<h2>Right answer: Nosotros se las mandamos
</h2>
This is a good example of the usage of <u><em>se</em></u> as an indirect complement, in order to substitute the Indirect Object Pronouns <u><em>le</em></u> or <u><em>les</em></u>.
What does this mean?
Let’s begin by explaining that the <u>Indirect Complement</u> of a sentence is the person, animal or thing that<u> indirectly receives the action of the verb</u>.
To identify it in a sentence, we must ask to the verb ¿a quién? (to whom? Or who?) Or ¿para quién? (for whom?)
In the case of the sentence Nosotros mandamos las manzanas a ellos (We send the apples to them) if we ask ourselves the following question:
¿A quién le mandamos las manzanas?
Who do we send the apples to?
The answer is:
A ellos
To them
Being ellos (them) who <u>indirectly receives the action</u>, therefore the <u>indirect complement</u> of the sentence.
Now, the <u>Indirect Object Pronouns</u> replace a word or phrase, which in the sentence fulfills the function of indirect object.
They are written before the verb, when it is conjugated.
These pronouns are listed below:
1st person singular Yo: me
2nd person singular (informal) Tú: te
2nd person singular (formal) Usted: le
3rd person singular Él/Ella/eso/esa: le
1st person plural Nosotros: nos
2nd person plural Ustedes (In latinAmerica): les
2nd person plural Vosotros (In Spain): os
3rd person plural Ellos/Ellas: les
Then, returning to the sentence Nosotros mandamos las manzanas a ellos, knowing that the <u>indirect object</u> is ellos, which is the <u>3rd person plural</u>; the indirect object pronoun in Spanish is <u>les</u>.
In that way the initial sentence changes to:
Les mandamos las manzanas (a ellos)
We send the apples (to them)
This is where the <u>personal pronoun</u> <u><em>se</em></u> comes in, as an Indirect Complement, and replacing le or les (indirect object pronouns), immediately followed by one of the following pronouns depending on the direct object:
lo (singular masculine)
la (singular femenine)
los (plural masculine)
las (plural femenine)
In this case <u>las</u> is used because the <u>direct object</u> is las manzanas (the apples) that are feminine and plural, therefore the sentence:
Nosotros mandamos las manzanas a ellos
Changes to:
<h2>Nosotros <u>se las</u> mandamos </h2>
Which is finally the right answer.