le
Lemma Details
Translation: him; her; you (formal); to him; to her; to you (formal)
Part of Speech: pronoun
Etymology: Le comes from Latin 'illi', the dative singular form of 'ille' (that one, he). This Latin pronoun evolved into various Romance language pronouns including Spanish 'le'. It's part of the third-person pronoun system that distinguishes between direct object (lo/la) and indirect object (le) forms, a distinction that doesn't exist in the same way in English pronouns.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'le' as giving something 'to' someone - the 'l' can remind you of the word 'to'.
- For indirect objects, remember the phrase 'Le di el libro' (I gave him/her the book) - you're giving TO someone.
Cultural Context
The use of 'le' varies by region in the Spanish-speaking world. In some regions, particularly in Spain, 'le' is sometimes used as a direct object pronoun for masculine persons (leísmo). In Latin America, this usage is less common. Understanding the correct use of 'le' versus 'lo/la' is important for mastering Spanish pronoun usage.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Le' is an indirect object pronoun (to him/her), while 'lo' is a direct object pronoun (him/it). 'Le' is used when the pronoun is the recipient of an action, while 'lo' is used when the pronoun is directly receiving the action of the verb.
Confused word:
Lo vi en el parque.
I saw him in the park.
Notes: In Spain, 'le' is sometimes used instead of 'lo' for male persons (leísmo), but this is not standard in most Latin American countries.
Mnemonic: Think: 'le' = 'to him/her' (indirect), 'lo' = 'him/it' (direct)
Explanation: 'Le' is typically an indirect object pronoun (to him/her), while 'la' is a direct object pronoun specifically for feminine nouns or persons (her/it).
Confused word:
La vi ayer en la tienda.
I saw her yesterday at the store.
Notes: The distinction between indirect object 'le' and direct object 'la' is important for grammatical correctness.
Mnemonic: 'Le' for giving TO someone, 'la' for doing something directly TO a feminine person/thing.