You Already Know How to Use Direct- and Indirect-Object Pronouns

Pronomi doppi

You already know how to use direct- and indirect-object pronouns.

Scrivo la lettera.  La scrivo. (oggetto diretto) Scrivo a te.  Ti scrivo. (oggetto indiretto)

It is also possible to use indirect and diret objects together with the same verb, forming double object pronouns (pronomi doppi).

I write it (the letter) to you: Te la scrivo.

1. To form pronomi doppi, follow these rules, which are illustrated in the chart.

a.) The indirect-object pronoun precedes the direct-object pronoun or né. b.) The indirect-object pronouns mi, ti, ci, and vi change their final i to e. c.) The indirect-object pronouns gli, le, and Le all become glie-, and they combine with the direct-objects pronoun or né to form one word.

Note: All other pronomi doppi are separate words.

Pronomi lo la li le né indiretti + mi me lo me la me li me le me né ti te lo te la te li te le te né gli, le, Le glielo gliela glieli gliele gliené ci ce lo ce la ce li ce le ce né vi ve lo ve la ve li ve le ve né …loro lo… loro la… loro li… loro le… loro né… loro

Remember that the indirect-object pronoun loro follows a conjugated verb. For this reason, as you can see in the preceding chart, it does not combiné like other object pronouns: Dai/Darai la macchina a loro?  Non, non la do/darò loro.

2. Double object pronouns (like single pronouns) precede conjugated verbs. They follow and are attached to infinitives to form one word.

La cintura? Non te la vendo, The belt? I’m not going to sell it preferisco regarlartela! to you; I prefer to give it to you.

La giaca? Non gliela vendo, The jacket? I’m not going to sell it preferisco regalargliela. to them; I prefer to give it to them. When the infinitive is preceded by dovere, potere, or volere, the pronouns may attach to the infinitive or precede the conjugated verb.

Ti voglio presentare un’amica. I want to introduce a friend to you. Voglio presentartela. / Te la. I want to introduce her to you. Voglio presentare.

3. When the verb is in the passato prossimo or in another compound tense, the past participles agrees in gender and number with the preceding direct- object pronoun, even when it is combinéd with an indirect-object pronoun.

Hai comprato i guanti a Giulia? Did you buy the gloves for Giulia? Li hai comprati a Giulia? Did you buy them for Giulia? Glieli hai comprati? Did you buy them for her?

Hai preso due matite per Maria? Did you get two pencils for Maria? Né hai prese due per Maria? Did you get two of them for Maria? Gliené hai prese due? Did you get her two of them?

4. Reflexive pronous can also combiné with direct-object pronouns. The forms are identical to those in point 1c, with the exception of the third-person singular and plural forms. The pronoun si changes to se (just as mi, ti… change to me, te…): se lo, se la, se li, se le and se né.

Mi metto le scarpe. I put my shoes on. Me le metto. I put them on.

Mauro si mette la cravatta. Mauro puts his tie on. Se la mette. He puts it on. Deve mettersela. He has to put it on.

In this context, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the direct-object pronoun.

Anna, ti sei messa le scarpe? Anna, did you put your shoes on? Te le sei messe? Did you put them on?

5. The word ci (presented in section B in this chapter) can combiné with direct- object pronouns, changing to ce.

- Metti il limoné nél tè? - Do you put lemon in your tea? - Sì, ce lo metto. - Yes, I put it there (in it)? - Avete lasciato le chiavi a casa? - Did you leave the keys at home? - No, non ce le abbiamo lasciate. - No, we didn’t leave them there.