A2
Two pronouns together
How Spanish orders two object pronouns, why le and les become se, and where the pair goes in the sentence.
When two object pronouns meet, the indirect one comes first. The order never varies.
Me lo dio.
to-me it he-gave
He gave it to me.
Te la mando mañana.
to-you it I-send tomorrow
I’ll send it to you tomorrow.
English puts the direct object first — gave it to me. Spanish reverses that, and drops the preposition entirely.
le and les become se before lo, la, los, las
Se lo di.
to-him it I-gave
I gave it to him.
Le lo di.
Se lo di.
Le lo is avoided for sound alone — Spanish dislikes two l pronouns in a row. The rule is mechanical and has nothing to do with meaning.
This se is not the reflexive and not the impersonal. Three different se share one spelling, and this is the one that catches people, because se lo di looks reflexive and is not.
a él, a ella when se is unclear
Since se hides who received it, Spanish adds the phrase where it matters.
Se lo di a ella.
to-her it I-gave to her
I gave it to her.
They stay together
Nothing separates the pair — not no, not an adverb.
No se lo digas.
not to-him it you-tell
Don’t tell him.
Attached to an infinitive, gerund or positive command
Both pronouns attach, in the same order, and an accent appears.
Voy a dárselo.
I-go to to-give-him-it
I’m going to give it to him.
Dámelo.
give-me-it
Give it to me.