UNIT SEVEN Direct object pronouns (1) 1 A direct object is the person or thing that the verb directly impacts on: Invito  Elena  (I’m inviting  Elena );  Uso  il computer  tutti i giorni (I use  the computer  every day). A direct object pronoun replaces a noun used as a direct object; it must therefore agree in gender and number with the noun it refers to. Direct object pronouns normally come before the verb. In the following examples, the pronouns are in italics: 2 The forms of the direct object pronouns are as follows: Subject io tu lui/lei noi voi loro Direct object mi ti lo  [m]/ la  [f] ci vi li  [m]/ le  [f] me you him/her/it us you them Quando vedo Elena  la  invito a cena. [ la  replaces and agrees with  Elena  (fs)] Quando vedo Lorenzo  lo  invito a cena. [ lo  replaces and agrees with  Lorenzo (ms)] Scrivo le cartoline e poi  le  imbuco. [ le  replaces and agrees with  le cartoline  (fp)] Appena compro i biscotti  li  mangio. [ li  replaces and agrees with  i biscotti (mp)] Prendo il giornale e  lo  leggo subito. [ lo  replaces and agrees with  il giornale  (ms)] When I see Elena I’ll invite her  to dinner. When I see Lorenzo I’ll invite him  to dinner. I write the postcards and then post  them . As soon as I buy biscuits I eat  them . I get the paper and read  it immediately.