Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

(lily) #1
NOTE Ti does not have a written accent.

In voseo areas:

Variations:
(a)Lo(s) and la(s) are often replaced by le(s) when referring to people (see 29.4.2),
especially in central Spain; this is known as leísmo. However, lo(s) and la(s) are
generally used for all direct object forms in the south of Spain and in Latin America in
preference to le(s), as in the above table; this is known as loísmo, and represents the
vast majority of speakers. However, there is a great deal of variation in the Spanish-
speaking world in this area, especially in Spain, and the use of le(s) for lo(s) (but not
for la(s)) is considered an alternative standard.

(b) Not all prepositions take the prepositional forms given here. With con‘with’,
the special forms conmigo‘with me’, contigo‘with you’, consigo‘with oneself’ are
used. With como‘like’, excepto and salvo‘except’ and según‘according to’, yo and
tú are used instead of mí and ti. Yo and tú are also used in combinations of pronouns,
e.g. entre tú y yo‘between you and me’.

(c) When nos follows a first person plural form in imperative constructions, the
verb-form loses the final -s:
¡Sentémonos! Let’s sit down!
¡Vámonos! (see 17.13) Let’s go!

(d) When os (Peninsula only) follows the second person plural imperative, the
verb-form loses the final -d:
¡Callaos! Be quiet!

8.2.2 Position of object pronouns

8.2.2.1 With respect to the verb
Object pronouns precedefinite verb forms (i.e. forms with endings which in themselves
indicate the notion of a subject).
Me siento cansado. I feel tired.
¿Qué le dijiste? What did you tell him/her?
Theyfollow infinitives, gerunds and positive imperatives:


antes de saberlo before knowing it
pensándolo bien thinking it over
¡Dime! Tell me!
but:

¡No me lo digas! You don’t say!

Direct object Indirect object Prepositional object

2nd person sg. informal te te vos

Object pronouns 8.2

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