object pronoun position, help

Question

Are these both correct or is one used more often than the other?

¿Puedes ayudarme? or ¿Me puedes ayudar?

The grammar book i am reading says "if the main verb is poder, querer,saber or ir a" it can be placed in either spot, but im just curious which makes more sense if being spoken.

Answer 1

Your grammar is obviously trying to over-simplify a complex subject, but those four are not the only ones:

Tengo que verlo = Lo tengo que ver
Debo hacerlo = Lo debo hacer
Estoy viéndolo = Lo estoy viendo

There are surely at least 50 or so constructions and verbs that accept this double construction.

And "ir a" is not a verb, but a verb plus a preposition, forming a structure called periphrasis in Spanish grammars (something similiar to a phrasal verb).

Answer 2

No, i was reading §6.1-4 Position of Object Pronouns on page 42 of that same book, but its not in that book preview.

And it says:

If the main verb is poder, querer, saber, ir a, you may place the object pronoun in front of the main verb:
With the examples:

¿Puedo levantarme' OR ¿Me puedo levantar' / May I get up'

Answer 3

I think you are looking at page 60 from [url=http://books.google.com/books'id=eGn4jIXZtQoC&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq;="if+the+main+verb+is+poder&source=bl&ots=s_ZlR3Tff1&sig=kLZzGX1dk9icWPBm-3Zaedj9Qes&hl=en&ei=90DuSfSKD5S0Nda1xesP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1]this book[/url]. If that is the case, you are misreading it, and your question isn't asking the right thing.

It says:

When the direct object of the verb is a pronoun, it is placed in front of the verb most of the time; at other times it is attached to an infinitive; if the main verb is poder, querer, saber, or ir a + infinitive, the direct object pronoun may be placed in front of the main verb instead of attaching it to the infinitive.

"Me" in your example is not a direct object pronoun, but an indirect object pronoun. And the examples they give in the book are "Lo veo" and "La abro." Those direct object pronouns must go in front of the verb. However, if you say "Lo puedo ver" or "La sabe abrir," you could also rewrite them as "Puedo verlo" and "Sabe abrirla."

Answer 4

I'm not quite sure either, but it did only limit it to those four. Thanks for the help, having that question has been bugging me for a week now.

Answer 5

Both are perfectly correct and common. I'm perplexed as to why your book limits this to those four verbs.