confused - using reflexive pronouns

Question

I am confused with reflexive pronouns (me, te, le etc.)

Taking an example from my Assimil book:

¿Quieres dejarme un poco sitio? (Do you want to leave me a little room)

Why is me not BEFORE Quieres?

To form: ¿Me quieres dejar un poco sitio?

Are they both right? What are the rules on this?

Thanks for any help!

Answer 1

Unless it´s a typing error the reflexive pronouns are me, te, se and are used with reflexive vebs - verbs that indicate you are doing something to yourself. sitting down, getting up, going to bed, shaving yourself, waking up etc.

I think you are talking about Indirect Object pronouns me, te, le or Direct Object Pronouns, me, te, lo or la.

Have just learnt it all on excellent lesson on this site - go to More (above) and then to Grammar until you get to the headings.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Me quieres dejar un poco sitio is vague because it's not clear what you are asking. It could come across as "do you want me to leave you a little room?"

What you are really saying is, leave me some room. The quieres is there to be polite. So the me needs to go with the verb dejar, not with the quieres if that makes any sense. It's like please leave me some room.

So Quieres dejarme un poco sitio is correct.

Look toward the bottom of this page

link text

Answer 3

Jamie, good one! Good job, this sentence:

Me quieres dejar un poco de sitio

is perfect. You can locate the pronoun before the verb or adding it to the infinitive. This last option is favoured.