Common placement of DO and IO pronouns

Question

Most lessons tell you to put these pronouns before the verb. But, in the end, they say you can put them after the verb. Placing them after the verb is more like English. What is the most common way to do it. I am talking about the common person from Mexico speaking Spanish, whether they are right or wrong.

It appears all lessons regarding use of verbs and pronuns are somehow truncated by using "se" or adding pronouns at the end of verbs. Using Se seems to be a "matter of fact way" of talking. - root1, May 20, 2017

You don't want to learn the "bad" Spanish first. Learn the proper way first, then you'll know when you are hearing the "bad" kind. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

Root: If you start reading in Spanish and watching Spanish TV and movies with accurate subtitles you will learn quickly which things are the most common. - DilKen, May 20, 2017

Answer 1

In some cases pronouns must be placed before the verb, in some they must be after, and in some you have a choice.

Se lo doy. I give it to him. There is no way to put the pronouns after

Se lo voy a dar. I am going to give it to him. Here you have an option so you can say:

Voy a dárselo.

In normal spoken Spanish it is more common before, but either is acceptable- just as in English I am going to give him it, I am going to give it to him. Either is acceptable.

Dáselo. Give it to him (command). No choice, they must follow.

No se lo des. Don't give it to him. No choice in order.

Se lo estoy dando. I am (in the midst of) giving it to him, you can say:

Estoy dándoselo.

Not sure on this which is more common.

I may have missed permutations but you get the idea.

This is my understanding, I will defer to native corrections.

The only thing you missed is why "le" or "les" changes to "se" If that comes up one of us can deal with it. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

Oh, I probably made a few more assumptions of knowledge than that. - bosquederoble, May 20, 2017

But you have to balance simply answering the question succinctly with going into so much detail that you overwhelm the person. I know that I already tend to the latter. :) - bosquederoble, May 20, 2017

I saw a sentence "Darle el arroz". So why can't I say "Le darlo" or Se darlo? - root1, May 20, 2017

"Darle el arroz" is incorrect. The command or imperative form works a little differently. The Usted form would be "Dele el arroz." The tú form would be "Dale el arroz" The only time you would see "darle" is when it is preceded by another verb such as - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

"Voy a" or Pedro va a "darle el arroz." A preceding verb is needed, as per my examples given in my answer. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

I have one more suggestion. As Spanish does get complicated in places, a good S T R U C T U R E D study of Spanish is what I recommend. If interested I will make further suggestions. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

Oh yes, I am a native Speaker and a professor of Spanish, so I do know what I'm talking about. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

See? I can read all the articles I want and will not know if they are correct until I ask you guys. - root1, May 20, 2017

I have not read any short stories or viewed short video stories on you site. Do you have them? Reading random stories/viewing random videos is screwing me up. - root1, May 20, 2017

Yes, I could use a good S T U C T U R E D study of Spanish. And Darle came from a robot. - root1, May 20, 2017

Answer 2

To put it just a wee bit simpler.

(1) You can place a D/O, I/O or even Reflexive pronouns just before a conjugated verb.

Example (speaking of a book) Yo lo compré ayer. I bought it yesterday.

Still putting it in front of a conjugated verb. "Lo estoy comprando ahora." I am buying it now.

(2) OR you can attach it to the "ando" "iendo" "yendo" form or to the infinitive.

Estoy comprándolo ahora. (I am buying it now. Note the accent which is needed in this case.

Necisito comprarlo ahora. I need to buy it now. You could also say "Lo necesito comprar ahora.

Boiling it all down to one rule:

If you only have one verb and it's conjugated, any pronoun(s) will go in front--two verbs: you can put the pronouns in front of the first verb or place them at the end of the infinitive or present participle of the second verb. (ando, iendo, yendo) Es Todo.

If you know how to use two D/O, I/O in the same sentence follow bosque's instructions. If you don't understand them, I will try to help. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

Typo: If you D O N' T know how--- - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

Always nice to have a few perspectives. :). - bosquederoble, May 20, 2017

Thanks guys. I will have to read your answers several times. I did not expect to see "Yo" in "Yo lo compré ayer", per Lazarus' explanations. - root1, May 20, 2017

The "yo" is optional. I just put it in for emphasis. It's really not needed. - Daniela2041, May 20, 2017

Thanks guys. I had to re-read the lesson regarding commands. "Dar" has to be conjugated when used as a command. - root1, May 20, 2017