Clitics Across Verb Groups

Level 5

Clitic climbing occurs when a pronoun (like îl or o) 'climbs' from a non-finite verb (infinitive or supine) to attach to a preceding verb like a putea (can) or a avea (to have to).

How It Works

Pronouns with verb groups
With a putea + bare infinitive, an object clitic is placed with the finite modal: Îl pot vedea. This is ordinary standard Romanian, including in conversation.

Subjunctive contrast
In the corresponding standard subjunctive construction the clitic stays inside the să-clause: Pot să-l văd. With vreau, use Vreau să-l văd, not Îl vreau să văd for that meaning. Dialectal patterns differ, so the standard pattern should not be generalized to all regional Romanian.

Supine complements
Some verbs allow the clitic to appear with the main verb while interpreted with a supine: O am de terminat, Le-am terminat de scris. Learn the selecting verb: a începe normally takes a să-clause for beginning an activity, not a freely interchangeable de-supine.

Compound perfect
Most clitics precede the auxiliary: L-am putut vedea. Feminine singular o follows the participle in Am putut-o vedea. The object can be doubled with a personal noun: Am putut-o vedea pe Maria.

These placements depend on the construction; they are not permission to move a pronoun across any two verbs.

Examples (6)

  1. Îl pot vedea.

    I can see him.

    Word by Word: Him (I) can see.

    Îl belongs in meaning to vedea but precedes pot in the bare-infinitive construction. Pot să-l văd is another ordinary standard option.

  2. O am de terminat.

    I have to finish it.

    Word by Word: It (I) have of finished.

    This is a very common use of climbing with the supine. The 'o' (it) belongs to 'terminat' but moves to 'am'.

  3. Am putut-o vedea pe Maria.

    I was able to see Maria.

    Word by Word: Have (I) been able-it see PE Maria.

    In this compound-perfect construction, feminine singular o follows the main participle putut and refers to Maria.

  4. Le am de scris până mâine.

    I have to write them by tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Them I-have of written until tomorrow.

    The object of scris is expressed by le before the finite verb am.

  5. Nu le pot citi.

    I cannot read them.

    Word by Word: Not them (I) can read.

    In negative sentences, the climbed clitic stays between the negation 'nu' and the finite verb 'pot'.

  6. Le-am terminat de scris.

    I finished writing them.

    Word by Word: Them-have (I) finished of written.

    The clitic 'le' climbs to the aspectual verb 'a termina' used with a supine construction.

Common Mistakes

  • Climbing across the 'să' particle.

    Îl vreau să văd.
    Vreau să-l văd.

    In Romanian, unlike Spanish or Italian, the 'să' particle acts as a barrier. You cannot move a clitic to the main verb if the second verb is in the subjunctive.

  • Placing îl directly between finite pot and its bare infinitive.

    Pot îl vedea.
    Îl pot vedea.

    In Îl pot vedea, the object clitic precedes finite pot; Pot îl vedea has the wrong placement for this construction. Other verb groups have other permitted positions, including Am putut-o vedea, so this is not a ban on every clitic between verbs.

How It Connects

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

Clitics Across Verb GroupsLevel 5

Learn This First

Know the normal placement of a clitic inside a să-clause before comparing permitted restructuring. Know infinitive clitic placement before comparing a clitic attached to a higher verb. Keep the order of a clitic cluster intact when studying its possible position.