Direct object pronouns in Italian: lo, la, li, le explained
Italian direct object pronouns (lo, la, li, le) replace the noun receiving the action so you avoid repeating it. They usually sit before the conjugated verb, but attach to infinitives, gerunds, and affirmative commands. MeloLingua pairs the rules with free graded Italian stories full of natural dialogue.
Italian stories that include simple object pronouns inside readable context. These stories keep the learning focus inside real scenes, then add sentence-level English support, glosses, and quick checks.
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Direct object pronouns grammar guide
Updated June 27, 2026
Definition
A direct object pronoun in Italian (pronome complemento oggetto) replaces the noun that directly receives the verb's action — answering what? or whom? — so Compro il libro becomes Lo compro (I buy it).
What you will practice
- Replace direct objects with lo, la, li, le correctly
- Place pronouns before conjugated verbs or attach to infinitives and commands
- Match gender and number to the noun replaced
- Apply pronoun agreement with passato prossimo (l'ho visto, l'ho vista)
Italian direct object pronouns: lo, la, li, le
This page focuses on third-person direct object pronouns. Lo, la, li, and le agree in gender and number with the noun they replace.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine sing. | lo (him / it) | — |
| Feminine sing. | la (her / it) | — |
| Masculine pl. | — | li (them) |
| Feminine pl. | — | le (them) |
Mi, ti, ci, and vi are also object pronouns, but this guide focuses on third-person direct objects (lo, la, li, le).
Where direct object pronouns go in Italian
- Before a conjugated verb: Vedi la pizza? — Sì, la vedo.
- Attached to an infinitive: Voglio vederla; alternatively, La voglio vedere.
- Attached to a gerund: Sto leggendolo (or Lo sto leggendo).
- Attached to an affirmative command: Compralo! — Buy it!
- Negative commands: Non comprarlo! or Non lo comprare! — both work; we show the infinitive form here.
Pronouns with the passato prossimo
With third-person direct object pronouns before avere, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the noun replaced: l'ho visto / vista, li ho visti, le ho viste.
Hai visto Marco? — Sì, l'ho visto.
Did you see Marco? — Yes, I saw him.
l' = lo + ho; masculine singular.
Hai comprato le mele? — Sì, le ho comprate.
Did you buy the apples? — Yes, I bought them.
le feminine plural → comprate agrees.
Combining direct and indirect object pronouns
Italian combines indirect and direct object pronouns into single forms — me lo, te lo, glielo, ce lo, ve lo, and so on. The indirect pronoun comes first in each compound.
- Mi/ti/ci/vi + lo/la: Me lo puoi dire? — Can you tell it to me?
- Glielo / gliela: Glielo mando domani — I’ll send it to him/her tomorrow.
- Attached to infinitives: Voglio dirglielo (or Glielo voglio dire).
- With commands: Dimmelo! (tell it to me), Non glielo dare! (don’t give it to him/her).
- Command example: Portamelo domani! — "Bring it to me tomorrow!" Portamelo = porta + me + lo (bring + to me + it).
1 story in this collection
1 graded italian reader
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Answers
Direct object pronouns Italian stories — FAQ
Q01What are direct object pronouns in Italian?
What are direct object pronouns in Italian?
Third-person direct object pronouns (lo, la, li, le) replace the person or thing directly acted on. Compro il libro becomes Lo compro. They answer what? or whom?
Q02When do I use lo, la, li, or le in Italian?
When do I use lo, la, li, or le in Italian?
Lo for masculine singular, la for feminine singular, li for masculine plural, le for feminine plural. The pronoun matches the gender and number of the noun replaced.
Q03Where do Italian object pronouns go in a sentence?
Where do Italian object pronouns go in a sentence?
Before a conjugated verb (la vedo), attached to an infinitive (vederla), a gerund (vedendola), or an affirmative command (compralo!). With negative commands, use Non lo comprare! or Non comprarlo!.
Q04How do pronouns agree with the passato prossimo?
How do pronouns agree with the passato prossimo?
When a third-person direct object pronoun precedes avere, the past participle agrees with the noun replaced: l'ho visto (masculine), l'ho vista (feminine), li ho visti, le ho viste. With essere, the participle agrees with the subject instead (Sono arrivata) — a separate rule.
Q05How can I practice Italian object pronouns with stories?
How can I practice Italian object pronouns with stories?
Read graded Italian stories full of dialogue where characters use lo, la, li, and le instead of repeating nouns. MeloLingua glosses each pronoun with English line-by-line support.
Q06Where else can I practice Italian after these stories?
Where else can I practice Italian after these stories?
Continue with Italian reading practice at /italian-reading-practice, graded texts at /italian-texts-to-read, or daily audio and speaking sessions in MeloLingua.
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Direct object pronouns Italian stories
Finish a story in this collection, then carry the same scene into MeloLingua with native audio, tap-to-translate vocabulary, and speaking drills matched to what you read.