C2 Sentence Structure 12 min read Medium

Spanish Word Order: Emphasizing with Inversion (A María, le di...)

Spanish uses object-fronting and clitic pronouns to highlight topics and create a natural, engaging conversational flow.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Move the object to the front of the sentence and add a redundant clitic pronoun to emphasize it.

  • Place the direct or indirect object at the start: 'A María, la vi ayer.'
  • Always include the matching clitic pronoun (la, le, lo) even if the object is stated.
  • Use a comma in writing to mark the pause before the main clause.
Object + , + Clitic + Verb + (Subject)

Overview

While English sentences are built on the relatively rigid foundation of Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, Spanish syntax is famously flexible. This flexibility isn't random; it's a sophisticated system for managing information, emphasis, and focus. The most powerful tool in this system is the fronting of an object to the beginning of a sentence, a structure known technically as Clitic Left-Dislocation (CLLD), or more simply, Topicalization.

This pattern moves an element to the front to establish it as the topic (tema) before providing the new information or comment (rema).

This isn't a mere stylistic flourish. It's a fundamental principle of Spanish discourse that reflects its nature as a topic-prominent language, in contrast to the subject-prominence of English. Where English speakers use vocal stress to emphasize an object ("I gave the book to Maria"), Spanish speakers often restructure the sentence itself: A María, le di el libro.

Mastering this is essential for moving beyond correct-but-stiff Spanish to a fluid, native-like control of the language's informational rhythm.

How This Grammar Works

This structure involves two inseparable actions: moving an object to the front and doubling it with a pronoun. When a direct object (DO) or indirect object (IO) is fronted, an obligatory clitic pronoun (me, te, lo, la, le, nos, os, los, las, les) must appear with the verb. This is called clitic doubling or resumption, and it is the syntactic glue that holds the sentence together.
Think of the clitic as a grammatical placeholder. A verb like dar (to give) syntactically requires a recipient (IO) and a thing given (DO). If you move the IO a mis padres to the front, the verb's IO slot in the core sentence becomes vacant.
The clitic les fills that slot, pointing back to a mis padres and ensuring the sentence's argument structure remains complete. Without it, the sentence feels broken to a native speaker. For instance, in Esa película, ya la he visto, the la isn't just for emphasis; it is the grammatical direct object of he visto.
The fronted phrase Esa película is the topic, and the clitic la is the syntactic object.

Word Order Rules

Spanish syntax allows for different configurations, each serving a distinct pragmatic purpose. Understanding the baseline and its variations is crucial for effective communication.
1. Canonical Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)
This is the most neutral, unmarked structure. It's typically used to present new information where no single element is highlighted. It's common in formal writing and when making simple, declarative statements.
  • Mi colega envió el informe. (My colleague sent the report.)
  • Los niños comieron toda la fruta. (The children ate all the fruit.)
2. Topicalization: Object-Verb-Subject (OVS)
This is the primary pattern for establishing a topic and commenting on it. The object is fronted and doubled by a clitic. Crucially, the subject is very often inverted, appearing after the verb.
This OVS order is extremely natural in Spanish as it shifts focus entirely to the object and the action, with the subject (often known or less important information) appearing last.
| Element | Structure | Example |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Fronted DO | Objeto Directo, lo/la/los/las + Verbo + (Sujeto) | Las llaves, las tiene el conserje. (The keys, the concierge has them.) |
| Fronted IO | A + Objeto Indirecto, le/les + Verbo + (Sujeto) | A los nuevos empleados, les daremos una formación. (To the new employees, we will give them a training.) |
3. Subject-Verb Inversion
In Spanish, subject-verb inversion is a common and natural consequence of placing any other element at the beginning of the sentence. This maintains a fluid information flow, moving from a known frame of reference (time, place, or topic) to the action and its agent. A C2 learner should see this not as an exception, but as a default tendency.
  • With an adverb: Mañana llega mi hermana. is more natural than Mañana mi hermana llega.
  • With a topicalized object: La decisión final, la tomó la junta directiva. flows much better than La decisión final, la junta directiva la tomó.

Formation Pattern

1
To correctly topicalize an object, follow these steps methodically. The process differs slightly for direct and indirect objects.
2
1. Topicalizing a Direct Object (DO)
3
Step 1: Identify the Direct Object. Ex: El gobierno anunció nuevas medidas.
4
Step 2: Move the DO to the front of the sentence, followed by a comma. Ex: Nuevas medidas, ...
5
Step 3: Insert the corresponding DO clitic (lo, la, los, las) before the conjugated verb. It must match the DO's gender and number. Ex: Nuevas medidas, las anunció...
6
Step 4: Complete the sentence, usually with the verb followed by the subject. Ex: Nuevas medidas, las anunció el gobierno.
7
| Original Sentence (SVO) | Topicalized Sentence (OVS) |
8
| :--- | :--- |
9
| Vi a tu jefe en la reunión. | A tu jefe, lo vi en la reunión. |
10
| No hemos recibido la factura. | La factura, no la hemos recibido. |
11
| Compré esos zapatos en Italia. | Esos zapatos, los compré en Italia. |
12
Note: If the DO is a specific person or group, it requires the personal a, which must be carried to the front. Vi a la doctora -> A la doctora, la vi.
13
2. Topicalizing an Indirect Object (IO)
14
Step 1: Identify the IO, which is always introduced by a or para. Ex: Escribí un correo a mi profesor.
15
Step 2: Move the entire IO phrase (a + object) to the front, followed by a comma. Ex: A mi profesor, ...
16
Step 3: Insert the corresponding IO clitic (le or les) before the verb. Ex: A mi profesor, le escribí...
17
Step 4: Complete the sentence. Ex: A mi profesor, le escribí un correo.
18
| Original Sentence (SVO) | Topicalized Sentence (OVS) |
19
| :--- | :--- |
20
| El guía explicó la historia a los turistas. | A los turistas, el guía les explicó la historia. |
21
| Han concedido una beca a mi hija. | A mi hija, le han concedido una beca. |
22
This IO topicalization is so pervasive in Spanish that the canonical order (Di un regalo a mi madre) can sometimes sound less natural in conversation than the fronted version (A mi madre, le di un regalo).

