Pronouns with Gerunds

Level 2

Attach pronouns like 'lo', 'la', 'me', 'te', 'se' to the end of gerunds (e.g., 'comiendo' → 'comiéndolo'). Remember to add an accent mark to maintain the original stress.

How It Works

In Spanish, when you use a verb in its gerund form as part of a progressive tense (e.g., with estar), you have two options for placing object pronouns:

1. Before the conjugated verb (e.g., estar).
2. Attached directly to the end of the gerund.

For example, 'I am reading it' can be said in two ways:

  • Lo estoy leyendo. (Pronoun before 'estar')
  • Estoy leyéndolo. (Pronoun attached to 'leyendo')

Both are correct and mean the same thing.

Adding an Accent Mark
When you attach one or more pronouns to a gerund, you always need to add a written accent to the vowel that was originally stressed. This keeps the pronunciation correct.

  • comprando + lo → comprándolo
  • haciendo + te → haciéndote
  • diciendo + me + lo → diciéndomelo

The accent marks the original stressed vowel: the 'a' in -ando or the 'e' in -iendo/-yendo, as in leyéndolo and yéndome.

This rule applies to all types of object pronouns:

  • Direct Object: Estoy buscándolo. (I am looking for it.)
  • Indirect Object: Sigo escribiéndole. (I continue writing to him/her.)
  • Reflexive: Estamos vistiéndonos. (We are getting dressed.)

The two-position choice belongs to constructions such as 'estar/seguir + gerund'; it is not a rule that any independent gerund can move its pronouns before any nearby verb. Keep a two-pronoun group together: Me lo está diciendo / Está diciéndomelo. Before lo/la/los/las, indirect-object le/les becomes se: Está explicándoselo.

Examples (5)

  1. Estoy buscándolo.

    I am looking for it.

    Word by Word: I am looking-for-it.

    The direct object pronoun 'lo' (it) is attached to the gerund 'buscando'. An accent is added to 'a' to maintain the stress.

  2. Estamos preparándonos para la fiesta.

    We are getting ready for the party.

    Word by Word: We are preparing-ourselves for the party.

    The reflexive pronoun 'nos' (ourselves) is attached to 'preparando'.

  3. Ella sigue diciéndome que no.

    She keeps telling me no.

    Word by Word: She continues telling-me that no.

    The indirect object pronoun 'me' (to me) is attached to the gerund 'diciendo'.

  4. Estoy explicándotelo ahora.

    I am explaining it to you now.

    Word by Word: I am explaining-to-you-it now.

    Two pronouns, 'te' (to you) and 'lo' (it), are attached to 'explicando'. The accent on 'a' is crucial here.

  5. Los niños están bañándose.

    The children are bathing.

    Word by Word: The children are bathing-themselves.

    The reflexive pronoun 'se' is attached to 'bañando'.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the accent mark.

    Estoy leyendolo.
    Estoy leyéndolo.

    Attaching a pronoun preserves the spoken stress of 'leyendo'. The longer word needs a written accent on the original stressed 'e': 'leyéndolo'. The accent prevents a different reading under the ordinary spelling rules; the intended stress does not shift.

  • Using the pronoun in both places.

    Lo estoy comprándolo.
    Estoy comprándolo. / Lo estoy comprando.

    The object pronoun can either go before the conjugated verb ('estar') or be attached to the gerund, but never both at the same time. You must choose one position.

How It Connects

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Pronouns with GerundsLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand how pronouns attach to gerunds, a learner must first be familiar with object pronouns themselves and the general rules of pronoun placement in Spanish. Specifically, they should already know how pronouns can be attached to the end of infinitives, as the grammatical logic and accentuation rules for gerunds are nearly identical.

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tenososlelelas