Reflexive Pronouns VS Direct Object Pronouns VS Indirect Object Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns and Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns are very similar in their forms, but the 3rd person singular forms are different.
| Reflexive Pronouns | Singular | Plural |
| 1st Person | Me myself | Nos ourselves |
| 2nd Person | Te yourself | Os yourselves |
| 3rd Person | Se her/him | Se themselves |
| Direct Object Pronouns | Singular | Plural |
| 1st Person | Me me | Nos us |
| 2nd Person | Te you | Os you |
| 3rd Person | Lo/La her/him | Los/Las them |
| Indirect Object Pronouns | Singular | Plural |
| 1st Person | Me me | Nos us |
| 2nd Person | Te you | Os you |
| 3rd Person | Le her/him | Les them |
Let’s take a look at orders or rules in constructing sentences with 2 different pronouns.
Reflexive pronoun+Direct object pronoun
With these pronouns, a reflexive pronoun comes first, then a direct object pronoun follows.
Me lo pongo.
They also can be placed just after the infinitive or progressive form of a verb.
Me lo estoy poniendo. / Estoy poniéndomelo.
Indirect object pronoun+direct object pronoun
An indirect object pronoun comes first, and a direct object follows.
¿Por qué no me lo dijiste?
When DOP and IOP are used in the same sentence, the order of the pronouns has to be IOP DOP.
¿Por qué no me lo dijiste? Why didn’t you tell me that?
And, you cannot put pronouns aside.
- Te lo puedo explicar.
- Puedo explicártelo.
X Lo puedo explicarte
X Te puedo explicarlo
However, if the 3rd person pronouns are used together, “le/les” has to take “se”.
¿Por qué le lo dijiste?
¿Por qué se lo dijiste?
Why did you tell him that?