Participle Agreement with a Preposed Direct-Object Clitic

Level 4

A participle with haver can agree with a preceding direct-object clitic, especially a feminine one.

How It Works

With haver, the participle does not normally agree with a following object noun: he llegit les cartes. When a direct-object clitic precedes, agreement is maintained in several varieties and in careful registers: les he llegides. The invariant les he llegit is also widespread.

This agreement follows the object represented by la or les, and can also occur with masculine plural els where that usage is maintained. It does not follow the grammatical subject: a female speaker still says he arribat.

The distinction is separate from obligatory agreement in a ser passive or an adjectival state. Learn the agreement as an accepted and valued pattern, especially with feminine clitics, without declaring all invariant perfects incorrect.

Examples (3)

  1. Les cartes, les he llegides.

    The letters, I have read them.

  2. Aquesta sentència, l'he revisada.

    This judgment, I have reviewed it.

  3. Les claus, les havíem perdudes.

    The keys, we had lost them.

How It Connects

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Participle Agreement with a Preposed Direct-Object CliticLevel 4

Learn This First

Recognize auxiliary plus participle before choosing subjunctive perfect or clitic agreement. Identify the definite direct object’s gender and number before combining or resuming it. Form an agreeing participle before using it in a passive, state or absolute clause.

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Patterns that build on this one.