Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Indirect object pronouns can also indicate the personforwhose benefit or

gain something is done:

Le ha hecho un favor. She has done him a favour.

Te he fregado los platos. I’ve done the washing up for you.

Indirect object pronouns are found with impersonal expressions using resul-

tar (less frequently ser) + adjective (such as fácil ‘easy’, difícil ‘difficult’,

imposible ‘impossible’,necesario ‘necessary’).

The pronoun identifies the person to whom the expression applies:

Les resultó difícil adaptarse. It was difficult for them to adapt.

No nos será fácil resolver el It will not be easy for us to

conflicto. resolve the dispute.

Indirect object pronouns are further employed to refer to anyone from

whom (rather than to whom) things are taken away:

Cómprale un billete de lotería a ese señor.

Buy a lottery ticket from that man.

¿Por qué me has quitado la revista?

Why did you take my magazine away?

Redundant use of indirect object pronouns

Indirect object pronouns are commonly used in addition toa noun func-

tioning as the indirect object, especially if this refers to a person. This is

sometimes called the redundant use:

Dile al mesero [LA]que traiga la comida.

Tell the waiter to bring the meal.

A Jorge no le gustó la película.

Jorge didn’t like the film.

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Personal
pronouns

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