I know, direct object pronouns are a real pain in the butt. And if we add indirect objects and reflexive pronouns to that, it can drive you crazy!
In my first post about direct objects I talked extensively about what the direct object is, how to identify it and how to use the pronouns. Now let’s look at the three things that most Spanish students are doing wrong while using them.
1. Believe that every "it" in English translates "lo"
This is probably the most common mistake and it occurs for a very simple reason: both the personal pronoun and the direct object pronoun used for this English object are exactly the same:
It sucks (subject pronoun)
I love it (object pronoun)
For this reason it is very common to hear incorrect phrases such as:
Lo apesta (It sucks)
Lo funciona (it works)
Lo es interesante (it is interesting)
At this point, it is necessary to remember that the type of it that appears before the English verb has no translation in Spanish because it is a personal pronoun that does not exist in the latter. In Spanish we only use the third person singular conjugation without using any pronouns. So, when you say:
It sucks: Apesta
It works: Funciona
It's interesting: Es interesante
It only translates lo or la -depending on the gender- when it receives the action, in English this is when it appears after the verb.
I love it: lo amo
He did it: él lo hizo.
2. Saying "me lo gusta" as I like it.
What? But that it does appear after the English verb and you just said...
Yes, yes. I know what I just said above. But remember that the verb to like doesn’t really exist in Spanish. Instead, we use the verb to please.
English version: I like it.
Spanish version: It pleases me.
So, in our version, it is conjugating the verb, for which we have no translation available. So if your intention is to say: I like it (it pleases me), in Spanish it would be: me gusta.
One way to remember this is just by accepting the fact that the verb gustar in Spanish does not have direct objects and that's it.
3. Saying phrases like yo amo a él, yo visito a ella, ella conoce a mí
Spanish tonic pronouns -a mí, a ti, a él, a ella, a nosotros, a ustedes, a ellos, a ellas- are not completely incorrect and are definitely a good option when you don't feel sure of the direct object pronoun you should use; however, these pronouns are used optionally to emphasize the phrase and do not in any way replace the atonic pronouns me, te, lo, la, nos, los and las. Therefore:
I love him: Yo lo amo
I visit her: Yo la visito.
She knows me: Ella me conoce.
If you want, you can use tonic pronouns for more emphasis:
Yo lo amo a él, no a ti. (I love him, not you)
Remember: atonic pronouns are mandatory, while tonic pronouns are optional.
If you want to learn more about these mistakes and you are more of a video-class type of student, click below.