Level 3 — Intermediate (CEFR: B1)
Unit 11 — Commands: The Imperative
Lesson 4 — Commands with Pronouns
Lesson Overview
Level: 3 — Intermediate Unit: 11 — Commands: The Imperative Lesson: 4 of 5 Estimated Time: 75 minutes
What this lesson covers:
- Affirmative commands: direct and indirect object pronouns attach to the end
- Negative commands: pronouns remain separate, placed before the verb
- Accent marks required when pronouns attach to affirmative commands
- The curriculum key sentences: Díganme la verdad. Síganme. / No me digan eso. No lo hagan.
- Reflexive pronouns in commands
- Ministry applications for pronoun-attached commands
The Rule: Attachment vs. Separation
The pronoun position in commands follows a single principle:
- Affirmative command: pronoun attaches to the end of the verb
- Negative command: pronoun separates and comes before the verb
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Direct object | Dígame | No me diga |
| Indirect object | Síganme | No me sigan |
| Reflexive | Levántense | No se levanten |
Accent Marks with Attached Pronouns
When a pronoun attaches to an affirmative command, the original stress syllable must be maintained with a written accent. This prevents the word from shifting stress when a syllable is added.
diga → dígame → the stressed syllable dí keeps its accent when me is added sigan → síganme → the stressed syllable sí keeps its accent when me is added dé (give — formal) → démelo → accent preserved
Without the accent, the stress would shift to a different syllable, changing the meaning or creating an unnatural form.
The rule in practice: when you add a pronoun to an affirmative command, count back to where the original stress falls and write an accent on that syllable if needed.
Direct Object Pronouns with Commands
| Pronoun | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| lo/la (it, him, her) | Hágalo. — Do it. | No lo haga. — Don’t do it. |
| los/las (them) | Léanlos. — Read them. | No los lean. — Don’t read them. |
| me (me) | Ayúdeme. — Help me. | No me ayude. — Don’t help me. |
| nos (us) | Acompáñenos. — Accompany us. | No nos acompañe. |
| le/les (indirect) | Dígale la verdad. — Tell her the truth. | No le diga eso. |
The Curriculum Key Sentences
From the curriculum: Díganme la verdad. Síganme. / No me digan eso. No lo hagan.
Díganme la verdad — Tell me the truth
Digan + me → Díganme (ustedes command of decir with indirect pronoun me)
Díganme la verdad sin temor. — Tell me the truth without fear. Díganme qué necesitan para que podamos orar. — Tell me what you need so we can pray. Díganme si están de acuerdo. — Tell me if you are in agreement.
Síganme — Follow me
Sigan + me → Síganme (ustedes command of seguir with pronoun me)
Síganme en oración. — Follow me in prayer. Síganme al frente. — Follow me to the front. Síganme mientras lean este pasaje. — Follow along with me as we read this passage.
No me digan eso — Don’t tell me that
No + me + digan → pronoun separated and placed before verb.
No me digan que es demasiado tarde para arrepentirse. — Don’t tell me it is too late to repent. No me digan que no pueden — con Dios todo es posible. — Don’t tell me you can’t — with God all things are possible.
No lo hagan — Don’t do it
No + lo + hagan → pronoun before verb.
No lo hagan por las razones equivocadas. — Don’t do it for the wrong reasons. No lo hagan en su propia fuerza. — Don’t do it in your own strength. No lo hagan sin orar primero. — Don’t do it without praying first.
Indirect + Direct Object Pronouns Together
When both an indirect and direct object pronoun are present, the order is: indirect → direct → verb (negative) or verb + indirect + direct (affirmative).
When both are third-person (le/les + lo/la), the indirect pronoun changes to se:
le + lo → se lo
Dígaselo. — Tell it to him/her. (not Dígeselo) No se lo diga. — Don’t tell it to him/her. Déselo. — Give it to him/her. No se lo dé. — Don’t give it to him/her. Muéstreselo. — Show it to him/her.
Ministry applications:
El evangelio — compártaselo a sus vecinos. — The gospel — share it with your neighbors. La Palabra de Dios — enséñesela a sus hijos. — The Word of God — teach it to your children. Esta verdad — désela a los que no la conocen. — This truth — give it to those who do not know it.
