Placement of Pronouns in Spanish

Pronouns are key words in Spanish, as they allow us to replace nouns and make our sentences shorter and more fluid. However, the placement of pronouns can be a challenge for students who are just beginning to learn the language.

In this article, we will explain what pronouns are, their types, the rules for placement, and how to avoid common mistakes when using them in your sentences.

Let’s get started!

What are pronouns?

Pronouns are words that replace nouns. They can refer to people, things, places, or ideas, and they help us avoid repeating names or nouns in a sentence. For example:

• Without pronouns: "Diego fue al parque porque a Diego le gusta el parque." (Diego went to the park because Diego likes the park.)
• With pronouns: "Diego fue al parque porque le gusta." (Diego went to the park because he likes it.)

Knowing where to place pronouns is important for making our sentences clear and grammatically correct. In this article, you will learn to use them like a native speaker.

Types of pronouns in Spanish

There are different types of pronouns based on their use, and learning them will allow you to construct more dynamic and varied sentences.

General rules for the placement of pronouns

The position of pronouns in a sentence depends on the verb tense and the form of the verb we are going to use in our sentence. Let’s review the main rules for placing our pronouns correctly:

Before the verb in simple tenses

When the verb is in a simple form, the pronoun is placed before the verb. Examples:

• Yo te ayudo con tu tarea. (I help you with your homework.)
• Ellos nos invitaron a la fiesta. (They invited us to the party.)
• ¿Quién me llamó ayer? (Who called me yesterday?)
• Tú lo ves todos los días. (You see him/it every day.)
• Ella me dio un regalo. (She gave me a gift.)

After the verb in infinitives, gerunds, and affirmative imperatives

If the verb is in the infinitive, gerund, or is an affirmative imperative, the pronoun is placed after the verb, forming a single word. Examples:

• Quiero ayudarte. (I want to help you.)
• Estoy viéndolo. (I am watching it.)
• Dámelo, por favor. (Give it to me, please.)
• Vamos a visitarlos pronto. (We are going to visit them soon.)
• Sigue estudiándolo todos los días. (Keep studying it every day.)

Pronouns in sentences with compound verbs

In compound tenses, pronouns are usually placed before the auxiliary verb. Examples:

• Me he olvidado del reporte. (I have forgotten the report.)
• Lo han llamado a la oficina del director. (They have called him to the principal’s office.)
• Ella ha viajado a Brasil. (She has traveled to Brazil.)
• Te han dado el ascenso. (They have given you the promotion.)
• Los hemos visto bailar en el club. (We have seen them dance in the club.)

Note: In constructions with infinitives or gerunds, the pronoun can be placed before the auxiliary verb or at the end of the infinitive/gerund. They are both correct. Example:

• “Te voy a ayudar” (I am going to help you) or "Voy a ayudarte." (I am going to help you.)
• "Me están llamando" (They are calling me) or "Están llamándome." (They are calling me.)

Pronouns in negative and interrogative constructions

In negative sentences, the pronoun is placed before the verb. Examples:

• No me gusta el aguacate. (I don’t like avocado.)
• Ella no sabía del examen. (She didn’t know about the exam.)
• No lo invitaron a esa fiesta. (They didn’t invite him to that party.)
• No le comentaron de ese tema. (They didn’t mention that topic to him/her.)
• Él no compartió palomitas. (He didn’t share popcorn.)

In direct and indirect questions, pronouns can appear before or after the verb, depending on the structure. Examples:

• ¿Quién me llamó? (Who called me?)
• ¿Por qué no le ayudas? (Why don’t you help him/her?)
• ¿Cuándo lo compraste? (When did you buy it?)
• ¿Ellas te invitaron a jugar? (Did they invite you to play?)
• ¿Dónde la encontraste? (Where did you find her?)

Common mistakes in pronoun placement

Placing pronouns in the correct location can be a bit confusing for those learning Spanish for the first time. To help you, we have compiled a list of the most frequent mistakes so you can learn how to avoid them:

Placing the pronoun in the wrong location

One of the most common mistakes is not respecting the basic rules of pronoun placement in Spanish that we reviewed above. Remember that in sentences with a conjugated verb and an infinitive, the pronoun can be placed before the conjugated verb or at the end of the infinitive, but never in between.

• Incorrect: Voy ayudarlo a. (I am going help him to.)
• Correct: Voy a ayudarlo. (I am going to help him.)

Using the wrong pronoun

Another common mistake is confusing the types of pronouns, especially when used in the third person or with direct and indirect objects.

• Incorrect: Ella lo dio el libro.
• Correct: Ella le dio el libro. (She gave him the book.)

In this example, "le" would be the correct pronoun to use, as it refers to an indirect object (the person receiving the book).

Confusion in negative constructions

In negative sentences, it is common to forget that the pronoun should be placed after the word "no." Remember that the pronoun cannot be separated from the main action.

• Incorrect: No quiero llamarle ahorita. 
• Correct: No le quiero llamar ahorita. (I don’t want to call him right now.)

Incorrect placement in questions

In direct or indirect questions, it is easy to confuse the correct place for the pronoun, which in this case should be close to the verb. This allows the sentence to flow correctly.

• Incorrect: ¿Quién los vio a ellos ayer? 
• Correct: ¿Quién los vio ayer? (Who saw them yesterday?)

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Note about inclusive pronoun usage:

In recent years, some people (particularly on social media) have begun to use variants of pronouns such as “elle,” “elles,” or neutral endings like -e and -x to avoid marking gender in Spanish.

However, as of the publication date of this article, these terms have not been officially recognized by the Real Academia Española (RAE) and therefore do not form part of the normative grammar of the language.

That’s because such terms do not have clear conjugation rules, and there has not been a universal consensus on how these endings would be used in different regions or contexts, making it confusing for beginner students.

It is also important to note that Spanish has grammatical rules that already make it inclusive in the generic use of nouns and pronouns. For example, when referring to a group of people of different genders, the masculine plural is used in an inclusive manner. This does not exclude anyone; rather, it follows an established linguistic norm. Example:

• Extended form: Los compañeros y las compañeras están aquí. (The male and female classmates are here.)
• Generic form: Los compañeros están aquí. (The classmates are here.)

We also have the alternative of using collective words like "personas" (people), "gente" (people), or "equipo" (team) that include everyone without distinction of gender.

If you are learning Spanish for the first time, we recommend that you focus on the official grammatical rules to ensure that you can be understood adequately in any context. For example:

• Incorrect: Elles están en la plaza. 
• Correct: Ellos están en la plaza. (They are in the square.)

In short, while it is respectable for individuals to adopt inclusive forms of expression as part of their identity or in certain social environments, the Spanish language continues to be based on traditional rules, so it is important to understand these differences when learning the language to avoid confusion.

Summary

Pronouns are very powerful tools in Spanish, and their placement can change depending on the type of verb and the structure of the sentence we are building.

Learning to place pronouns correctly is vital for improving your grammar and speaking like a native. But don’t worry, with patience and daily practice through the Promova app, you will see that you will master this topic and feel increasingly confident using Spanish in any context.