Proclisis and Pronominal Placement: when to use and exercise

Proclisis is the placement of the pronounbeforeofverb. There are two more types of position: Mesoclisis (pronoun in the middle of the verb) and Enclisis (pronoun after the verb).

Examples:

  • No mesay it that does not come! (Proclisis)
  • I would tell you if it were. (Mesoclisis)
  • I would like to tell you something. (Enclisis)

Here you can answer all your doubts about the use of Proclisis, which is the preferred form in Portuguese spoken in Brazil!

when to use

  • In negative prayers. Example: No one is going to visit her...
  • With relative, indefinite or demonstrative pronouns. Example: Some employees keep you informed.
  • With verbs preceded by adverbs or adverbial expressions. Example: We were certainly told the truth.
  • In exclamatory prayers and in prayers that express desire. Example: It was good to be told the truth!
  • In clauses with subordinate conjunctions. Example: To tell me is that they knew the facts.
  • With verb in the gerund ruled by the preposition in. Example: On approaching, he asked my name.
  • In interrogative prayers. Example: Who told you?

When not to use

In situations where the enclisis:

  • Verb in the affirmative imperative. Example: Fulfill your requests.
  • Verb in the impersonal infinitive. Example: I want to save you from this torment.
  • Verb starts the prayer. Example: I told you, but you didn't listen.
  • Verb in the gerund. Example: I fall asleep telling you the stories of the pirates.

Exercise

Rewrite the text below, correcting the placement of the pronouns, when necessary.

On the phone: “How? Want to find me?” She had never seen him. Hopefully it surprised us, Bia and I, with beautiful blue eyes, but when it comes to luck, I never won anything at the lottery… "Better meet me right after school." My brother arrives (things like that happen to me at the most inopportune…). She then told him that she had a guard dog and, although she told him of the risk, he proved to be brave...

On the phone: “How? Want to find me?” I had never seen him. Hopefully it surprised us, Bia and I, with beautiful blue eyes, but when it comes to luck, I never won anything at the lottery… "Better meet me right after school." My brother arrives (things like that happen to me at the most inopportune…). I told him then that I had a guard dog and, although I told him about the risk, he proved to be brave.

For you to understand better:

  • When to use mesoclisis
  • pronominal placement
  • pronominal placement exercises

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