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SPANISH PRONOUNS SPANISH INSTITUTE OF PUEBLA

 * What is a Pronoun?
 * Subject Pronouns
 * Interrogative Pronouns
 * Pronouns as Objects
 * Possessive Pronouns
 * Demonstrative Pronouns
 * Numbers as Pronouns
 * Adjectives Pronouns
 * Relative Pronouns
 * Direct Object Pronouns
 * Indirect Object Pronouns
 * Reflexive Object Pronouns
 * RID
 * Reciprocal Pronouns
 * Se and the Passive Voice
 * Learn More Spanish


WHAT IS A PRONOUN?

A PRONOUN REPLACES AN UNDERSTOOD NOUN. THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO USE A PRONOUN, THE
SPEAKER / WRITER AND LISTENER / READER MUST ALREADY BE IN THE AGREEMENT ON THE
MEANING OF A NOUN. IF YOU BREEZE INTO A ROOM AND ANNOUNCE, "I SAW HIM LAST
NIGHT," YOU WILL BE GREATED BY BLANK STARES AND THE QUESTION "WHOM DID YOU SEE?"
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU MADE THE SAME ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS
HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE GHOST OF ELVIS, YOU STILL MIGHT GET SOME STARES, BUT
EVERYONE WOULD UNDERSTAND YOU. AND BEING UNDERSTOOD - PUTTING WHAT IS GOING ON
IN YOUR MIND INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S - IS THE ESSENCE AND THE AIM OF ALL
COMMUNICATIONS.


PRONOUNS ALLOW US TO STREAMLINE OUR CONVERSATIONS, MAKE THEM LESS WORDY, MORE
INTERESTING. AS YOU BEGIN TO WORK WITH SPANISH PRONOUNS, YOU MAY AT TIMES FIND
THEM FRUSTRATING, EVEN OVERWHELMING. KEEP GOING. THEY TAKE TIME TO LEARN. DON'T
GIVE UP.


SUBJECT PRONOUNS

SUBJECT (OR PERSONAL) PRONOUNS

IN ENGLISH, THERE ARE SEVEN SUBJECT PRONOUNS (ALSO CALLED PERSONAL PRONOUNS): I,
YOU, HE, SHE, IT, WE, THEY. IN SPANISH, HOWEVER, THE PRONOUN ALSO AGREES WITH
THE GENDER OF ITS SUBJECT, GIVING US A GREATER SELECTION FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE.


Singular Plural yo (I) nosotros (we - masculine & feminine)
nosotras (we - feminine only) tú (you - familiar) vosotros (you - familiar;
masculine & feminine)
vosotras (you - familiar; feminine only) él (he)
ella (she)
usted (you - formal) ellos (they - masculine & feminine)
ellas (they - feminine only)
ustedes (you - formal)


NOTES:

> THE PRONOUNS USTED AND USTEDES ARE OFTEN ABBREVIATED IN TEXTS. UD. OR VD. IS
> USED FOR USTED; UDS. OR VDS. IS USED FOR USTEDES.
> 
> THE FAMILIAR PLURAL VOSOTROS FORM IS USED PRIMARILY IN PENINSULAR SPANISH (I.
> E. SPAIN), WHILE THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA USTEDES IS USED IN BOTH FORMAL AND
> FAMILIAR SITUATIONS.

THE SUBJECT PRONOUN REVEALS WHO OR WHAT THE AGENT OR ACTOR IS IN A SENTENCE. THE
CONJUGATED VERB MUST AGREE WITH THIS SUBJECT. THE SPANISH REGULAR VERB ENDINGS
ARE GIVEN BELOW. USE THE VERB-ENDING CHART TO MATCH WITH THE PRECEDING CHART FOR
SUBJECT PRONOUNS.


THIS WAY OF DOING THE CONJUGATION IS ONLY FOR THE REGULAR’S VERBS.


PERSONA -ar -er -ir YO O O O TÚ AS ES ES ÉL/ELLA/USTED A E E NOSOTROS (AS) AMOS
EMOS IMOS ELLOS/ELLAS/USTEDES AN EN EN



INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS

THE INTERROGATIVE PRONOUN IS USED TO ASK A SPECIFIC TYPE OF QUESTION. THE ANSWER
SOUGHT WILL BE A NOUN (EITHER A THING OR THE NAME OF A PERSON). WHO IS IN THE
SOUNDPROOF BOOTH? TO WHOM DID YOU SEND THE POISON PEN LETTER? WHOSE DOG DID
THIS? WHAT IS THIS? WHICH DO YOU PREFER? THESE INTERROGATIVES ELICIT NOUNS (OR
PRONOUNS) FOR ANSWERS.


Pronombre Significado ¿Qué? What? ¿Quién? o ¿Quiénes? Who? (Singular or Plurar)
¿Cuál? o ¿Cuáles? Which? (Singular or Plurar) ¿Dónde? Where? ¿Cómo? How?
¿Cuánto? o ¿Cuántos? How much? or How many? ¿Por qué? Why?


NOTES:

> IN SPANISH, ¿QUÉ? OFTEN PRECEDES A NOUN AND ¿CUÁL? OFTEN PRECEDES A VERB OR A
> PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE.
> 
> ALSO NOTE THAT ALL THE SPANISH INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
> ¿QUÉ? HAVE A SINGULAR AND A PLURAL FORM. THE VERB MUST AGREE IN NUMBER WITH
> THIS FORM.
> 
> 
> THE INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PREPOSITION LIKE "A" OR
> "DE" (OTHER PREPOSITIONS TOO), AND THESE HELP TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF THE
> QUESTION OR MAKE THEM MORE SPECIFIC.


PRONOUNS AS OBJECTS OF PREPOSITIONS

THE STANDARD PREPOSITIONAL OBJECT PRONOUN

THE PRONOUNS THAT FOLLOW PREPOSITIONS ARE NEARLY IDENTICAL TO THE SUBJECT
PRONOUNS. THE ONLY CHANGE COMES WITH THE FIRST -AND SECOND- PERSON SINGULAR
FORMS: MÍ AND TI. NOTE THAT IN THIS CONTEXT MÍ TAKES AN ACCENT OVER THE Í TO
DISTINGUISH IT FROM MI, THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE, WHICH MEANS "MY".


Singular Plural mí (me) nosotros (us - masculine & feminine)
nosotras (us - feminine only) tí (you - familiar) vosotros (you - familiar;
masculine & feminine)
vosotras (you - familiar; feminine only) él (he)
ella (she)
usted (you - formal)
ello (it, masculine, neuter) ellos (they - masculine & feminine)
ellas (they - feminine only)
ustedes (you - formal)


AFTER A PREPOSITION, THE WORD ELLO MEANS "IT" WHEN THE REFERENT IS AN OBJECT,
EVENT, OR IDEA THAT IS MASCULINE OR NEUTER; USE ELLA FOR A FEMININE REFERENT.


EXAMPLES:

> EL ACCIDENTE SUCEDIÓ HACE UN AÑO. ÉL ESCRIBIÓ UN CUENTO ACERCA DE ELLO.
> 
> THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO. HE WROTE A STORY ABOUT IT.
> 
> 
> COMPRAMOS UNA CAMA NUEVA Y TENEMOS LAS ALMOHADAS PERFECTAS PARA ELLA.
> 
> WE BOUGHT A NEW BED, AND WE HAVE THE PERFECT PILLOWS FOR IT.


POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS IN SPANISH ARE NOT USED AS FREQUENTLY AS THEY ARE IN
ENGLISH. SINCE THESE PRONOUNS STAND FOR THE OWNER AS WELL AS THE OBJECT OWNED,
THEY AGREE WITH THE OBJECT OWNED IN NUMBER AND GENDER.


Singular Plural mío(s) (mine)
mía(s) (mine) nuestro(s) (ours)
nuestra(s) (ours) tuyo(s) (yours)
tuya(s) (yours) vuestro(s) (yours)
vuestra(s) (yous) suyo(s) (his; hers; yours; its)
suya(s) (his; hers; yours; its) suyo(s) (theirs; yours)
suya(s) (theirs; yous)


THE POSSESSIVE PRONOUN DIFFERS FROM THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE IN THAT THE
ADJECTIVE MODIFIES (AND PROCEEDS) THE NOUN: ES MI GATO (IT IS MY CAT); WHEREAS
THE PRONOUN INCLUDES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NOUN: ES MÍO (IT IS MINE). THE
SPANISH POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE ALWAYS PRECEDES A NOUN. IF THE NOUN IS PLURAL, THEN
SO IS THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE: MI GATO; MIS GATOS; TU TELEVISOR; TUS
TELEVISORES. THE FOLLOWING CHART DISPLAYS THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES.


