Attaching Pronouns to Verbs

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Combining Words Common With Infinitives, Commands, Gerunds

Nearly all the time in Spanish, pronouns and verbs are written as separate words. But there are three instances where object pronouns can be attached to the verbs they accompany, making the written form of verb+pronoun appear as a single word.

Here are some examples of verbs and pronouns being combined, with the pronouns shown in boldface: Quiero comprarlo. (I want to buy it.) ¡Olvídalo! (Forget it!) Seguirá comprándolo año tras año. (They will keep on buying it year after year.) ¡Bésame ahora! (Kiss me now!) Me lo llevo a casa para estudiarlo. (I am taking it home in order to study it.) No puedo verla. (I can't see it.)

As you might be able to infer from these examples, the three types of verb forms that object pronouns can be attached to are these:

•Infinitives (the form of the verb that ends in -ar, -er or -ir).
•Gerunds (the form of the verb that ends in -ando or -endo).
•Affirmative commands (but not negative ones).

In all cases, the pronunciation of the verb with the pronoun attached is the same as if they were separate words. But in writing, an orthographic accent is sometimes required, as in the above examples, particularly with gerunds and affirmative commands, in order to make certain that the accent remains on the correct syllable.

It also is possible to attach two object pronouns: Puedes decírmelo. (You can say it to me.) In such cases the orthographic accent is always necessary.

Here are some guidelines for attaching pronouns to verbs:

With infinitives: When an infinitive is used with another verb, the pronoun or pronouns can be attached to the infinitive but don't have to be. In such cases, the pronoun or pronouns can come before or after the verb+infinitive. In the following examples, either form is acceptable:

•Lo quiero comprar. Quiero comprarlo. (I want to buy it.)
•Me lo hizo leer. Me hizo leerlo. (She made me read it.)
•Lo voy a estudiar. Voy a estudiarlo. (I am going to study it.)
•Lo tengo que comer. Tengo que comerlo. (I have to eat it.)
•No lo puedo comprender. No puedo comprenderlo. (I can't understand it.)

In the above examples, either form will be understood everywhere. However, with certain verbs there may be regional preferences for one word order over another. The attached form also may be a bit more common in written Spanish than in the spoken language.

When an infinitive is used as a noun — such as when it follows a preposition or is used as the subject of a sentence — attachment of the pronoun is required:

•Conocerte es amarte. (To know you is to love you.)
•Una manera muy simple de comprenderlo es observarlo. (A very simple way of understanding it is to observe it.)
•Pulsa sobre la fotografía para verme con mi nueva familia. (Click on the photograph to see me with my new family.)

With gerunds: The rules for gerunds are similar to those for infinitives. When a gerund is used preceded by another verb, the pronoun can be placed before the other verb but not between the other verb and the gerund. When a gerund stands by itself, the pronoun typically is attached. Some examples:

•Lo estoy buscando. Estoy buscándolo. (I am looking for it.)
•Lo seguiré estudiando. Seguiré estudiándolo. (I will keep on studying it.)
•Leyéndolo, tendrás éxito. (By reading it you'll be successful.)

Affirmative commands: Object pronouns typically are placed attached to affirmative commands (a command in which someone is told to do something), but before negative commands (a command in which an adverb of negation, usually no, is used). Some examples:

•¡Cómelo! (Eat it!)
•¡No lo comas! (Don't eat it!)
•Mírenme. (Look at me.)
•No me miren. (Don't look at me.)

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