Module 10: Mastering Pronouns and Advanced Sentence Structures

In this module, we’ll focus on the advanced use of pronouns and the complex sentence structures that will help you communicate more fluently. You will learn about object pronouns (direct, indirect, reflexive), possessive pronouns, relative pronouns, and how to use them effectively. Additionally, we’ll explore advanced sentence construction, including the use of relative clauses and indirect speech.

Lesson 1: Direct Object Pronouns

What Are Direct Object Pronouns?

Direct object pronouns are used to replace the noun that is directly receiving the action of the verb. They answer the question “who?” or “what?” after the verb.

Direct Object Pronouns:

me – me
te – you (informal)
lo/la – him, it (masculine/feminine)
nos – us
os – you all (informal, Spain)
los/las – them (masculine/feminine)

Example:

Veo el coche. – I see the car. ->> Lo veo. – I see it.
Compro la comida. – I buy the food. ->> La compro. – I buy it.

Lesson 2: Indirect Object Pronouns

What Are Indirect Object Pronouns?

Indirect object pronouns are used when the action of the verb is done for someone or something, answering the question “to whom?” or “for whom?”

Indirect Object Pronouns:

me – to/for me
te – to/for you (informal)
le – to/for him, her, it (formal)
nos – to/for us
os – to/for you all (informal, Spain)
les – to/for them

Example:

Doy el libro a Juan. – I give the book to Juan. ->> Le doy el libro. – I give him the book.
Nos explicaron la situación. – They explained the situation to us.

Lesson 3: Reflexive Pronouns

What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of the verb are the same, meaning the person is performing an action on themselves.

Reflexive Pronouns:

me – myself
te – yourself (informal)
se – himself, herself, itself
nos – ourselves
os – yourselves (informal, Spain)
se – themselves

Example:

Me lavo las manos. – I wash my hands.
Se peina el cabello. – He/She combs his/her hair.

Reflexive Verbs:

Many verbs in Spanish are reflexive, meaning they are used with a reflexive pronoun. Some examples:

levantarse – to get up
vestirse – to get dressed
acostarse – to go to bed

For commonly used Reflexive Verbs in Spanish and example sentences, click here.

Lesson 4: Possessive Pronouns

What Are Possessive Pronouns?

Possessive pronouns are used to indicate possession or ownership, replacing the noun to avoid repetition.

Possessive Pronouns:

mío/a(s) – mine
tuyo/a(s) – yours (informal)
suyo/a(s) – his, hers, its, theirs (formal)
nuestro/a(s) – ours
vuestro/a(s) – yours (plural, informal, Spain)
suyo/a(s) – theirs, yours (plural, formal)

Example:

Este libro es mío. – This book is mine.
La casa es nuestra. – The house is ours.

Lesson 5: Relative Pronouns

What Are Relative Pronouns?

Relative pronouns are used to connect two sentences or clauses, providing additional information about the noun in the first sentence. The most common relative pronouns in Spanish are que (that, which, who), quien (who), and cual (which).

Common Relative Pronouns:

- que – that, which, who
- quien/quienes – who, whom (used for people)
- cual/cuales – which, who (more formal, used for choice or options)

Here are 10 sentence examples using que, quien/quienes, and cual/cuales as common relative pronouns, along with their English translations:

Using que (that, which, who):

El libro que leí ayer es muy interesante. (The book that I read yesterday is very interesting.)
La casa que compraron es muy grande. (The house that they bought is very big.)
La persona que llamó dejó un mensaje para ti. (The person who called left a message for you.)
Esta es la película que me recomendaste. (This is the movie that you recommended to me.)
El perro que está en el jardín es mío. (The dog that is in the garden is mine.)

Using quien/quienes (who, whom):

- La mujer, quien es doctora, vive al lado de mi casa. (The woman, who is a doctor, lives next to my house.)
- Los niños, quienes juegan en el parque, son mis primos. (The children, who play in the park, are my cousins.)
- Conozco al hombre a quien le diste el libro. (I know the man to whom you gave the book.)

Using cual/cuales (which, who):

El coche, el cual fue comprado en Francia, es muy caro. (The car, which was bought in France, is very expensive.)
Los estudiantes, los cuales ganaron el premio, son muy talentosos. (The students, who won the award, are very talented.)

Lesson 6: Indirect Speech

What is Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech is used to report what someone else has said or asked without quoting them directly. In Spanish, the verb tenses often change when shifting from direct to indirect speech.

Forming Indirect Speech:

The structure of indirect speech is usually [verb in main clause] + que + [subordinate clause].

Direct: Ella dice, “Voy a la tienda.” – She says, “I’m going to the store.”
Indirect: Ella dice que va a la tienda. – She says that she is going to the store.

Note: In indirect speech, the verb in the subordinate clause is usually changed to a different tense (present to imperfect, past to pluperfect, etc.).

Lesson 7: Complex Sentences and Subordinate Clauses

What Are Subordinate Clauses?

Subordinate clauses depend on the main clause and cannot stand alone. These clauses are introduced by conjunctions like que (that), porque (because), cuando (when), and aunque (although).

Sé que estás ocupado. – I know that you are busy.
Te llamaré cuando llegue. – I will call you when I arrive.

Using Conjunctions to Connect Ideas:

porque – because
aunque – although
si – if
cuando – when
mientras que – while
antes de que – before
después de que – after

Here are example sentences using subordinate clauses in Spanish with their English translations:

Porque – because
- No fui a la fiesta porque estaba cansado.
  I didn’t go to the party because I was tired.
Aunque – although
- Aunque llueva, saldré a correr.
  Although it rains, I will go out for a run.
Si – if
- Si estudias más, pasarás el examen.
  If you study more, you will pass the exam.
Cuando – when
- Cuando llegue a casa, te llamaré.
  When I get home, I will call you.
Mientras que – while
- Mientras que tú cocinas, yo pondré la mesa.
  While you cook, I will set the table.
Antes de que – before
- Termina tu tarea antes de que salgas con tus amigos.
  Finish your homework before you go out with your friends.
Después de que – after
- Te llamaré después de que termine la reunión.
  I will call you after the meeting ends.

End of Module 10: Review

By the end of this module, you will have mastered the use of pronouns (direct, indirect, reflexive, possessive) and learned to build complex sentences. This will significantly enhance your ability to communicate fluently and accurately in Spanish, whether you’re describing objects, expressing ownership, or reporting what others say.