Singular Plural mi(s) (my) nuestro/a(s) (our) tu(s) (your) vuestro(s) (your)
su(s) (his; her; your; its) su(s) (their; your)



DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

IF THE PRONOUNS IN THE FOLLOWING CHART LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU, YOU ARE PROBABLY
RECALLING THE DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES. NOTE THAT DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES AND
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS ARE IDENTICAL, EXCEPT THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS TAKE AN
ACCENT MARK. THINK OF IT LIKE THIS: IF YOU DROP THE NOUN, THE DEMONSTRATIVE
ADJECTIVE PICKS UP AN ACCENT MARK AND BECOMES A DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN.

THE EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE IS THE NEUTER FORMS: ESTO, ESO AND AQUELLO.


Masculine Feminine Neuter this
these éste
éstos ésta
éstas esto that
those ése
ésos ésa
ésas eso hat over there
those over there aquel
aquellos aquella
aquellas aquello



DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS WITH GENDER

WHEN THE PRONOUN REFERS TO AND INCLUDES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOMETHING IN
PARTICULAR, THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF THAT REFERENT WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE
PRONOUN.


EXAMPLES:

> ESTE COCHE ES MÍO, PERO ÉSE ES SUYO.
> 
> THIS CAR IS MINE, BUT THAT ONE IS HIS.
> 
> 
> LA MEJOR MARCA ES ÉSTA.
> 
> THE BEST BRAND IS THIS ONE.
> 
> 
> ESTAS VENTANAS ESTÁN LIMPIAS, PERO ÉSAS TODAVÍA FALTAN POR LIMPIAR.
> 
> THESE WINDOWS ARE CLEAN, BUT THOSE STILL NEED TO BE CLEANED.
> 
> 
> AQUELLAS MESAS SON DE ROBLE, ÉSAS SON DE PINO Y ÉSTAS SON DE CAOBA.
> 
> THOSE TABLES OVER THERE ARE OAK, THOSE ARE PINE, AND THESE ARE MAHOGANY.


NUMBERS AS PRONOUNS

NUMBERS CAN FUNCTION AS PRONOUNS WHEN THEY STAND FOR THE NUMBER AS WELL AS NOUN
THAT EITHER IS UNDERSTOOD OR HAS BEEN OMITTED. BOTH CARDINAL AND ORDINAL NUMBERS
CAN SERVE THIS FUNCTION.


Cardinal Numbers Ordinal Numbers uno/a primero/a dos segundo/a tres tercero/a
cuatro cuarto/a cinco quinto/a seis sexto/a siete séptimo/a ocho octavo/a nueve
noveno/a diez décimo/a


THE CARDINAL NUMBERS COUNTINUE ON TO INFINITY. HOWEVER, AFTER THE TENTH, THE
ORDINAL NUMBERS OFFER YOU TWO POSSIBILITIES: EITHER CONTINUE ON -ONCEAVO,
DOCEAVO, TRECEAVO, ETC.- OR SIMPLY PLACE THE CARDINAL NUMBER ALONE AFTER THE
NOUN.


> QUIERO EL DÉCIMO.
> 
> I WANT THE TENTH ONE.
> 
> 
> QUIERO EL ONCE.
> 
> I WANT THE ELEVENTH ONE.
> 
> 
> VIVO EN EL ONCEAVO PISO (PISO ONCE).
> 
> I LIVE ON THE ELEVENTH FLOOR.


CARDINAL NUMERS AS PRONOUNS

WHEN USED AS PRONOUNS, CARDINAL NUMBERS INCLUDE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
UNDERSTOOD NOUN, FOR EXAMPLE: HOW MANY CHILDREN DO YOU HAVE? I HAVE THREE. IN
THIS CASE, THREE REPRESENTS "THREE CHILDREN". REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU USE THE
NUMBER UNO AS A PRONOUN, IT CHANGES TO UNA WHEN REPLACING A FEMININE NOUN. ALL
THE OTHERS NUMBER DO NOT.


> ¿CUÁNTOS LIBROS LEES AL AÑO? LEO UNO.
> 
> HOW MANY BOOKS DO YOU READ EACH YEAR? I READ ONE.
> 
> 
> ¿ESTAS GALLETAS SON PARA LA FIESTA? PUES, SÓLO COMÍ UNA.
> 
> THESE COOKIES ARE FOR THE PARTY? WELL, I ONLY ATE ONE.


ADJECTIVES PRONOUNS

IT IS SAID THAT BY NATURE, HUMAN BEINGS ARE EFFICIENT. THAT EFFICIENCY IS FOUND
IN VIRTUALLY ALL USES OF PRONOUNS: A PRONOUN REPLACES AN UNDERSTOOD NOUN, WHICH
MEANS THAT USUALLY THERE IS A TRADE. USING A PRONOUN FOR AN UNDERSTOOD NOUN
LIGHTENS THE LOAD, SO TO SPEAK.


> I SEE MARTIN, LISA, CAROL AND TINA.
> 
> I SEE THEM.



THE QUALITATIVE ADJECTIVE PRONOUN

IN SPANISH, THIS EFFICIENCY IS PERHAPS BEST SEEN WHEN DESCRIPTIVE, OR
QUALITATIVE, ADJECTIVES BECOME PRONOUNS. IN ENGLISH, WE GENERALLY ADD THE WORD
ONE, AS IN "HE HAS THE GREEN APPLE, AND I HAVE THE RED ONE". IN SPANISH, THE
ADJECTIVE ASSUMES THE ENTIRE MEANING OF THE NOUN: ÉL TIENE LA MANZANA VERDE, YO
TENGO LA ROJA. THE ADJECTIVE RETAINS THE GENDER AND NUMBER ON THE OMITTED NOUN,
AS WELL AS THE APPROPRIATE DEFINITE ARTICLE (EL, LA, LOS, OR LAS).


> ÉL LEE EL LIBRO GRANDE Y YO LEO EL PEQUEÑO.
> 
> HE READS THE BIG BOOK, AND I READ THE SMALL ONE.
> 
> 
> A MÍ ME GUSTA LA MESA AZUL PERO A TÍ TE GUSTA LA ROJA.
> 
> I LIKE THE BLUE TABLE, BUT YOU LIKE THE RED ONE.
> 
> 
> TÚ LLEVAS ZAPATOS NEGROS Y YO LLEVO LOS BLANCOS.
> 
> YOU WEAR BLACK SHOES AND I WEAR THE WHITE ONES.
> 
> 
> NOSOTROS PINTAMOS LAS CASAS ENORMES Y ELLOS PINTAN LAS PEQUEÑA.
> 
> WE PAINT THE ENORMOUS HOUSES AND THEY PAINT THE SMALL ONES.



THE QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVE PRONOUNS

ADJECTIVES THAT ARE QUANTITATIVE TELL US THE NUMBER OR AMOUNT OF THE NOUNS TO
WHICH THEY REFER. WHEN A NUMBER IS IN FRONT OF A NOUN (TWO CATS), THAT NUMBER
FUNCTIONS AS ADJECTIVE. WHEN THE NOUN IS UNDERSTOOD AND DROPPED, THE ADJECTIVE
TAKES ON THE STATUS OF A PRONOUN BECAUSE IT INCLUDES THE MEANING OF THE NOUN.


> YO TENGO TRES CAJAS Y EL TIENE CUATRO.
> 
> I HAVE THRESS BOXES AND HE HAS FOUR (BOXES).
> 
> 
> HAY DOS MESAS ALLÍ, PERO SÓLO UNA * AQUÍ.
> 
> THERE ARE TWO TABLES HERE, BUT ONLY ONE (TABLE) HERE.


* Note that the number uno (one) takes gender. This is the only number that
does.



