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Direct and indirect objects of verbs

When a verb has a direct and an indirect object, the direct object is

  1. the second of the two if it is a noun,
  2. the first of the two if it is a pronoun.
  3. However, for special emphasis, either object can precede the other, or be placed first in the entire sentence.

1) Wir geben dem Mann das Buch.
2) Wir geben es dem Mann.
3) Wir geben das Buch dem Mann.
Das Buch geben wir dem Mann. 		We give the man the book.
We give it to the man.
--emphasizes das Buch
--emphasizes das Buch		 Exercise Exercise

 

 

© 1997 by Gary Smith
Revised 2023