Indirect objects receive the direct object, or answer the question "to whom" or "for whom" the action of the verb is performed (asked after the direct object).
Question: "For whom" did you buy a present? Answer: our mother
EJEMPLO 1
nuestra madre
i.o.
¿Compraste un regalo para nuestra madre?
i.o.
a mí
Question: "To whom" are you going to give your coffee? Answer: me
EJEMPLO 2
¿Das tu café a mí?
REPLACE THE INDIRECT OBJECT WITH AN INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN
¿Enrique, compraste un regalo para nuestra madre? --------------------------------------------------------- Enrique, did you buy a present for our mother?
*se
me
le
te
nos
les
os
¿Das tu café a mí? -------------------------------------------- Are you going to give your coffee to me?
*se
me
le
te
nos
les
os
Indirect object pronouns can be used to replace indirect object nouns to reduce repetition. It would be like saying "to/for me/you/him/her/us/them" in English. In Spanish they must agree with the noun they are replacing.
nuestra madre
Yes, I bought a present FOR OUR MOTHER.
le
Yes, I bought a present FOR HER.
a ti
No, I am not going to give my coffee TO YOU.
te
No, I am not going to give my coffee TO YOU.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
After replacing the indirect object noun with a pronoun, be sure to place it before the conjugated verb. Here is the conversation all together.
¿Enrique, compraste un regalo para nuestra madre? --------------------------------------------------------- Enrique, did you buy a present for our mother?
Place i.o. pronoun BEFORE the verb
¿Compraste un regalo para nuestra madre?
le
compré
Sí, le compré un regalo. Le compré unas joyas.
le
¿Das tu café a mí? -------------------------------------------- Are you going to give your coffee to me?