MANY QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVES ARE NOT ACTUAL NUMBERS THEMSELVES; RATHER, THEY
REFER TO AN AMOUNT OR HAVE A LESS DIRECT MANNER OF REVEALING NUMBER. MOST OF
THESE WORDS CAN FUNCTION AS ADJECTIVES: ALGUNOS PLATOS (SOME PLATES), TODOS LOS
INVITADOS (ALL THE GUESTS). WHEN THEY STAND ALONE OR ARE USED TO REFER TO A NOUN
OR OTHER ANTECEDENT, THEY FUNCTION AS PRONOUNS: ALGUNOS (SOME OF THEM), TODOS
(ALL OF THEM). LISTED BELOW ARE MANY COMMONLY USED QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVES:


algunos/as some (of them); any (of them) ambos/as both (of them) cada uno/a each
one demasiado/a too much demasiados/as too many los demás; las demás the rest
(of them) los dos; las dos both; the two (of them) más more (of it, of them) la
mayoría the majority (of people) menos less; fewer mucho/a a lot (of something)
muchos/as a lot (of things); many things nada nothing ninguno/a none; neither
one; not anything; not a single one otro/a another; the other (one) poco/a (a)
little primero/a first todo/a everything; all último/a last unos/as some unos/as
cuantos/as a few (of Them) varios/as several


WHEN A PRONOUN REPLACES A KNOWN PERSON, WE OFTEN USE A SUBJECT, OR PERSONAL,
PRONOUN. INSTEAD OF JOHN, WE USE HE; FOR JOHN AND CARLOS, WE USE THEY, AND SO
ON.

FREQUENTLY, HOWEVER, WE SPEAK OF PEOPLE WHOSE NAMES WE DO NOT KNOW, CANNOT KNOW,
OR WHOSE IDENTITY, CONSIDERING THE SITUATION, IS IRRELEVANT. WHEN THIS IS THE
CASE, YOU MAY USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PRONOUNS:


alguien someone; somebody cualquiera anyone; anybody; any one (person)
cualesquiera any (plural) el/la que the one who; he/she who los/las que they
who; those who; the ones who el/la mayor the oldest (one) el/la menor the
youngest (one) nadie no one (person) ninguno/a neither one todos/as everyone;
everybody


WHEN THE NAME OF THE REFERENT IS EITHER UNKNOWN OR IRRELEVANT, YOU WILL NEED A
NONSPECIFIC, GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUN, SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING:


algo something; anything cualquiera anything; whichever; whatever cualesquiera
any (plural) lo mejor the best (thing) lo mismo the same (thing) lo peor the
worst (thing) nada nothing; not anything



RELATIVE PRONOUNS

THE PRONOUNS WE WILL DEAL WITH IN THIS UNIT ALL REFER TO SOMETHING EITHER
PREVIOUSLY ATATED OR UNDERSTOOD, AND THUS ARE RELATED TO THAT REFERENT. FOR THIS
REASON, THESE PRONOUNS ARE CALLED RELATIVE PRONOUNS.


que that, who, which el cual, la cual the one who; the one which los cuales, las
cuales those who; those which el que, la que the one who; the one which los que,
las que those who; those which lo que that which; what; whatever preposición +
quien(es) preposition + whom preposición + que preposition + that/which cuyo,
cuya, cuyos, cuyas whose



RESTRICTIVE VS NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES

BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH ANY OF THESE PRONOUNS, IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THE
CONCEPTS OF RESTRICTIVE AND NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES. A GRASP OF THESE CONCEPTS
WILL FACILITATE YOUR WORK IN THIS UNIT AND ALLOW YOU TO MAKE SENSE OF ITS MANY
PARTS.


> RESTRICTIVE CLAUSE: A RESTRICTIVE CLAUSE CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT IS
> ESSENTIAL TO THE MEANING OF THE SENTENCE. IN OTHER WORDS, IT RESTRICTS THE
> MEANING OF THE WORD(S) TO WHICH IT REFERS. IF THIS CLAUSE WERE REMOVED, THE
> SENTENCE EITHER WOULD CHANGE MEANING OR BECOME MEANINGLESS OR RIDICULOUS.
> 
> > A LAMP THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BULB IS USELESS.
> 
> IN THIS SENTENCE, THE DEPENDENT CLAUSE "THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BULB" IS
> RESTRICTIVE BECAUSE IT IS NECESSARY TO THE OVERALL MEANING OF THE SENTENCE. IF
> WE REMOVE THIS CLAUSE, WE ARE LEFT WITH THE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE "A LAMP IS
> USELESS", WHICH STILL IS GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT SENTENCE, BUT THE ESSENTIAL
> MEANING HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, AND WHAT REMAINS IS ABSURD.

> NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE: A NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT IS
> USUALLY HELPFUL TO THE OVERALL MEANING OF THE SENTENCE; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT
> ESSENTIAL. IF A NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE WERE REMOVED, THE SENTENCE WOULD STAND
> ON ITS OWN.
> 
> > CATS, WHICH SOMETIMES LIVE FIFTEEN YEARS OR LONGER, MAKE NICE PETS.
> 
> THE DEPENDENT CLAUSE, "WHICH SOMETIMES LIVE FIFTEEN YEARS OR LONGER," ALTHOUGH
> INFORMATIVE, DOES NOT CHANGE THE BASIC MEANING OF THE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
> (SENTENCE), "CATS MAKE NICE PETS". THE DEPENDENT CLAUSE IS NOT ESSENTIAL FOR
> US TO UNDERSTAND THE SENTENCE; THUS, IT COULD BE LEFT OUT. BECAUSE THE
> INFORMATION CONTAINED IN A NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE IS NOT NECESSARY TO THE
> OVERALL MEANING OF THE SENTENCE, THE NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE USUALLY IS SET OFF
> FROM THE MAIN SENTENCE BY COMMAS.


THE USE OF QUE IN CLAUSES

THE RELATIVE PRONOUNS THAT SEPARATE CLAUSES AND MEAN "THAT", "WHO", AND "WHICH"
IN ENGLISH ALL TRANSLATE AS QUE IN SPANISH. THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN
LIVING (WHO) AND NONLIVING (THAT/WHICH) REFERENTS AS THERE IS IN ENGLISH IN THIS
CONTEXT.


EXAMPLES:

> EL CABALLO QUE GANA LA CARRERA.
> 
> THE HORSE THAT WINS THE RACE.
> 
> 
> EL LAGO, QUE ESTÁ CONTAMINADO,
> 
> THE LAKE, WHICH IS POLLUTED
> 
> 
> LOS ESTUDIANTES QUE LEEN EL CAPÍTULO
> 
> THE STUDENTS WHO READ THE CHAPTER


THE RELATIVE PRONOUN QUE SETS UP BOTH RESTRICTIVE AND NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES.

NOTE THAT IN ENGLISH THE RELATIVE PRONOUN IS SOMETIMES OMITTED. EITHER ONE OF
THE FOLLOWING IS CORRECT: "I HAVE THE TOWELS YOU NEED" "I HAVE THE TOWELS THAT
YOU NEED". IN SPANISH, HOWEVER, THE RELATIVE PRONOUN CANNOT BE OMITTED YOU MUST
INCLUDE QUE.


EXAMPLES:

> TENGO LAS TOALLAS QUE NECESITAS.
> 
> I HAVE THE TOWELS YOU NEED.
> 
> 
> COMPRAMOS LA COMIDA QUE PIDES.
> 
> WE BUY DE FOOD YOU REQUEST.
> 
> 
> ÉL ES EL HOMBRE QUE ESCRIBE ESTO.
> 
> HE IS THE MAN WHO WRITES THIS.
> 
> 
> ELLOS VENDEN CASAS QUE CUESTAN MUCHO.
> 
> THEY SELL HOUSES THAT COST A LOT.


THE USE OF EL CUAL OR EL QUE IN CLAUSES

WHEN THE RELATIVE PRONOUNS THAT, WHICH, OR WHOM INTRODUCE A NONRESTRICTIVE
CLAUSE (INFORMATION NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE OVERALL MEANING OF THE SENTENCE), YOU
CAN USE EL CUAL (LA CUAL, LOS CUALES, LAS CUALES) OR EL QUE (LA QUE, LOS QUE,
LAS QUE) INSTEAD OF THE SIMPLE QUE. EL CUAL AND EL QUE ARE INTERCHANGEABLE. THEY
ARE USED PRIMARILY IN WRITING OR IN FORMAL SPEECH (QUE IS USED MORE IN
CONVERSATION), WHICH LENDS A MORE FORMAL TONE TO SENTENCES. USING THESE FORMS
ALSO ADDS GREATER EMPHASIS TO THE NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES THEY INTRODUCE.


