Pronominal Verb + en/hi

Lexicalized En and Hi in Pronominal Verbs

Level 6

Some verbs require en or hi as part of their established pronominal meaning.

How It Works

Anar-se'n means leave; sortir-se'n means manage or get through a difficulty. In these uses, en is not simply an optional replacement for a freshly omitted de phrase. Replacing a regular verb's complement and removing part of a lexicalized expression are different operations.

A lexicalized expression may contain an adverbial pronoun even when no specific place or de-complement has just been mentioned. No hi té res a veure means it has nothing to do with it; se'n surt means the person manages. Interpret the whole predicate before assigning literal meanings to en and hi. When conjugating, change the personal reflexive and finite verb as required while preserving the lexical pronoun.

Examples (3)

  1. Se'n sortirà amb ajuda.

    She will manage with help.

  2. Això no hi té res a veure.

    That has nothing to do with it.

  3. No m'hi veig sense les ulleres.

    I cannot see without my glasses.

How It Connects

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Pronominal Verb + en/hiLevel 6Lexicalized En and Hi in Pronominal Verbs

Learn This First

Learn lexicalized en/hi as part of the complete pronominal predicate.

Words in This Pattern