Using Pronouns with Commands

Pronoun

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.

I, me, he, she, herself, you, it, that, they, each, few, many, who, whoever, whose, someone, everybody, etc.

Example: Joe saw Jill, and he waved at her.

In the sentence the pronouns he and her take the place of Joe and Jill, respectively

Direct Object

The Direct Object is an object which receives the "direct" action of a verb.

In the sentence, I buy a book, the book is the direct object because it is what I buy - it is being bought. It is being directly acted upon by the verb.

Direct Object Pronouns

Direct object pronouns relieve us from endlessly repeating the Direct Object itself.

Me

You

Him, Her, It

Us

Them I pick up the book. I look at the book and decide to buy the book.

vs. I pick up the book. I look at it and decide to buy it.

Direct object pronouns in Spanish

Reflexive PronounsReflexive pronouns are used to say a verb acts on the subject.

Example:

I hit myself.

Bill hit himself.

They hit themselves.

The verb acts on all of the subjects.

Singular: myself - yourself - himself - herself - itself Plural: ourselves - yourselves - themselves

Reflexive Pronouns in Spanish

Yo Me Nos Nosotros

Tú Te Os Vosotros

Usted Se Se Ustedes

Él Se Se Ellos

Ella Se Se Ellas

Example:-I shower at 5:30. Yo me ducho a las cinco y media.-We dress at 8:00. Nostoros nos vestimos a las ocho.

Pronouns With Commands

English Grammar Connection: You often use object pronouns with commands to direct the action of the verb at someone or something.

In English, you always place pronouns after the command.

Give me that! Don’t read it!

In Spanish, the pronouns go two places:

Affirmatives ATTACH.Negatives come BEFORE.AffirmativeAttatchNegative= don’t

Reflexive Pronouns with Affirmative Formal Commands

The first three steps are the same with a few twists at the end:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the opposite ending

-ar e, en -er/ir a,an

4. Add the reflexive pronoun “se” to the end

5. Add an accent mark to the 3rd syllable from the end when adding one pronoun

Example:

Verb: Dormir –to sleep Subject: Usted

4. Duermo 4. Duermase

5. Duerm 5. ¡Duérmase!

6. Duerma

To command someone to perform an action to his or

herself.

Reflexive Pronouns with Negative Formal Commands

The first three steps are the same:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the opposite ending

-ar e, en -er/ir a,an

4. Put no and se in front of the verb

5. Example:

Verb: Duchar –to take a shower Subject: Ustedes

6. Ducho 4. ¡No se duchen!

7. Duch

8. Duchen

Reflexive Pronouns with Affirmative Informal Commands

The first three steps are the same with a few twists at the end:

1. Conjugate for tú

2. Drop the “s”

3. Add the reflexive pronoun “te” to the end

4. Add an accent mark to the 3rd syllable from the end when adding one pronoun

Example:

Verb: Dormir –to sleep Subject: Tú

5. Duermes

6. Duerme

7. ¡Duérmete!

Reflexive Pronouns with Negative Informal Commands

The first three steps are the same with a few twists at the end:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the third person ending

-ar es -er/ir as

4. Put no and te in front of the verb

Example:

Verb: afeitar –to shave Subject: Tú

4. Afeito 4. ¡No te afeites!

5. Afeit

6. Afeites

Direct Object Pronouns with commands

Direct Object Pronouns with Affirmative Formal Commands

The first three steps are the same with a few twists at the end:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the opposite ending

-ar e, en -er/ir a,an

4. Add the direct object pronoun to the end

5. Add an accent mark to the 3rd syllable from the end when adding one pronoun

Example:

Verb: Lavar –to wash (Wash it) Subject: Usted

4. Lavo 4. Lavelo

5. Lav 5. ¡Lávelo!

6. Lave

Direct Object Pronouns with NegativeFormal Commands

The first three steps are the same:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the opposite ending

-ar e, en -er/ir a,an

4. Put no and the direct object in front of the verb

5. Example:

Verb: Beber –to drink (Drink it) Subject: Ustedes

6. Bebo 4. ¡No lo beban!

7. Beb

8. Beban

Direct Object with Affirmative Informal Commands

The first three steps are the same with a few twists at the end:

1. Conjugate for tú

2. Drop the “s”

4. Add the direct object pronoun to the end

5. Add an accent mark to the 3rd syllable from the end when adding one pronoun

Example:

Verb: Comer-to eat (Eat them) Subject: Tú

3. Comes

4. Come

5. ¡Cómelos!

Direct Object Pronouns with NegativeInformal Commands

The first three steps are the same with a few changes at the end:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the opposite ending

-ar es -er/ir as

4. Put no and the direct object in front of the verb

Example:

Verb: Lavar –to wash (Don’t wash it) Subject: Tú

4. Lavo 4. ¡No lo laves!

5. Lav

6. Laves

1. Tell your best friend to brush their teeth.(cepillarse los dientes)

¡CEPÍLLATE LOS DIENTES!

2. Tell your brother to wash the dishes. (lavar los platos)

¡LÁVALOS!

3. Tell your teacher (Sra. Kasperzak) not to sleep in class.(dormirse en clase)

¡NO SE DUERMA EN CLASE!

4. Tell your parents friends to sit down. (sentarse)

¡SIÉNTENSE!

5. Tell the stranger not to take the taxi. (tomar el taxi)

¡NO LO TOME!

Nosotros commands plus pronouns

If the verb uses any pronoun, the nosotros command ends in –nos.

With the nosotros command, drop the -s of the ending before adding the reflexive pronoun nos.

¡Organicemos una reunión!(drop the “s”)

Let´s organize a meeting!¡Organicémonos!Let´s get organized!

Notice an accent mark on the third syllable from the end.

+Sentémonos

-No nos sentemos

AFFIRMATIVE

The first three steps are the same with a few twists at the end:

1. Conjugate for yo

2. Drop the “o”

3. Add the opposite ending

-ar emos -er/ir amos

4. DROP THE “S”

5. Add the reflexive pronoun “nos” to the end

6. Add an accent mark to the 3rd syllable from the end when adding one pronoun

NEGATIVE

4. Conjugate for yo

5. Drop the “o”

6. Add the opposite ending

-ar emos -er/ir amos

4. Add no and the reflexive pronoun “nos” to the beginning

Double Object Pronouns

When you use a direct and an indirect object pronoun together, place the indirect BEFORE the direct.

Memorize this acronym:RIDReflexive, Indirect, Direct

Double Object Pronouns

Indirect Object PronounsThe indirect object (IO) tells us where the direct

object (DO) is going.

Me - to/for me

Te – to/for you

Le – to/for him/her/you/it

Nos – to/for us

os

Les – to/for you all/them

¡Ponte las botas! ¡Póntelas!RID

¡No te pongas las botas!

¡No te las pongas!RID

When the indirect object pronoun le or les comes before the direct object pronoun lo, la, los, or las, change le or les to se.

In other words, Don´t le lo !Se lo !!!!Example Démoselo not démolelo

Enrique, explícale tu punto de vista a Raquel.

Explícaselo.

When you attach two object pronouns to a command, you must add an accent mark to preserve the original stress.

Add the accent mark to the 4th syllable from the end when adding 2 pronouns.

Práctica:1. Give it to me (tú) dar

2. Buy them for her (Ud.) comprar

3. Bring it to us (Uds.) traer

4. Let’s not tell it to him. (tú) decir

5. Distribute it to them (Uds.) distribuir

1) Dámelo o dámela

2) Cómpreselos o Cómpreselas

3) Tráiganoslo o Tráiganosla

4) No se lo digas

5) Distribúyaselo