EXAMPLES:

> ESTE SOFÁ, EL CUAL (EL QUE) ESTÁ DISPONIBLE EN VEINTE COLORES, ES MUY POPULAR
> ESTE AÑO.
> 
> THIS SOFA, WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN TWENTY COLORS, IS VERY POPULAR THIS YEAR.
> 
> 
> TU SOBRINA, LA CUAL (LA QUE) RECIBE BUENAS NOTAS, QUIERE SER MAESTRA.
> 
> YOUR NIECE, THE ONE WHO GETS GOOD GRADES, WANTS TO BE A TEACHER.
> 
> 
> ESTOS HUEVOS, LOS CUALES (LOS QUE) TIENEN CASI UN AÑO, ESTÁN MUY SABROSOS.
> 
> THIS EGGS, WHICH ARE ALMOST A YEAR OLD, ARE VERY TASTY.
> 
> 
> ESTAS LANGOSTAS, LAS CUALES (LAS QUE) SON DE MARYLAND, ESTÁN MUY FRESCAS.
> 
> THESE LOBSTERS, WHICH ARE FROM MARYLAND, ARE VERY FRESH.


THE USE OF A PREPOSITION + QUIEN OR QUE

WHEN THE RELATIVE PRONOUN IS THE OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION, YOU WILL USE THE
APPROPRIATE PREPOSITION + QUIEN, WHEN TE REFERENT IS A PERSON, OR THE
PREPOSITION + QUE, WHEN THE REFERENT IS INANIMATE. A CLAUSE FORMED BY THE
PREPOSITION + QUIEN OR QUE IS A RESTRICTIVE CLAUSE (ITS INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL
TO THE MEANING OF THE SENTENCE).

BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH HAVE A RULE WHICH STATES THAT ONE SHOULD NOT END A
SENTENCE (OR A QUESTION) WITH A PREPOSITION. SPANISH DISTINGUISHES ITSELF IN
THAT IT HONORS THIS RULE. WE OFTEN ARE NOT SO CAREFUL IN ENGLISH. IN THE
EXAMPLES BELOW, THE ENGLISH, THOUGH NOT ALWAYS TECHNICALLY PROPER, REFLECTS
CONTEMPORARY USAGE; IN OTHER WORDS, YOU WILL FIND A PREPOSITION AT THE END OF
THE SENTENCES. NOTE THAT IN ALL CASES THE SPANISH PREPOSITION IS CONTAINED
WITHIN THE SENTENCE.


EXAMPLES:

> ÉL ES EL HOMBRE CON QUIEN TRABAJO.
> 
> HE IS THE MAN I WORK WITH. / HE IS THE MAN WITH WHOM I WORK.
> 
> 
> ÉSTE ES EL LIBRO EN QUE PIENSO.
> 
> THIS IS THE BOOK THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT. / THIS IS THE BOOK ABOUT WHICH I'M
> THINKING.
> 
> 
> ESTOS HUEVOS, LOS CUALES (LOS QUE) TIENEN CASI UN AÑO, ESTÁN MUY SABROSOS.
> 
> THIS EGGS, WHICH ARE ALMOST A YEAR OLD, ARE VERY TASTY.
> 
> 
> JUANA ES LA MUJER A QUIEN ENVÍO LA COMIDA.
> 
> JUANA IS THE WOMAN I'M SENDING THE FOOD TO. / JUANA IS THE WOMAN TO WHOM I'M
> SENDING THE FOOD.


THE USE OF LO QUE

LO QUE, WHICH MEANS "THAT WHICH," "WHAT," OR "WHATEVER," IS A NEUTER RELATIVE
PRONOUN THAT ALLOWS YOU TO REFER TO A GREAT ABSTRACTION, AS IN "YOU CAN HAVE
WHATEVER YOU WANT"; OR TO ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRELY OF SOMETHING THAT IS SAID OR
DONE, AS IN "WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS A SIN".

NOTE THAT WHE LO QUE IS USED TO MEAN "WHATEVER," IT OFTEN STANDS FOR SOMETHING
THAT IS UNKNOWN OR DOUBTFUL AND IS FOLLOWED BY A VERB IN THE SUBJUNCTIVE: HAZ LO
QUE PUEDAS (DO WHATEVER YOU CAN).


EXAMPLES:

> LO QUE DICES ES INTERESANTE.
> 
> WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS INTERESTING.
> 
> 
> EL SIEMPRE HACE LO QUE QUIERE.
> 
> HE ALWAYS DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS.
> 
> 
> TIENES LO QUE NECESITO?
> 
> O YOU HAVE WHAT I NEED?
> 
> 
> LO QUE QUIERES NO EXISTE.
> 
> WHAT YOU WANT DOESN'T EXIST.


THE USE OF CUYO, CUYA, CUYOS, CUYAS

THE RELATIVE PRONOUN CUYO (WHICH MEANS "WHOSE") SEPARATES THE OWNER AND THAT
WHICH IS OWNED: "PETER, WHOSE THESIS IS BRILLIANT, IS A FASCINATING MAN." IN
THIS SENTENCE, PETER IS THE OWNER, AND THE THESIS IS THE OBJECT OWNED. THE WORD
WHOSE BEGINS THE CLAUSE, AND THE FORM OF CUYO MUST AGREE WITH THE NOUN THAT
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWS IT.

THE RELATIVE PRONOUNS CUYO, CUYA, CUYOS, AND CUYAS NEARLY ALWAYS INTRODUCE OR
SET UP A NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE.


EXAMPLES:

> PEDRO, CUYA TESIS ES BRILLANTE, ES UN HOMBRE FASCINANTE.
> 
> PEDRO, WHOSE THESIS IS BRILLIANT, IS A FASCINATING MAN.
> 
> 
> JEAN, CUYO PADRE ES DE PARÍS, HABLA FRANCÉS.
> 
> JEAN, WHOSE FATHER IS FROM PARIS, SPEAKS FRENCH.
> 
> 
> GEORGE, CUYOS ABUELOS SON MÚSICOS PROFESIONALES, TOCA BIEN EL PIANO.
> 
> GEORGE, WHOSE GRANDPARENTS ARE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, PLAYS THE PIANO WELL.


DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS

THE DIRECT OBJECT ANSWERS THE QUESTION WHAT? OR WHOM? WITH REGARD TO THE VERB IN
A SENTENCE OR CLAUSE. CONSIDER THE SENTENCE, "JOHN HAS THE BOOK." WHAT DOES JOHN
HAVE? HE HAS THE BOOK; THUS, THE BOOK IS THE DIRECT OBJECT. THE DIRECT OBJECT
PRONOUN IT CAN THEREFORE REPLACE THE DIRECT OBJECT NOUN IN THE SENTENCE, "JOHN
HAS IT."


IN THE SENTENCE, "JOHN SEES MARY," ONE CAN ASK, "WHOM DOES JOHN SEE?" JOHN SEES
MARY; THUS, MARY IS THE DIRECT OBJECT. THE DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN HER CAN REPLACE
MARY IN THE SENTENCE, "JOHN SEES HER".


Persona Pronombre de Objeto Directo Equivalente Yo ME me Tú TE you Él/Ella/Usted
LO/LA Him/her/you/it Nosotros (as) NOS us Ellas/Ellos/Ustedes LOS/LAS them/you



PLACEMENT IN AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES

IN AN AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENT (OR CLAUSE) WITH ONE VERB, THE DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN
WILL IMMEDIATELY PRECEDE THE CONJUGATED VERB.


EXAMPLES:

> YO TE CONOZCO.
> 
> I KNOW YOU.
> 
> 
> LO VEMOS.
> 
> WE SEE HIM.
> 
> 
> TÚ ME AMAS.
> 
> YOU LOVE ME.
> 
> 
> LA TIENES.
> 
> YOU HAVE IT.
> 
> 
> ELLA LOS COMPRA.
> 
> YOU LOVE ME.
> 
> 
> SHE BUYS THEM.


