Pronouns Before the Verb After xa, tamén, só
Pronouns Before the Verb After Certain Adverbs
Many common adverbs pull the pronoun in front of the verb when they come first: Xa o sei (I already know), Tamén me gusta (I like it too), Sempre o fai (he always does it).
How It Works
Adverbs that pull the pronoun in front:
- xa: Xa te vin (I already saw you).
- tamén: Tamén me gusta.
- só, soamente: Só che pido unha cousa.
- aínda: Aínda me lembro (I still remember).
- sempre: Sempre o fai así.
- ben, mal: Ben o sabes (you know that very well).
- talvez, quizais, seica: Seica che compraron un coche (apparently they bought you a car).
- case, axiña and many adverbs in -mente: Axiña o souben (I soon found out).
Position matters. Only an adverb placed before the verb has this effect: Ben o sei, but Seino ben.
Time and place words are different. With onte, hoxe, mañá, agora, aquí and alí, the pronoun normally stays after the verb: Onte chamoume Iria, Mañá lévote á praia.
Other triggers. Negatives such as non and tampouco behave the same way (pronouns after negatives), as do linking words (pronouns in subordinate clauses) and indefinite subjects such as algo or todo o mundo (pronouns after indefinite subjects). If there is no trigger, the pronoun follows the verb (enclisis).
Examples (6)
- Xa o sei.
I already know.
Word by Word: Already it know-I.
- Tamén me gusta o peixe.
I like fish too.
Word by Word: Also me pleases the fish.
- Sempre o fai así.
He always does it this way.
Word by Word: Always it does thus.
- Aínda me lembro do teu número.
I still remember your number.
Word by Word: Still myself remember-I of-the your number.
- Só che pido unha cousa.
I'm only asking you for one thing.
Word by Word: Only you ask-I one thing.
- Ben o sabes.
You know that very well.
Word by Word: Well it know-you.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the pronoun after the verb when xa comes first.
Xa seino.Xa o sei.Xa before the verb pulls the pronoun in front. Notice that the pronoun is then plain o, not no.
Using the default order after tamén.
Tamén gústame.Tamén me gusta.Tamén in front of the verb moves the pronoun before the verb.
Using the default order after só.
Só pídoche unha cousa.Só che pido unha cousa.Só is one of the adverbs that pull the pronoun in front.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Some preverbal adverbs trigger clitic placement before the verb.
Related Patterns
- Pronouns After the Verb
The default order these adverbs override.
Level 2 - Pronouns Before the Verb After Negatives
Negative words cause the same change in word order.
Level 2 - Pronouns Before the Verb in Subordinate Clauses
Linking words such as que and se are another trigger.
Level 3 - tamén / tampoucoToo and Neither
Tamén pulls the pronoun in front, and so does negative tampouco.
Level 2 - Pronouns Before the Verb After Indefinite Subjects
Indefinite subjects such as algo and todo o mundo trigger the same order.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
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