Right Dislocation

Level 6

Move a noun to the end of the sentence and put a pronoun where it would normally go. Example: Lo vi ayer, a tu hermano. (I saw him yesterday, your brother.)

How It Works

Right dislocation, known as dislocación a la derecha in Spanish, is a common feature of information structure, especially in spoken language. It involves moving a constituent (typically a noun phrase) to the end of the sentence, outside the main clause, while leaving a co-referential clitic pronoun within the clause.

Main Functions:

  • Clarification / Afterthought: The speaker first produces a sentence with a pronoun and then adds the full noun phrase at the end to ensure the listener understands who or what is being referred to. It's like adding '...I mean, [the noun]' in English.
    Example: Le di las llaves, a la vecina. (I gave her the keys, the neighbor.)
  • Emphasis / Focus: Placing the element at the end gives it special prominence, drawing the listener's attention to it as the most important or new piece of information in the sentence.
    Example: No me gusta nada, ese tipo de música. (I don't like it at all, that type of music.)

Structure:
The basic structure is: [Main Clause with Pronoun] , [Dislocated Noun Phrase]

The pronoun in the main clause is obligatory and must match the grammatical function of the dislocated element:

  • Direct Object: Use lo, la, los, or las.
    La vi en el parque, a tu hermana. (I saw her in the park, your sister.)
  • Indirect Object: Use le or les.
    Les compré un regalo, a mis padres. (I bought them a gift, my parents.)

This pattern is a type of clitic doubling, where both the pronoun and the noun phrase it refers to appear. It is the opposite of left dislocation, where the element is moved to the beginning of the sentence (e.g., A tu hermana, la vi en el parque). While left dislocation sets the topic upfront, right dislocation often serves as a clarification or adds focus at the end.

Examples (5)

  1. La terminé anoche, la tesis.

    I finished it last night, the thesis.

    Word by Word: It I finished last night, the thesis.

    The direct object 'la tesis' is moved to the end for clarification, and the pronoun 'la' takes its place in the main clause.

  2. ¿Le has devuelto el dinero, a Juan?

    Have you returned the money to him, to Juan?

    Word by Word: To him have you returned the money, to Juan?

    Here, the indirect object 'a Juan' is dislocated to the right. The pronoun 'le' is required.

  3. No lo soporto, a ese tipo.

    I can't stand him, that guy.

    Word by Word: Not him I tolerate, that guy.

    This structure is often used to add emphasis to a negative feeling. Note the personal 'a' is used with 'ese tipo'.

  4. Los compré en la rebaja, los zapatos.

    I bought them on sale, the shoes.

    Word by Word: Them I bought on the sale, the shoes.

  5. Se lo conté todo, a mi madre.

    I told her everything, my mother.

    Word by Word: To her it I told all, to my mother.

    The indirect object 'a mi madre' is moved to the end for clarification. The pronoun 'se' (a form of 'le' used before 'lo') is required in the main clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the pronoun that marks a right-dislocated object.

    Different MeaningVi ayer, a tu hermano.
    Lo vi ayer, a tu hermano.

    Vi ayer a tu hermano is a normal sentence. When the object comes after a comma as an afterthought (right dislocation), Spanish repeats it with a clitic in the main clause: Lo vi ayer, a tu hermano.

  • Using a direct object pronoun for an indirect object.

    La di un regalo, a mi hermana.
    Le di un regalo, a mi hermana.

    The pronoun must match the grammatical function of the noun. 'A mi hermana' is the indirect object, so the indirect object pronoun 'le' is required, not the direct object pronoun 'la'.

How It Connects

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

Right DislocationLevel 6

Learn This First

Right dislocation is a discourse-level structure where an element is moved to the end of the sentence, usually separated by a comma, to clarify or reinforce a pronoun used earlier. To learn this, learners need to understand how object pronouns function as placeholders (clitic doubling) and how Spanish syntax allows for flexible word order to manage information flow.