PLACEMENT IN NEGATIVE SENTENCES

IN A NEGATIVE SENTENCE (OR CLAUSE) WITH ONE VERB, THE DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN IS
PLACED BETWEEN THE WORD NO (OR OTHER TERM OF NEGATION) AND THE CONJUGATED VERB.


EXAMPLES:

> YO NO LO SÉ.
> 
> I DON'T KNOW IT.
> 
> 
> NO LO CONOCEMOS.
> 
> WE DON'T KNOW HIM.
> 
> 
> NO LOS COMPRAS.
> 
> YOU DON'T BUY THEM.
> 
> 
> NUNCA LO ESTUDIAS.
> 
> YOU HAVE IT.
> 
> 
> YOU NEVER STUDY IT.


PLACEMENT IN AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES WITH TWO VERBS

IN A STATEMENT (OR CLAUSE) THAT CONTAINS TWO VERBS -THE FIRST VERB IS CONJUGATED
AND THE SECOND ONE REMAINS IN THE INFINITIVE FORM- YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS:

1. Place the direct object pronoun immediately before the first verb
(conjugated).

2. Attach the direct object pronoun directly to the second verb (infinitive).

Note: Both options are used in writing and in conversation; however, the second
option is used more frequently.


EXAMPLES:

> TE QUIERO VER. / QUIERO VERTE.
> 
> I WANT TO SEE YOU.
> 
> 
> LO PUEDES BEBER. / PUEDES BEBERLO.
> 
> YOU CAN DRINK IT.
> 
> 
> ÉL NOS DEBE VISITAR. / ÉL DEBE VISITARNOS.
> 
> HE SHOULD VISIT US.


PLACEMENT IN QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVE SENTENCES WITH TWO VERBS

FOR QUESTIONS AND/OR NEGATIVE STATEMENTS WITH TWO VERBS, THE DIRECT OBJECT
PRONOUN CAN BE PLACED BEFORE THE CONJUGATED VERB OR ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO THE
INFINITIVE.


EXAMPLES:

> NO TENGO QUE LEERLO. / NO LO TENGO QUE LEER.
> 
> I DON'T HAVE TO READ IT.
> 
> 
> NO QUEREMOS HACERLO. / NO LO QUEREMOS HACER.
> 
> WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
> 
> 
> ¿TIENES QUE ESTUDIARLO CONMIGO? / ¿LO TIENES QUE ESTUDIAR CONMIGO?
> 
> DO YOU HAVE TO STUDY IT WITH ME?
> 
> 
> ¿PUEDES SOPORTARLO? / ¿LO PUEDES SOPORTAR?
> 
> CAN YOU STAND IT?


INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS

THE INDIRECT OBJECT ANSWERS THE QUESTION TO OR FOR WHOM? OR TO OR FOR WHAT? WITH
REGARD TO THE VERB IN A SENTENCE OR CLAUSE. ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT IS TO
SAY THAT THE INDIRECT OBJECT TELL US WHERE THE DIRECT OBJECT IS GOING.

CONSIDER THE SENTENCE, "I GIVE YOU THE GIFT (I GIVE THE GIFT TO YOU)." THE
DIRECT OBJECT IS THE GIFT, BECAUSE THIS ANSWERS THE QUESTION WHAT (DO I GIVE)?
THE INDIRECT OBJECT, THEN, IS YOU BECAUSE I AM GIVING IT (THE GIFT) TO YOU. YOU
IS WHERE THE GIFT IS GOING.

IN THE SENTENCE "HE BUYS ME FLOWERS (HE BUYS FLOWERS FOR ME)," THE DIRECT OBJECT
IS FLOWERS (BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HE BUYS), AND THE INDIRECT OBJECT IS ME BECAUSE
I AM THE ONE FOR WHOM HE BUYS THE FLOWERS.

THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS IN SPANISH ARE AS FOLLOWS:


Persona Pronombre de Objeto Directo Equivalente Yo ME me Tú TE you Él/Ella/Usted
LE Him/her/you/it Nosotros (as) NOS us Ellas/Ellos/Ustedes LES them/you


IN A SENTENCE WITH AN INDIRECT OBJECT, THERE IS ALWAYS A DIRECT OBJECT, EITHER
STATED OR IMPLIED. IN THE SENTENCE "MY GRANDMOTHER WRITES ME EVERY WEEK," ME IS
THE INDIRECT OBJECT BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER IS WRITING SOMETHING (A NOTE, A
LETTER, A POSTCARD, AN E-MAIL MESSAGE) TO ME. THE DIRECT OBJECT IS UNDERSTOOD.


PLACEMENT IN AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES

IN AN AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENT (OR CLAUSE) WITH ONE VERB, THE INDIRECT OBJECT
PRONOUN WILL IMMEDIATELY PRECEDE THE CONJUGATED VERB. NOTE THAT EACH OF THE
FOLLOWING EXAMPLES HAS TWO POSSIBLE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS. ENGLISH ALLOWS FOR TWO
WAYS TO EXPRESS THE INDIRECT OBJECT: (A) BETWEEN A VERB AND THE INDIRECT OBJECT
AND (B) IN A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE FOLLOWING THE DIRECT OBJECT.



EXAMPLES:

> JUAN ME COMPRA UN LIBRO.
> 
> JOHN BUYS ME A BOOK.
> 
> JOHN BUYS A BOOK FOR ME.
> 
> 
> YO TE DIGO LA VERDAD SIEMPRE.
> 
> I ALWAYS TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
> 
> I ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH TO YOU.


PLACEMENT IN NEGATIVE SENTENCES

IN A NEGATIVE STATEMENT (OR CLAUSE) WITH ONE VERB, THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN
IS PLACED BETWEEN THE WORD NO (OR OTHER TERM OF NEGATION) AND THE CONJUGATED
VERB.


EXAMPLES:

> ÉL NO ME TRAE NADA.
> 
> HE DOESN'T BRING ME ANYTHING.
> 
> 
> EL MÉDICO NO TE DA MEDICINA.
> 
> THE DOCTOR DOESN´T GIVE YOU MEDICINE.
> 
> 
> NO LOS COMPRAS.
> 
> YOU DON'T BUY THEM.
> 
> 
> NO LE ENVÍO LA CUENTA JAMÁS.
> 
> I NEVER SEND THIM THE BILL.


PLACEMENT IN AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES WITH TWO VERBS

IN A STATEMENT (OR CLAUSE) THAT CONTAINS TWO VERBS -THE FIRST VERB IS CONJUGATED
AND THE SECOND ONE REMAINS IN THE INFINITIVE FORM- YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS:

1. Place the direct object pronoun immediately before the first verb
(conjugated).

2. Attach the direct object pronoun directly to the second verb (infinitive).

Note: Both options are used in writing and in conversation; however, the second
option is used more frequently.


EXAMPLES:

> ÉL QUIERE DARME UN REGALO. / ÉL ME QUIERE DAR UN REGALO.
> 
> HE WANTS TO GIVE ME A GIFT.
> 
> 
> TÚ NECESITAS COMPRARNOS ALGO. / TÚ NOS NECESITAS COMPRAR ALGO.
> 
> YOU NEED TO BUY US SOMETHING.
> 
> 
> PUEDO DECIRTE TODO. / TE PUEDO DECIR TODO.
> 
> I CAN TELL YOU EVERYTHING.


PLACEMENT IN QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVE SENTENCES WITH TWO VERBS

FOR QUESTIONS AND/OR NEGATIVE STATEMENTS WITH TWO VERBS, THE DIRECT OBJECT
PRONOUN CAN BE PLACED BEFORE THE CONJUGATED VERB OR ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO THE
INFINITIVE.


EXAMPLES:

> ¿QUIÉN VA A ENVIARME UNA CUENTA? / ¿QUIÉN ME VA A ENVIAR UNA CUENTA?
> 
> WHO IS GOING TO SEND ME A BILL?
> 
> 
> ÉL NO NECESITA DARNOS LA INFORMACIÓN. / ÉL NO NOS NECESITA DAR LA INFORMACIÓN.
> 
> HE DOESN'T NEED TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION.
> 
> 
> ¿DEBEMOS DECIRTE LA VERDAD? / ¿TE DEBEMOS DECIR LA VERDAD?
> 
> SHOULD WE TELL YOU THE TRUTH?


