in the passive sentence.
  • The direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
  • The indirect object remains unchanged.

For example, "John bought a car for Mary" (active voice) becomes "A car was bought by John for Mary" (passive voice).

Complement Types in Spanish

Here are some common complement types in Spanish:

  • CC (Complemento Circunstancial) de Lugar (Place): "La bicicleta está aparcada allí" (The bike is parked there).
  • CC de Tiempo (Time): "Iremos a la piscina el lunes" (We will go to the pool on Monday).
  • CC de Modo (Manner): "No me gusta esa respuesta tampoco" (I don't like that answer either).
  • CC de Causa (Cause): "No hay trabajo por una huelga" (There's no work because of a strike).
  • CC de Fin (Purpose): "Compré queso para la cena" (I bought cheese for dinner).
  • CC de Compañía (Company): "Salí a almorzar con unos amigos" (I went out to lunch with some friends).
  • CC de Afirmación (Affirmation): "Efectivamente, el hombre salió de la casa" (Indeed, the man left the house).
  • CC de Negación (Negation): "El hombre no salió del país" (The man did not leave the country).
  • CC de Instrumento (Instrument): "Corté el jamón con un cuchillo de sierra" (I cut the ham with a serrated knife).
  • CC de Materia (Material): "Una escultura hecha de hierro fundido" (A sculpture made of cast iron).
  • CC de Cantidad (Quantity): "Mucho" (Much).

Verbs with Specific Complements

Some verbs require specific complements:

  • Acordarse de (to remember)
  • Acostumbrarse a (to get used to)
  • Advertir de (to warn of) - Can also be transitive: "La mujer advirtió el peligro" (The woman warned of the danger).
  • Alegrarse de (to be glad of)
  • Asustarse de (to be scared of)
  • Avisar de (to warn of) - Can also be transitive: "La mujer avisó del peligro a sus compañeros" (The woman warned her companions of the danger).
  • Caracterizarse por (to be characterized by)
  • Casarse con (to marry)
  • Deslumbrarse con (to be dazzled by)
  • Comprometerse con (to commit to)
  • Confiar en (to trust in)
  • Contar con (to count on) - Can also mean "to have": "La mujer contaba con sus amigos" (The woman had her friends).
  • Convencerse de (to be convinced of)
  • Creer en (to believe in)
  • Cuidar de (to take care of) - Can also be transitive: "Esa mujer cuidó al animal" (That woman took care of the animal).
  • Depender de (to depend on)
  • Desligarse de (to separate from)
  • Disponer de (to have)
  • Enamorarse de (to fall in love with)
  • Inmiscuirse en (to interfere in)
  • Enzarzarse en (to get involved in)
  • Fijarse en (to look at)
  • Apoderarse de (to seize)
  • Incomodarse con (to be uncomfortable with)
  • Influir en (to influence)
  • Informar de (to inform about) - Can also be transitive: "Aquella mujer informó del peligro a sus compañeros" (That woman informed her peers of the danger).
  • Insistir en (to insist on)
  • Oler a (to smell like) - Can function as a circumstantial complement of manner: "Huele a pan" = "Huele así" (It smells like bread = It smells like that).
  • Olvidarse de (to forget)
  • Pensar en (to think about)
  • Preferir (to prefer) - CR indirect: "La mujer prefería reír a llorar" (The woman preferred to laugh rather than cry).
  • Preguntar por (to ask about)
  • Preocuparse por (to worry about)
  • Rebelarse contra (to rebel against)
  • Referirse a (to refer to)
  • Retirarse de (to withdraw from)
  • Saber de (to know about)
  • Soñar con (to dream about)

Complemento Agente (CAg) - Agent Complement

The Agent Complement is constructed with the preposition "por" (by). For example: "Los delincuentes fueron detenidos por la policía" (The criminals were arrested by the police).

"La información fue proporcionada a los pasajeros por un asistente de vuelo en el aeropuerto" (The information was provided to the passengers by a flight attendant at the airport).

It becomes the subject when the sentence is changed to active voice: "La policía detuvo a los delincuentes" (The police arrested the criminals).

It appears with transitive verbs in the passive voice.

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