is it optional to attach pronouns to affirmative commands?

Question

I thought I learned somewhere that attaching pronouns to affirmative commands was mandatory.

For example, using the informal tú command:

Dame el bolígrafo.

or

Me da el bolígrafo.

Are both grammatical acceptable for the affirmative imperative mood?

Answer 1

Dame el bolígrafo

I have never heard of any rule that the indirect object pronoun is mandatory, but without it this sentence doesn´t make sense: "Da el bolígrafo" - Give it to whom? I can´t imagine anyone ever saying this.

Me da el bolígrafo

Gringo has already answered this, however, this is also a form that is used to ask for something: "¿Me da el bolígrafo?" Some people even use this form to order in a restaurant, ie: "Me da la sopa de fideo", but without the intonation of a question. It´s always understood because of context, but personally I don´t like it because it sounds presumptuous and demanding.

I think this is exactly what I was looking for. if something is requested in the form of a question, it sort of takes that command form. - cmusba, Mar 30, 2016

Answer 2

I can't answer from a rule standpoint. But from a practical standpoint they are always attached.

If I don't, I get corrected, so I look at it as being mandatory. I know the site I quoted earlier today was less definitive on it- but I also have always considered that order mandatory with the affirmative commands. :) - bosquederoble, Mar 28, 2016

(the short version of my comment is I agree with Gringo.) - bosquederoble, Mar 28, 2016

thanks for your responses, guys. - cmusba, Mar 28, 2016

Answer 3

Dame el bolígrafo. = imperative 2nd person singular (You) Give me the pen.

or

Me da el bolígrafo. Third person singular (He/She/You (formal)) is giving me the pen.

So by the very nature of your two sentences they cannot be the same. You would have to use ....Me das el bolígrafo...in order to keep the person the same and even then the mood would be different

Answer 4

It is mandatory.

Short and sweet! My favorite kind of answer! - Winkfish, Mar 29, 2016

thanks - cmusba, Mar 30, 2016