Reflexive Pronouns in Commands
Reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os) follow the same rules:
Affirmative: attach to end Levántense. — Stand up. (Levanten + se) Siéntense. — Sit down. Acérquense al Señor. — Draw near to the Lord. Arrepiéntanse. — Repent. Comprométanse. — Commit yourselves. Consagrémonos. — Let us consecrate ourselves. Conviértase. — Turn / Convert. (usted)
Negative: pronoun before verb No se levanten todavía. — Don’t stand up yet. No se alejen del Señor. — Don’t distance yourselves from the Lord. No se rindan. — Don’t give up. No se dejen engañar. — Don’t let yourselves be deceived. No se preocupen. — Don’t worry.
Two-Pronoun Commands in Ministry Contexts
Sharing the gospel: ¿Tiene un familiar que no conoce a Cristo? Compártaselo esta semana. — Do you have a family member who doesn’t know Christ? Share it with them this week.
Teaching the Word: Este mensaje — llévenlo a sus casas. Enséñenselo a sus hijos. — This message — take it to your homes. Teach it to your children.
Witnessing: Su testimonio es un regalo. Compártanlo con valentía. No lo guarden para ustedes solos. — Your testimony is a gift. Share it boldly. Don’t keep it to yourselves.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Pronoun Attachment
Attach the given pronoun to each affirmative command and write the accent where needed:
diga + me → dígame digan + me → díganme haga + lo → hágalo hagan + lo → háganlo dé + se + lo → déselo levanten + se → levántense acerquen + se → acérquense
Exercise 2 — Affirmative to Negative Conversion
Convert each command, moving the pronoun:
Dígame la verdad. → No me diga la verdad. Síganme al frente. → No me sigan al frente. Hágalo con fe. → No lo haga sin fe. Levántense. → No se levanten. Compártalo. → No lo comparta. Déselo. → No se lo dé.
Exercise 3 — Interpretation with Pronouns
A partner reads ministry commands with pronouns. You interpret immediately, preserving pronoun meaning:
Síganme en oración. → “Follow me in prayer.” No me digan que no pueden. → “Don’t tell me you can’t.” Dígaselo a sus familias. → “Tell it to your families.” No lo hagan sin consultar a Dios. → “Don’t do it without consulting God.” Acérquense al Señor. → “Draw near to the Lord.” No se alejen del camino. → “Don’t stray from the path.” Compártanlo con sus vecinos. → “Share it with your neighbors.”
Exercise 4 — Ministry Sermon Segment
The following is a brief sermon application with multiple pronoun-attached commands. Interpret it consecutively:
Hermanos, Dios les ha dado un mensaje. Compártanlo. No lo escondan. Síganme en este mandato de Cristo: vayan y cuéntenlo a todos. Cuando encuentren a alguien que no conoce a Jesús, díganle la verdad con amor. Si alguien les pregunta por qué tienen paz, muestrénselo en la Palabra. No se lo guarden para ustedes solos. El mundo necesita escucharlo.
Target:
Brothers and sisters, God has given you a message. Share it. Don’t hide it. Follow me in this mandate of Christ: go and tell it to everyone. When you find someone who doesn’t know Jesus, tell them the truth with love. If someone asks you why you have peace, show it to them in the Word. Don’t keep it to yourselves. The world needs to hear it.
Key Takeaways for This Lesson
Before moving to Lesson 5:
- Affirmative commands: pronoun attaches to the end of the verb; accent mark needed to preserve original stress
- Negative commands: pronoun separates and precedes the verb
- Curriculum anchors: Díganme la verdad. Síganme. / No me digan eso. No lo hagan.
- When indirect + direct pronouns combine in 3rd person: le/les + lo/la/los/las → se lo/la/los/las
- Reflexives follow the same attachment rule: Levántense / No se levanten
Daily Practice
Four anchor patterns — one each day, rotating:
Díganme la verdad. / No me digan eso. Síganme. / No me sigan por el camino equivocado. Hágalo. / No lo hagan en su propia fuerza. Compártaselo. / No se lo guarden.
Produce each pair, Spanish then English, until the pronoun position is automatic in both directions.