THE REDUNDANT USE OF THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN

EVEN THOUGH THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF ANY PRONOUN IS TO REPLACE A NOUN, THERE ARE
TIMES WHEN IT IS CLEARER OR MORE EMPHATIC TO USE BOTH THE NOUN OR PRONOUN AND A
+ THE PRONOUN OR NOUN. THIS IS DONE PRIMARILY WITH THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN
AND MORE FREQUENTLY WITH SOME VERBS (SEES THE FOLLOWING LIST). AT SUCH TIMES,
THE INDIRECT OBJECT IS USUALLY IN THE THIRD PERSON. THE FOLLOWING VERBS
FREQUENTLY TAKE BOTH A NOUN OR PRONOUN AND A + THE APPROPRIATE PRONOUN:


comprar to buy mandar to send dar to give pedir to ask (a favor); to request
(from) decir to say; to tell preguntar to ask (a question) escribir to write
preparar to prepare enviar to send regalar to give (a gift) hacer to make; to do
traer to bring


EXAMPLES:

> YO LE DOY A JUAN CINCO DÓLARES.
> 
> I GIVE HIM (JOHN) FIVE DOLLARS.
> 
> 
> LES PREGUNTO A ELLOS SI QUIEREN IR.
> 
> I ASK THEM IF THEY WANT TO GO.
> 
> 
> LE PIDO A MI JEFE UN AUMENTO.
> 
> I ASK MY BOSS A RAISE.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PRECEDING EXAMPLES, THE ADDITION OF A + A NOUN OR PRONOUN
NEITHER REPLACES NOR ADDS NECESSARY INFORMATION. THUS, TECHNICALLY, IT IS
REDUNDANT.

SINCE THE REDUNDANT PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE IS NOT NECESSARY, WHY DO WE ADD IT? ONE
REASON IS THAT THE THIRD-PERSON NOUN OR PRONOUN HELPS US CLARIFY THE AMBIGUOUS,
PRONOUN LE. ANOTHER REASON IS THAT THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE ADDS EMPHASIS TO THE
NOUN OR PRONOUN. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HELP EACH OTHER


INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS WITH GUSTAR

THERE IS A GROUP OF SPANISH VERBS WHICH, TO THE NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER'S NOTION
OF SINTAX, WORK IN REVERSE. THE MOST COMMONLY USED OF THIS VERBS IS GUSTAR (TO
BE PLEASING TO), HENCE THE TITLE OF THIS SECTION.

WHILE IN ENGLISH, ONE SAYS "I LIKE THE BREAD," IN SPANISH, TO GET THIS SAME
MESSAGE ACROSS, ONE SAYS, "ME GUSTA EL PAN," WHICH LITERALLY MEANS, "THE BREAD
IS PLEASING TO ME". THE BREAD IS NOW THE SUBJECT, AND “I” HAS BECOME THE
INDIRECT OBJECT. BECAUSE OF THE BREAD IS PLEASING TO ME - REMEMBER THAT THE
INDIRECT OBJECT OFTEN CONTAINS OR IMPLIES THE PREPOSITION TO - WE WILL NEED THE
INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN IN THIS SENTENCE, AS WELL AS IN ALL SENTENCES THAT USE
THE VERB GUSTAR (AND THE OTHER VERBS THAT OPERATE IN THE MANNER OF GUSTAR).

THE KEY TO THE VERBS IN THIS SECTION IS TO REMEMBER THAT THEY NEARLY ALWAYS
OPERATE IN THE THIRD-PERSON SINGULAR AND PLURAL FORMS. THE THINGS BEING
DISCUSSED HAVE THEIR EFFECT ON PEOPLE: CHICAGO FASCINATES ME; TRAFFIC BOTHERS
YOU; AUTOBIOGRAPHIES INTEREST HER; MONEY IS NOT IMPORTANT TO HIM.

TO WORK WITH GUSTAR, AND VERBS LIKE IT, YOU WILL USE THE FOLLOWING RECIPE:

INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN + THIRD-PERSON (SINGULAR OR PLURAL) VERB + NOUN(S).


Singular Subject (noun) Plural Subject (noun) Me gusta la pintura. Me gustan las
pinturas. I like the painting(s). Te gusta el anillo. Te gustan los anillos. You
like the ring(s). Le gusta el zorro. Le gustan los zorros. He/She likes the
fox(es). Nos gusta la culebra. Nos gustan las culebras. We like the snake(s). Os
gusta la lámpara. Os gustan las lámparas. You like the lamp(s). Les gusta el
reloj. Les gustan los relojes. They like the clock(s).



OTHER VERBS THAT TAKE THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN

THERE ARE SEVERAL SPANISH VERBS THAT OPERATE IN THE MANNER OF GUSTAR - THAT IS,
THEY TAKE THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN AND DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECT THAT SOMETHING
OR SOMEONE HAS ON A PERSON.

THE MOST COMMON OF THESE VERBS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:


bastar to be sufficient / enough to; to suffice caer bien (mal) to like
(dislike); to go well (badly) with disgustar to be disgusting to; to "hate" (a
thing) doler (o -> ue) to be painful to, to hurt encantar to be enchanting to;
to "love" (a thing) faltar to be lacking of; to be missing to; to need (a thing)
fascinar to be fascinating to importar to be important to interesar to be
interesting to molestar to be bothersome to; to bother parecer to seem; to
appear to sobrar to be left over to; to be in surplus volver (o ->ue) loco/a to
be crazy about or for (more intense than encantar)


REFLEXIVE OBJECT PRONOUNS

REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS ARE TINY WORDS THAT CARRY THE POWER TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF
A SENTENCE.


Persona Pronombre de Objeto Directo Equivalente Yo ME me Tú TE you Él/Ella/Usted
SE Him/her/you/it Nosotros (as) NOS us Ellas/Ellos/Ustedes SE them/you


THE PRINCIPAL FUNCTION OF THE REFLEXIVE OBJECT PRONOUN IS TO INDICATE THAT THE
ACTION BEING PERFORMED ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE. IF JANE WASHES HER HAIR; HER ACTION
HAS EXTENDED TO YOU; THUS, THE ACTION IS NOT REFLEXIVE. HOWEVER, WHEN JANE
WASHES HER OWN HAIR, THE ACTION, WHICH WAS BEGUN BY JANE, STAYS WITH JANE. THUS,
IN THIS CASE, THE VERB “LAVARSE”, WHICH MEANS "TO WASH," IS REFLEXIVE AND IT
REQUIRES A REFLEXIVE OBJECT PRONOUN.


Jane te lava el pelo. Jane se lava el pelo. Jane washes your hair. Jane washes
her hair. (literally, Jane washes the hair on you.) (literally, Jane washes the
hair on herself.)



REFLEXIVE VERBS IN POWDER ROOM

MANY OF THE STANDARD REFLEXIVE VERBS REFER TO THE THINGS WE DO ROUTINELY EVERY
DAY TO PREPARE OURSELVES. THE FOLLOWING ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON REFLEXIVE
VERBS IN THIS CATEGORY:


afeitarse to shave oneself bañarse to bathe oneself cepillarese to brush oneself
ducharse to take a shower lavarse to wash oneself peinarse to comb oneself
(one's hair) pesarse to weigh oneself secarse to dry oneself


NOTE THAT WHE MENTIONING A BODY PART, YOU USE THE DEFINITE ARTICLE (EL, LA, LOS,
LAS) INSTEAD OF THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE (MI, TU, SU, ETC.). THE REASONS FOR
THIS ARE TWOFOLD: FIRST, IF YOU ARE WASHING THE HAIR ON YOU, IT HAS TO BE YOUR
HAIR, SO IT IS REDUNDANT TO USE THE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE; SECOND, MANY NATIVE
SPANISH SPEAKERS CONSIDER IT POOR TASTE TO MENTION DIRECTLY ONE'S BODY PARTS.

