Key learning points

1. A direct object pronoun replaces a noun that is the object of the verb and is in the accusative case.
2. An indirect object pronoun replaces the noun that the verb action is done ‘to’ or ‘for’ and is in the dative.
3. In sentences with two objects that are nouns, the indirect object noun comes before the direct object noun.
4. In sentences with two objects where there is one noun and one pronoun, the pronoun always comes first.
5. The long [i] in ‘ihr’, ‘ihm’, ‘Ihnen’ sounds like ‘wir’, and the [eu] in ‘euch’ sounds like ‘Deutschland’.

Keywords

• Direct object pronoun - replaces the noun receiving the action of the verb, e.g., 'me', 'you', 'it', 'them'

• Indirect object pronoun - replaces the noun that the verb action is done ‘to’ or ‘for’, e.g., ‘to me’, ‘for them’

• Accusative - case used for the direct object in a sentence, after most verbs and some prepositions

• Dative - case used for the indirect object in a sentence, and after a dative verb or preposition

Common misconception