Introduction
Introdução
This lessons covers two special forms personal pronouns have when used after certain verb endings and when they appear in the middle of a verb.
In the conditional and future tense, pronouns can also be used in the middle of the verb. When this happens it is called a mesoclitic pronoun. While for the most part these are identical to their normal case o (him; it), a (her; it), os (them) and as (them) all get an "l" added to the front. This is to create a natural flow to the language's sound. If the pronoun comes attached to a verb ending in a consonant it also takes this additional "l" form.
Eu fá-lo-ia
I would do it.
Faz-lo.
Do it.
The reason pronouns can be mesoclitic (as opposed to proclitic or enclitic) in the future tense and conditional mood is because originally these were compound verbs: verb + pronoun + hei/hás.
If the pronoun comes attached at the end of a verb, this is called enclitic, and the verb ends in a nasal diphthong, o (him; it), a (her; it), os (them) and as (them) all get an "n" added to the front. Again, this is to maintain a more flowing pronunciation.
Comeram-nos.
They ate them.
In the conditional and future tense, pronouns can also be used in the middle of the verb. When this happens it is called a mesoclitic pronoun. While for the most part these are identical to their normal case o (him; it), a (her; it), os (them) and as (them) all get an "l" added to the front. This is to create a natural flow to the language's sound. If the pronoun comes attached to a verb ending in a consonant it also takes this additional "l" form.
Eu fá-lo-ia
I would do it.
Faz-lo.
Do it.
The reason pronouns can be mesoclitic (as opposed to proclitic or enclitic) in the future tense and conditional mood is because originally these were compound verbs: verb + pronoun + hei/hás.
If the pronoun comes attached at the end of a verb, this is called enclitic, and the verb ends in a nasal diphthong, o (him; it), a (her; it), os (them) and as (them) all get an "n" added to the front. Again, this is to maintain a more flowing pronunciation.
Comeram-nos.
They ate them.
| After nasal diphthong | Mesoclitic or after consonant | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Third-person |
no
him
it
masculine
na
her
it
feminine
|
lo
him
it
it, he, she
la
her
it
feminine
|
| Plural | Third-person |
nos
them
masculine
nas
them
feminine
|
los
them
masculine
las
them
feminine
|