IN ENGLISH WE RESERVE THE USE OF THE REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS (MYSELF, YOURSELF, ETC.)
GENERALLY FOR WHAT CAN BE CALLED "FULL BODY EXPERIENCES" - THAT IS, "I LOVE
MYSELF," "SHE SEES HERSELF IN THE FULL-LENGTH MIRROR," "THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND
THEMSELVES." IN SPANISH THE USE IS MUCH NARROWER: MOST OF US WASH OUR OWN HAIR
(AS OPPOSED TO THE HAIR STYLIST DOING THIS FOR US OR OUR WASHING SOMEONE ELSE'S
HAIR); SIMILARLY, MOST OF US DRESS OURSELVES, COMB OUR HAIR, ETC. SIMPLY
REMEMBER THAT IF THE ACTION DOESN'T LEAVE THE SUBJECT/PERFORMER, IT WILL BE
REFLEXIVE.


EXAMPLES:

> YO LEO ANTES DE ACOSTARME.
> 
> I READ BEFORE GOING TO BED.
> 
> 
> CENAMOS DESPUÉS DE LAVARNOS LAS MANOS.
> 
> WE EAT DINNER AFTER WASHING OUR HANDS.
> 
> 
> DESPUÉS DE QUITARSE LAS BOTAS, ÉL ENTRA A LA CASA.
> 
> 
> AFTER TAKING OFF HIS BOOTS, HE ENTERS THE HOUSE.


WHEN THE SECOND VERB IS REFLEXIVE

IN SENTENCES WITH TWO VERBS THAT ACT UPON ONE ANOTHER, AS ALWAYS, YOU CONJUGATE
THE FIRST VERB AND LEAVE THE SECOND IN THE INFINITIVE. WHEN THAT SECOND VERB IS
REFLEXIVE, ATTACH THE APPROPRIATE REFLEXIVE PRONOUN DIRECTLY TO THE INFINITIVE.


EXAMPLES:

> NECESITO LAVARME EL PELO.
> 
> I NEED TO WASH MY HAIR.
> 
> 
> ¿CUÁNDO VAS A ACOSTARTE?
> 
> WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO BED?
> 
> 
> ELLA NO PUEDE VERSE EN EL CRISTAL.
> 
> 
> SHE CAN'T SEE HERSELF IN THE GLASS.


RID: SENTENCES WITH TWO OBJECT PRONOUNS

THE FOLLOWING CHART IS A REVIEW OF THE REFLEXIVE, INDIRECT, AND DIRECT OBJECT
PRONOUNS.


Reflexive Pronouns Indirect Object Pronouns Direct Object Pronouns me
nos me
nos me
nos te
os te
os te
os se
se le
les lo/la
los/las



THE RID ORDER

WHEN YOU HAVE TWO OBJECT PRONOUNS IN A SENTENCE, THESE PRONOUNS ALWAYS WILL
APPEAR IN THE RID ORDER: REFLEXIVE, INDIRECT, DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS. BECAUSE
TWO IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PRONOUNS THAT CAN APPEAR TOGETHER, THE POSSIBLE
COMBINATION ARE REFLEXIVE-INDIRECT (RARE), REFLEXIVE-DIRECT, OR INDIRECT-DIRECT.


EXAMPLES:

> REFLEXIVE - DIRECT
> 
> 
> ME LO COMPRO.
> 
> I BUY IT FOR MYSELF.
> 
> 
> TU PELO ES MAGNÍFICO. ¿TE LO LAVAS MUCHO?
> 
> YOUR HAIR IS WONDERFUL. DO YOU WASH IT A LOT?
> 
> 
> INDIRECT - DIRECT
> 
> 
> ELLOS TE LOS ENVÍAN.
> 
> THEY SEND THEM TO YOU.
> 
> 
> YO TE LA ESCRIBO.
> 
> I WRITE IT TO YOU.


THE LA LA RULE

WHEN BOTH THE DIRECT AND THE INDIRECT OBJECTS ARE IN THE THIRD PERSON, BOTH
PRONOUNS, REGARDLESS OF NUMBER OR GENDER, WILL BEGIN WITH THE LETTER L. WHEN
THIS HAPPENS, CHANGE THE INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN (THE FIRST ONE) TO SE. THE
REASON FOR THIS IS TO AVOID THE SINGSONG, TONGUE-TRIPPING QUALITY OF THE TWO
SMALL WORDS STARTING WITH THE LETTER L. WE CALL THIS THE "LA LA RULE".

CONSIDER THE SENTENCE "I GIVE IT TO HIM". THE INDIRECT OBJECT IS HIM (LE) AND
THE DIRECT OBJECT IS IT (LO). THUS WE FIRST HAVE YO LE LO DOY. BECAUSE OF THE LA
LA RULE, WE WILL CHANGE THE INDIRECT OBJECT LE TO SE, AND THE RESULT WILL BE YO
SE LO DOY.

REMEMBER: WE USE PRONOUNS ONLY WHEN THEIR ANTECEDENTS ARE UNDERSTOOD FROM THE
CONTEXT OF THE PARAGRAPH OR CONVERSATION. SO, WHILE LOOKING AT SE LO DOY WITHOUT
ANY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE MAKES THE SENTENCE VIRTUALLY MEANINGLESS, KNOWLEDEGE OF THE
REFERENTS MAKES THE SENTENCE COMPLETELY UNSERSTANDABLE.


EXAMPLES:

> TU CONOCES A JUAN. MEJOR SE LO DICES TÚ.
> 
> YOU KNOW JUAN. IT'S BETTER IF TELL IT TO HIM.
> 
> 
> TU PELO ES MAGNÍFICO. ¿TE LO LAVAS MUCHO?
> 
> TENEMOS MUCHOS LÁPICES QUE NO NECESITAMOS. SE LOS DAMOS.


TWO PRONOUNS IN A NEGATIVE STATEMENT

IN A NEGATIVE SENTENCE OR CLAUSE IN WHICH THE RID RULES APPLY, PLACE THE WORD NO
(OR ANOTHER WORD OF NEGATION) DIRECTLY BEFORE THE FIRST PRONOUN.


EXAMPLES:

> NUNCA SE LA COMPRAN.
> 
> THEY NEVER BUY IT FOR HER.
> 
> 
> NO SE LOS TENGO.
> 
> I DON'T HAVE THEM FOR THEM.


RID IN SENTENCES WITH TWO VERBS

IN SENTENCES THAT CONTAIN TWO VERBS, THE RID PRONOUN RULE STILL APPLIES;
HOWEVER, NOW YOU WILL ATTACH BOTH PRONOUNS DIRECTLY TO THE SECOND VERB - NAMELY,
THE INFINITIVE. YOU HAVE SEEN THIS SAME SYNTACTIC RULE WITH EACH OF THE
INDIVIDUAL PRONOUNS.

IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE NATURAL ACCENT OF THE INFINITIVE (THE SECOND VERB), WHICH
ALWAYS FALLS ON THE FINAL SYLLABLE, YOU NOW ADD AN ACCENT MARK OVER THE VOWEL IN
THAT SYLLABLE: COMER + SE + LO = COMÉRSELO; ENTREGAR + ME + LAS = ENTREGÁRMELAS;
VENDER + NOS + LOS = VENDÉRNOSLOS.

YOU CAN ALSO, IF YOU CHOOSE, PLACE THE TWO PRONOUNS BEFORE THE FIRST, CONJUGATED
VERB. IN THAT CASE, THERE WILL BE NONEED TO ADD AN ACCENT TO THE FINAL SYLLABLE
OF THE INFINITIVE: SE LO PUEDE COMER; ME LAS QUIERE ENTREGAR; NOS LOS DEBE
VENDER.


EXAMPLES:

> QUIERO DÁRTELO.
> 
> TE LO QUIERO DAR.
> 
> I WANT TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
> 
> 
> ELLA PUEDE HACÉRSELO.
> 
> ELLA SE LO PUEDE HACER.
> 
> SHE CAN DO IT FOR HERSELF.


QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVE STATEMENTS WITH TWO VERBS

IN A NEGATIVE SENTENCE WITH TWO VERBS, PLACE THE WORD NO (OR ANOTHER WORD OF
NEGATION) DIRECTLY BEFORE THE FIRST, CONJUGATED VERB. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PLACE THE
PRONOUNS BEFORE THE CONJUGATED VERB, THE WORD NO WILL PRECEDE THE PRONOUNS.

FOR QUESTIONS, JUST ADD QUESTION MARKS. IF YOU WANT TO ADD THE SUBJECT'S NAME OR
PRONOUN, DO SO AFTER THE FIRST, CONJUGATED VERB.

