Where Object Pronouns Go

Level 3

A short object pronoun usually goes before the verb: Es tevi mīlu. (I love you.) Vai tu mani dzirdi? (Can you hear me?) A noun object usually goes after the verb: Es mīlu Annu.

How It Works

1. The usual place. Accusative and dative pronouns usually come between the subject and the verb:

  • Es tevi mīlu. (I love you.)
  • Es viņu pazīstu. (I know him.)
  • Es tev piezvanīšu. (I will call you.)
  • Es to nezinu. (I don't know that.)

2. Nouns go after the verb. A noun object normally follows the verb (see basic word order): Es pazīstu Annu. (I know Anna.) Once Anna has been mentioned, a pronoun takes her place before the verb: Es viņu pazīstu.

3. After the verb means stressed. Es mīlu tevi is correct too, but it puts weight on tevi, often to contrast it with someone else: Es mīlu tevi, nevis viņu. (It is you I love, not him.) This follows the general tendency to put new or important information last (see putting new information last).

4. With a negative or a modal verb. Ne- stays joined to the verb, and the pronoun comes before both: Es tevi nesaprotu. (I don't understand you.) With a verb and an infinitive, the pronoun can come before either one: Es gribu tevi redzēt or Es tevi gribu redzēt (I want to see you).

Examples (6)

  1. Es tevi mīlu.

    I love you.

    Word by Word: I you love.

    The usual order: the pronoun tevi stands before the verb.

  2. Es viņu pazīstu.

    I know him.

    Viņu comes before pazīstu.

  3. Vai tu mani dzirdi?

    Can you hear me?

    In a question, too, mani comes before the verb.

  4. Es tev piezvanīšu vakarā.

    I will call you in the evening.

    A dative pronoun takes the same place: tev before the verb.

  5. Es to nezinu.

    I don't know that.

    To (that) comes before the verb, and ne- stays joined to it.

  6. Es mīlu tevi, nevis viņu.

    It is you I love, not him.

    After the verb, tevi is stressed for contrast.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the dative form where the verb needs the accusative.

    Es tev mīlu.
    Es tevi mīlu.

    Mīlēt takes an accusative object: tevi. Tev is the dative, used with verbs like palīdzēt and zvanīt.

  • Writing ne- apart from the verb after the pronoun.

    Es tevi ne saprotu.
    Es tevi nesaprotu.

    Ne- is written together with the verb, even when a pronoun comes before it.

How It Connects

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

Where Object Pronouns GoLevel 3

Learn This First

Object pronouns often go before the verb.