Pronouns Before the Verb After Indefinite Subjects

Level 4

When the subject is an indefinite word such as alguén, algo, todos or ambos, the pronoun goes before the verb: Alguén mo dixo (someone told me).

How It Works

The rule

In a plain statement the pronoun normally goes after the verb. But when the subject placed before the verb is an indefinite pronoun or a quantifier, the pronoun moves in front of the verb.

Subjects that pull the pronoun

  • alguén: Alguén mo dixo (someone told me).
  • algo: Algo me di que non vai vir (something tells me she is not coming).
  • todos, todo o mundo: Todos o saben, Todo o mundo a escoitou.
  • ambos, entrambos: Ambos se levantaron cedo (both got up early).
  • calquera, bastantes, poucos: Calquera o entende (anyone can understand it), Poucos o saben (few people know it).
  • ninguén, nada: Ninguén o viu. These are negative, so they also follow the negative rule.

Compare with ordinary subjects. A named or definite subject does not pull the pronoun: O meu irmán sábeo (my brother knows it), Os veciños chamáronme (the neighbours called me).

Only when the subject comes first. If the indefinite word comes after the verb, the verb starts the sentence and the pronoun follows it: Díxomo alguén (someone told me).

Other words that pull the pronoun forward are adverbs such as xa and tamén (see pronouns after xa, tamén and só) and subordinating words (see pronouns in subordinate clauses).

Examples (6)

  1. Alguén mo dixo onte.

    Someone told me yesterday.

    Word by Word: Someone me-it said yesterday.

    Alguén pulls the combined pronoun mo (me + o) before dixo.

  2. Todos o saben.

    Everyone knows it.

    Todos as subject puts o before saben.

  3. Algo me di que non vai vir.

    Something tells me she is not coming.

    Algo as subject puts me before di.

  4. Ambos se levantaron moi cedo.

    Both of them got up very early.

    Ambos puts se before the verb.

  5. Calquera o entende.

    Anyone can understand it.

    Calquera works like the other indefinites.

  6. Díxomo alguén no mercado.

    Someone at the market told me.

    Here alguén comes after the verb, so the pronoun follows dixo.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the pronoun after the verb when an indefinite subject comes first.

    Alguén díxomo.
    Alguén mo dixo.

    An indefinite subject before the verb pulls the pronoun in front of it.

  • Treating todos like an ordinary subject.

    Todos sábeno.
    Todos o saben.

    Todos is a quantifier, so the pronoun goes before the verb.

  • Putting the pronoun before the verb after an ordinary subject.

    O meu irmán o sabe.
    O meu irmán sábeo.

    A definite subject such as o meu irmán does not trigger this rule, so the pronoun follows the verb.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Pronouns Before the Verb After Indefinite SubjectsLevel 4

Learn This First

An indefinite or quantified subject can trigger a preverbal clitic.

Words in This Pattern

alguénambos