EXAMPLES:

> NO QUIERO DEJÁRTELO.
> 
> NO TE LO QUIERO DEJAR.
> 
> I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE IT FOR YOU.
> 
> 
> ¿PUEDES ESCRIBÍRMELO?
> 
> ¿ME LO PUEDES ESCRIBIR?
> 
> CAN YOU WRITE IT FOR ME?


RECIPROCAL PRONOUN

THE TERM RECIPROCITY INDICATES THAT WHATEVER IS GOING ON IS HAPPENING EQUALLY
BETWEEN OR AMONG ALL INTERESTED PARTIES. IF I SEE YOU, BUT YOU DON'T SEE ME,
THERE IS NO RECIPROCITY. HOWEVER, WHEN WE SEE EACH OTHER, RECIPROCITY TAKES
PLACE.

SINCE RECIPROCITY CAN OCCUR ONLY WHEN TWO OR MORE PERSONS ARE INVOLVED, THE
RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS EXIST ON LY IN THE PLURAL FORMS. THUS, THE PHRASE EACH OTHER
OR ONE ANOTHER WILL FIGURE IN THE SENTENCES INVOLVING RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS.


> NOS (OURSELVES: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER)
> 
> OS (OURSELVES: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER)
> 
> SE (THEMSELVES; YOURSELVES: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER)

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART, THE RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS ARE THE SAME AS THE
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS. ALL THE RULES OF SYNTAX THAT APPLY TO DIRECT, INDIRECT, AND
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS ALSO APPLY TO RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS.


EXAMPLES:

> NOS VEMOS CADA DÍA.
> 
> WE SEE EACH OTHER EVERYDAY.
> 
> 
> ELLOS NO PUEDEN ESCRIBIRSE MUY A MENUDO.
> 
> THEY CAN'T WRITE TO ONE ANOTHER VERY OFTEN.


SE AND THE PASSIVE VOICE

THE PASSIVE VOICE

WE USE THE PASSIVE VOICE TO DESCRIBE AN ACTION THAT IS CARRIED OUT BUT HAS NO
SPECIFIC, IDENTIFIED AGENT. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SENTENCE, "THE DOORS ARE
UNLOCKED AT 5:30", THERE IS NO IDENTIFIED SUBJECT OR AGENT. WE DON'T KNOW WHO
ACTUALLY UNLOCKS THE DOORS. SEE THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES THAT CONTRAST THE ACTIVE
AND THE PASSIVE VOICES.


Active Voice Passive Voice Paul closes the shop at 9:00. The shop is closed at
9:00. Sue heard a baby crying. A baby's cries were heard. The wind blew down the
tree. The tree was blown down.


EACH SENTENCE IN THE ACTIVE VOICE HAS A SPECIFIC SUBJECT, BUT THE CORRESPONDING
SENTENCE IN THE PASSIVE VOICE HAS AN UNSPECIFIED SUBJECT -WE DON'T KNOW WHO
CLOSES THE SHOP, WHO HEARD THE BABY'S CRIES, OR WHAT BLEW DOWN THE TREE.

THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO WAYS TO EXPRESS THE PASSIVE VOICE IN SPANISH: (1) BY
USING A FORM OF SER AND A PARTICIPLE AND (2) BY USING SE AND A CONJUGATED FORM
OF THE VERB


Joaquín es respetado. La fortaleza fue destruída. Se respeta a Joaquín. La
fortaleza se destruyó. Joaquín is respected. The fortress was destroyed.


IN BOTH EXAMPLES, THE PASSIVE VOICE EXPRESSES THE RESULT OF AN ACTION, BUT NOT
THE AGENT, OR PERFORMER, OF THE ACTION.


FORMATION OF THE PASSIVE VOICE WITH SE

TO USE SE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PASSIVE VOICE IN SPANISH, PLACE SE BEFORE THE
CONJUGATED VERB IN THE THIRD PERSON. IF THE NOUN FOLLOWING THE VERB IS SINGULAR,
YOU WILL CONJUGATE THE VERB IN THE THIRD-PERSON SINGULAR; IF THAT NOUN IS PLURAL
OR IF THERE IS A SERIES OF NOUNS, YOU WILL CONJUGATE THE VERB IN THE
THIRD-PERSON PLURAL.


Se habla español en México. Se hablan inglés y francés en Canadá. Spanish is
spoken in Mexico. English and French are spoken in Canada. Se vende plata en
esta joyería. No se venden joyas aquí. Silver is sold at this jewelry store.
Jewels are not sold here.



USING SE TO AVOID THE PASSIVE

IN SPANISH AS IN ENGLISH, OVERUSE OF THE PASSIVE VOICE CREATES BORING
CONVERSATION AND PROSE. ONE WAY TO AVOID THE PASSIVE IS TO USE AN IMPERSONAL
SUBJECT. FOR EXAMPLE, IN "THEY DANCE THE CUMBIA IN COLOMBIA", WE DON'T KNOW
SPECIFICALLY WHO THEY ARE; THERE ARE NO NAMES OR FACES ATTACHED. THE SUBJECT
REFERS TO MANY PEOPLE IN GENERAL, BUT NO ONE IN PARTICULAR.

IN ENGLISH, ANOTHER COMMON IMPERSONAL SUBJECT IS THE WORD YOU, AS IN "YOU
SHOULDN'T CALL ME AFTER NINE." OTHER COMMON IMPERSONAL SUBJECTS IN ENGLISH
INCLUDE IT, THEY, ONE, PEOPLE, ANYBODY, AND NO ONE.


No se debe matar. ¡Así se hace! One shouldn't kill. That's how it's done! You
shouldn't kill. That's how you do it! ¿Qué se puede hacer? Jamás se explicó el
asesinato. What's a person to do? They never explained the murder. What can you
do? No one ever explained the murder.


NOTICE IN THESE EXAMPLES THAT WHEN AN IMPERSONAL SUBJECT IS INTENDED, THE
THIRD-PERSON SINGULAR IS USED, HOWEVER, OFTEN WHEN THE PLURAL IS USED TO EXPRESS
THE SAME IDEA, THE REFLEXIVE SE IS DROPPED.


Se me conoce aquí. Aquí se produce el mejor café. Me conocen aquí. Aquí producen
el mejor café. They know me here. They produce the best coffee here.


NOTE: WHEN WORKING WITH A REFLEXIVE VERB, THE REFLEXIVE ACTION IS UNDERSTOOD
THROUGH THE USE OF SE. NOTE ALSO THAT MOST PLATITUDES EMPLOY THE PASSIVE VOICE.


Se debe bañar cada día. Se puede comer y beber en esta sala. One should bathe
everyday. We can eat and drink in this room



THE PASSIVE VOICE WITH INANIMATE OBJECTS

WE OFTEN SPEAK OF ACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE IN WHICH THERE IS NO - AT LEAST NO
APPARENT - HUMAN ELEMENT INVOLVED IN THE ACTION, FOR EXAMPLE, "MY CAR BREAKS
DOWN ON ME EVERY WINTER." WE ALSO OFTEN REFER TO ACTIONS THAT CLEARLY ARE
PERFORMED BY HUMANS, BUT FOR WHICH THE MENTION OF THOSE HUMANS IS IRRELEVANT,
FOR EXAMPLE, "THE STORE OPENS AT 10:00."

IN THESE SITUATIONS, WE USE THE PASSIVE VOICE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO FOCUS ON THE
ACTION AND COMPLETELY IGNORE THE PERFORMER OF THE ACTION. JUST REMEMBER THAT IF
THE NOUN IS SINGULAR, USE THE SINGULAR FORM OF THE VERB; IF THE NOUN IS PLURAL,
USE THE PLURAL FORM.

NOTE: THE OBJECT CAN EITHER PRECEDE OR FOLLOW THE VERB.


EXAMPLES:

> SE ABRE LA TIENDA A LAS DIEZ.
> 
> LA TIENDA SE ABRE A LAS DIEZ.
> 
> THE STORE OPENS AT TEN.
> 
> 
> SE ABREN LAS TIENDAS A LAS DIEZ.
> 
> LAS TIENDAS SE ABREN A LAS DIEZ.
> 
> THE STORES OPEN AT TEN.

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