Disjunctive and Conjunctive Pronouns  

Spanish Pronouns All Personal Pronouns

Pronouns in the Disjunctive form occupy the same position in the
sentence as they do in English.

Pronouns in the Conjunctive form precede the verb, as:

  • Él los compró
    He bought them
  • Yo le mostraré á V. mi libro mayor y mi diario.
    I shall show you my ledger and journal or day-book.
  • Mi cajero les pagará lo que les debo
    My cashier will pay you what I owe you.
  • Nos ha exhibido su libro de facturas.
    He showed us his invoice book.
  • Me cedió los valores y efectos en cartera.
    He made over to me his stock of securities and bills.
  • El corredor le vió en la agencia de los vapores.
    The broker saw him at the steamship agent's.
Exceptions

1. When a sentence begins with a verb, especially if the sentence is a
long one, the Conjunctive pronoun may follow the verb, except when
this is in the Subjunctive Mood, as:

Bonificóle esta cantidad en cuenta corriente para no perder el cliente:
He credited him the amount in A/c current in order not to lose his
customer.

Students should not indulge in this liberty until they have
acquired practice in the language. In conversation this change seldom
occurs. When the change is used the Subject Pronoun is generally left
understood.
2. When the verb is in the Infinitive Mood, Gerund, or Imperative
Mood,[1] the Conjunctive Pronoun must follow, and is joined to the
verb to form one word: as:
  • Lo mejor con estos géneros es venderlos en subasta.
    The best thing with these goods is to sell them by auction.
  • Abandonándole la ganancia acabaremos con el asunto.
    By giving up the profit to him, we shall end the matter.
  • Refiéralos V. á los armadores.
    Refer them to the shipowners.
  • Hágannos Vs. esta bonificación.
    Make us this allowance.
  • Cárguenos en cuenta este renglón.
    Debit this line to our account.
  • Abónenle la suma que reclama.
    Credit him with the amount he claims.
Footnote 1: By Imperative Mood, we mean Imperative Mood Affirmative.
In Spanish there is no imperative mood negative, its place being taken by
the Present Subjunctive, as:

Háblale tú: Speak to him.
No le hables tú: Do not speak to him.

If two Conjunctive pronouns meet, contrary to the English general rule,
the pronoun which stands as indirect object precedes the pronoun
standing as direct object,[2] as:

  • Ellos nos lo garantizan.
    They guarantee it to us.

If these two pronouns are both in the 3rd person, the indirect object is
changed into Se, as:

  • Nosotros se lo vendimos.
    We sold it to him.
  • V. se lo mandó (á ella)[3].
    You sent it to her.
  • Nosotros se lo aconsejamos (á ellos)[3]
    We gave them that advice.
  • Yo se lo digo (á V.)[3]
    I tell it to you.
Footnote 2: Combinations of "me" and "te" are very rare, and then "te"
precedes whether direct or indirect object, the context clearly showing
the meaning. In such cases it is better, however, to use a disjunctive
form, for the indirect object, as:
  • Él te da á mí. He gives thee to me.
  • Él me da á tí. He gives me to thee.
Footnote 3: Á él, á ella, á V., etc., may be added for clearness, when
otherwise ambiguity might occur.]





Popular Phrase: conjugation of reir | Free Spanish Lessons | Conjugated Verb: demudar - to alter, to change [ click for full conjugation ]