Combined pronouns in the imperative: cómpramela, resérvatelo...

Pronombres combinados en el imperativo: cómpramela, resérvatelo...

Los pronombres combinados se usan cuando en el imperativo aparecen dos pronombres: uno de persona (indirecto) y uno de cosa (directo), unidos al verbo.

(Combined pronouns are used when two pronouns appear in the imperative: a person pronoun (indirect object) and a thing pronoun (direct object), attached to the verb.)

Teacher explanation

What you’re doing here: “Give it to him” → one compact Spanish command

In affirmative commands (imperativo afirmativo), Spanish often replaces “to/for + person” and “the/it” with two pronouns that are attached to the end of the verb.

Person (indirect object): me, te, le, nos, os, les
Thing (direct object): lo, la, los, las

Fixed order: command verb + person + thing.

Step-by-step: how to build it (reliable method)

Start with the affirmative command (tú / usted / ustedes / vosotros).
- compra, reserve, entreguen, preparad…
Identify the “person” part (to/for whom?). Replace it with: me/te/le/nos/os/les.
Identify the “thing” part (what?). Replace it with: lo/la/los/las.
Attach both pronouns to the end of the command in the order person + thing.
Check the accent: Spanish keeps the original stress of the command; add an accent mark if needed.

Quick visual: from full phrase to pronouns

Meaning	Full Spanish	With pronouns (command)
Buy it for me.	Compra la entrada para mí.	Cómpramela.
Book it for yourself.	Reserva el curso para ti.	Resérvatelo.
Bring them to us.	Trae las servilletas para nosotros.	Tráenoslas.

The key trap: “person + thing” order (never swap it)

English allows flexibility (“give her it / give it to her”), but Spanish does not here.

Correct: Entréguensela. (Deliver it to him/her.)
Wrong order: ~~Entréguenla(se)~~ / ~~Entréguenla le~~

Think: WHO first, then WHAT.

Important exception: le/les + lo/la/los/las → “se”

When both pronouns are 3rd person:

le + lo, le + la, les + los, etc. → change le/les to se

Not allowed	Correct	Meaning
~~Regálalelo~~	Regálaselo	Give it to him/her as a gift.
~~Resérvalelo~~	Resérvaselo	Book it for him/her.

Tip: If you see “to him/to her/to them” + “it/them”, your brain should already expect se.

Accent check: why the command sometimes gets a written accent

When you add 1–2 pronouns, the word becomes longer. Spanish keeps the original stress, so it may need an accent mark.

entreguen → entréguensela
compra → cómpramela
reserva → resérvatelo

Self-check: If the new form looks “long”, quickly look for the accent. If you’ve seen it written with an accent in models, copy that pattern.

Mini self-check (before you move on)

Is it an affirmative command? (If yes, pronouns attach.)
Did you use person + thing (me/te/le/nos/os/les + lo/la/los/las)?
Did le/les change to se when combined with lo/la/los/las?
Did you keep/add the accent mark if needed?

Fixed order: imperative verb + person + thing.
Indirect object (person): me, te, le, nos, os, les.
Direct object (thing): lo, la, los, las

Form	Form without pronouns	Example
Comprar + me + la	Compra la entrada para mí hoy. (Buy the ticket for me today.)	Cómpramela hoy. (Buy it for me today.)
Reservar + te + lo	Reserva el curso para ti esta semana. (Reserve the course for yourself this week.)	Resérvatelo esta semana. (Reserve it for yourself this week.)
Organizar + nos + lo	Organiza el picnic para nosotros mañana. (Organize the picnic for us tomorrow.)	Orgánizanoslo mañana. (Organize it for us tomorrow.)
Preparar + os + la	Prepara la comida para vosotros antes de salir. (Prepare the meal for you (plural) before going out.)	Preparáosla antes de salir. (Prepare it for yourselves before going out.)
Entregar + le + la	Entreguen la información a él hoy. (Give him the information today.)	Entréguensela hoy. (Give it to him today.)

Exceptions!

When both pronouns are third person, the indirect pronoun changes to se, both in singular and plural ( regálalelo ⭢ regálaselo).
The stress of the original verb is kept and an accent mark is added if necessary (entreguen ⭢ entréguenselo).

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. No tengo tiempo para ir a la tienda, pero si pasas tú, ____ esta tarde, por favor.

2. El curso de jardinería se llena rápido: ____ hoy mismo y así no te quedas sin plaza.

3. El sábado hacemos un picnic con los socios de la asociación: ____ en una bolsa, que son muchas servilletas.

4. No se lo des a Laura mañana, ____ hoy en el club para que pueda organizar la salida de camping.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences in the affirmative imperative by replacing the indirect object (person) and the direct object (thing) with combined pronouns attached to the verb. Example: Compra la entrada para mí. → Cómpramela.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints

Compra el billete para mí ahora, por favor.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Cómpramelo ahora, por favor.
(Buy it for me now, please.)
Reserva las entradas para nosotros para el sábado.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Resérvanoslas para el sábado.
(Reserve them for us for Saturday.)
Explica el problema a tu jefe esta tarde.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Explícaselo esta tarde.
(Explain it to him/her this afternoon.)
Devolved los documentos a la clienta hoy mismo.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Devolvédselos hoy mismo.
(Return them to her today.)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence with combined pronouns in the imperative.