Clitic placement rules
Object pronouns (me, te, lo, la, se…) go before a conjugated verb and always attach to an affirmative command; with an infinitive or gerund they attach to it, or can go before a conjugated verb in front of it (quiero verlo / lo quiero ver).
Taught in: A1.2 Week 6: Reflexive Verbs
The rule at a glance
before a conjugated verb · attached to an affirmative command · attached to an infinitive or gerund, or before the verb in front of it
Two pronouns: indirect before direct (me lo, se lo)
Conjugated verb: before
lo veo
Lo veo.
I see it.
Infinitive: attach or before
verlo · lo quiero ver
Quiero verlo.
I want to see it.
Gerund: attach or before
leyéndolo · lo estoy leyendo
Estoy leyéndolo.
I'm reading it.
Commands
cómpralo · no lo compres
No lo compres.
Don't buy it!
Forms
Clitics are unstressed object pronouns that can't stand alone: they must attach to or precede a verb. They are the direct object pronouns, the indirect object pronouns and the pronouns of reflexive verbs:
| Type | Pronouns | English |
|---|---|---|
| Direct object | me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las | me, you, him/her/it, us, you all, them |
| Indirect object | me, te, le (se), nos, os, les (se) | to/for me, you, him/her, us, you all, them |
| Reflexive | me, te, se, nos, os, se | myself, yourself, himself/herself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves |
Where they go
The placement depends on whether the verb is conjugated, an infinitive, a gerund or a command:
The highlighted part is the pronoun.
| Verb form | Where the pronoun goes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Conjugated verb | Always before | Lo veo |
| Infinitive | Attached, or before the conjugated verb | Quiero verlo · Lo quiero ver |
| Gerund (-ando, -iendo) | Attached (with an accent), or before the conjugated verb | Estoy leyéndolo · Lo estoy leyendo |
| Affirmative command | Attached to the end | Cómpralo |
| Negative command | Before the verb | No lo compres |
Two pronouns together
The same placement rules apply, but the order is always reflexive/indirect (me, te, se, nos, os) + direct (lo, la, los, las). See double object pronouns.
The highlighted part is the pronoun.
| Verb form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Conjugated | Me lo das | You give it to me |
| Infinitive (attached) | Quiero dártelo | I want to give it to you |
| Infinitive (separate) | Te lo quiero dar | I want to give it to you |
| Gerund (attached) | Estoy explicándoselo | I'm explaining it to him/her |
| Gerund (separate) | Se lo estoy explicando | I'm explaining it to him/her |
| Command (+) | Dámelo | Give it to me! |
| Command (-) | No me lo des | Don't give it to me! |
When to use it
1. With conjugated verbs: before
Clitics always go before conjugated verbs (verbs that show tense and person).
Lo veo. I see it.
Te llamo. I call you.
Me gusta. I like it.
Se levanta. He/She gets up.
2. With infinitives: two options
Attach the pronoun to the infinitive, or put it before the conjugated verb. Both mean the same with verbs like querer, poder, ir a, tener que, empezar a (not with odiar or lamentar, where it stays on the infinitive).
Quiero verlo. I want to see it.
Lo quiero ver. I want to see it.
Voy a comprarla. I'm going to buy it.
La voy a comprar. I'm going to buy it.
3. With gerunds: the same two options
When you attach a pronoun to a gerund, it always needs an accent on the stressed vowel: mirando → mirándola, escribiendo → escribiéndote.
Estoy leyéndolo. I'm reading it.
Lo estoy leyendo. I'm reading it.
Estoy buscándolo ahora. I'm looking for it now.
4. With commands: attached if affirmative, before if negative
Memory trick: affirmative = attached, negative = separate.
Háblame. Talk to me!
Cómpralo. Buy it!
No me hables. Don't talk to me!
No lo compres. Don't buy it!
The gerund is the -ando/-iendo form (leyendo), used in the present progressive (estoy leyendo); commands are covered in the imperative.
Common mistakes
Not this (incorrect): Yo veo lo
But this (correct): Yo lo veo – I see it. Pronouns must come directly before conjugated verbs.
Not this (incorrect): Lo compra. (meaning "Buy it!")
But this (correct): Cómpralo. – Buy it! With affirmative commands the pronoun goes on the end; lo compra means "he buys it".
Not this (incorrect): Lo me das
But this (correct): Me lo das – You give it to me. With two pronouns, indirect/reflexive always comes first.
Not this (incorrect): Estoy leyendolo.
But this (correct): Estoy leyéndolo. – I'm reading it. Attaching a pronoun adds a syllable, so the stressed vowel needs a written accent.
Not this (incorrect): Le lo doy
But this (correct): Se lo doy – I give it to him/her. When le/les meets lo/la/los/las, it becomes se.
Quick check
8 questions1. I see it → Yo _____ veo
With conjugated verbs, the pronoun goes before the verb: lo veo.
2. I want to buy it → Quiero _____
With infinitives, you can attach the pronoun: comprarlo (or 'lo quiero comprar').
3. I'm reading it → Estoy _____
With gerunds, attach the pronoun with an accent: leyéndolo (or 'lo estoy leyendo').
4. Buy it! (tú command) → _____
With affirmative commands, attach the pronoun with an accent: Cómpralo.
5. Don't tell me! → ¡No _____!
With negative commands, pronouns go before the verb: No me digas.
6. He can help you → Él _____ ayudar
With modal + infinitive, the pronoun can go before the conjugated verb: te puede ayudar.
7. She's writing to me → Ella está _____
Attached to the gerund with an accent: escribiéndome (or 'me está escribiendo').
8. They give it to me → Ellos _____ dan
With conjugated verbs, both pronouns go before, in the order indirect + direct: me lo dan.
Test your knowledge of Spanish pronoun placement with different verb forms.
Going further
More examples with every verb form, and not splitting verb phrases
Don't split verb phrases
With an infinitive or gerund, the pronoun goes before the whole phrase or at the very end, never in the middle: not Voy lo a ver, but Lo voy a ver or Voy a verlo.
More with conjugated verbs
Nos lo explican. They explain it to us.
Se la compro. I buy it for him/her.
More with infinitives
Puedo ayudarte. I can help you.
Te puedo ayudar. I can help you.
Quiere decírmelo. He/She wants to tell it to me.
Me lo quiere decir. He/She wants to tell it to me.
More with commands
Dígamelo. Tell it to me! (formal)
No me lo digas. Don't tell it to me!
Real-life examples
¿El libro? Lo tengo aquí. The book? I have it here.
Te llamo más tarde. I'll call you later.
¿Puedes ayudarme con esto? Can you help me with this?
Dime la verdad. Tell me the truth.
No me molestes. Don't bother me.