When To Use It

Knowing the mechanics is one thing; mastering the pragmatics is what defines advanced fluency. You use this structure to guide your listener's attention in specific ways.
  • To Maintain Topic Cohesion: When an element is already part of the conversation, fronting it connects your sentence to what came before. It signals "let's continue talking about X."
  • ¿Recuerdas el proyecto de fusión? Pues, ese proyecto, lo han cancelado. (Remember the merger project? Well, that project, they've cancelled it.)
  • To Directly Answer a Question: The structure naturally answers questions that seek information about a specific object.
  • ¿Y el informe que te pedí? (And the report I asked you for?)
  • El informe, lo terminé esta mañana. (The report, I finished it this morning.)
  • For Contrast or Comparison: Placing elements in parallel at the front of their respective clauses is a powerful way to highlight a contrast.
  • El pescado lo prefiero a la plancha, pero la carne, me gusta poco hecha. (I prefer fish grilled, but meat, I like it rare.)
  • A Juan, le puedo contar cualquier cosa; a Pedro, no tanto. (To Juan, I can tell anything; to Pedro, not so much.)
  • To Frame Complex Information: In long sentences, fronting the object acts as a signpost. You tell the listener who or what the sentence is about before providing the complex details.
  • A todos los empleados con más de diez años de servicio, la empresa les otorgará un día de vacaciones adicional. (To all employees with more than ten years of service, the company will grant them an additional vacation day.)

Common Mistakes

Even advanced learners can slip up. The most common errors are subtle but immediately mark a speaker as non-native.
  • Clitic Omission: This is the cardinal sin of this structure. The clitic is not optional.
  • Incorrect: *A mi hermana llamo todas las semanas.
  • Correct: A mi hermana, la llamo todas las semanas. (llamar in this context takes a DO, so la is required.)
  • Pronoun Agreement Mismatch: A slip of concentration, especially when the noun is complex. The clitic must agree with the DO in gender and number.
  • Incorrect: *La propuesta de los nuevos socios, lo analizaremos mañana.
  • Correct: La propuesta de los nuevos socios, la analizaremos mañana. (la refers to la propuesta.)
  • leísmo, laísmo, loísmo: This is a notoriously complex area. The pan-Hispanic standard is clear: le/les for IOs, lo/la/los/las for DOs. The most common variant is leísmo, the use of le for a human masculine DO.
  • Standard: A tu amigo, lo vi en el metro.
  • Leísta (Common in Spain): A tu amigo, le vi en el metro.
The RAE accepts this specific leísmo (le for a single, male, human DO), but as a C2 learner, your goal should be to command the standard distinction, which is correct everywhere. laísmo (using la for an IO) and loísmo (using lo for an IO) are always considered grammatically incorrect.
  • Personal a Omission: When a specific human DO is fronted, its personal a must come with it.
  • Incorrect: *La especialista que recomendaron, la quiero contactar.
  • Correct: A la especialista que recomendaron, la quiero contactar.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Do not confuse topicalization (CLLD) with other structures that rearrange sentence elements.
  • Passive Voice (Voz Pasiva): Topicalization occurs in the active voice; the subject remains the agent. The passive voice changes the grammatical functions: the object becomes the subject, and the agent is demoted or omitted.
  • Topicalization: Ese edificio, lo diseñó una arquitecta famosa. (The focus is on the building, but the architect is still the agent/subject who performed the action.)
  • Passive: Ese edificio fue diseñado por una arquitecta famosa. (The building is now the grammatical subject of the sentence.)
  • Gustar-type Verbs: These verbs (encantar, doler, interesar) have a deceptive structure. In A mí me fascina la historia, la historia is the grammatical subject doing the fascinating, and me is the IO receiving the effect. The A mí is an optional emphatic phrase. In topicalization, the fronted element is an object, and there's a different agent subject (e.g., yo, tú, ella).
  • Gustar-type: A los políticos les preocupa la economía. (Subject = la economía)
  • Topicalization: A los políticos, los critican los periodistas. (Subject = los periodistas)
  • Focus Fronting (Foco Contrastivo): This is a different, more emphatic type of fronting that serves to correct or strongly contrast. The key difference is that it does not use a clitic pronoun. It is a highly marked structure used sparingly.
  • Topicalization (CLLD): El postre, ya lo he pedido. (Topic: the dessert. Comment: I've already ordered it. Neutral.)
  • Focus Fronting: POSTRE he pedido, no café. (It was DESSERT I ordered, not coffee. Corrective and emphatic.)

Real Conversations

S

Scenario 1

Casual WhatsApp Chat

- Javier: Viste el partido de ayer? Qué desastre...

- Inés: Uf, ni me digas. El segundo tiempo, no lo pude ni ver. Me dio un bajón terrible. (Ugh, don't even tell me. The second half, I couldn't even watch it. It was a total downer.)

- Javier: Totalmente. A este equipo, le falta alma. (Totally. This team, it lacks soul.)

S

Scenario 2

Formal Business Email
S

Subject

Actualización sobre el informe trimestral

Estimado equipo,

Les escribo para informarles sobre el estado del informe trimestral. La versión preliminar ya está completada. Dicha versión, la encontrarán adjunta para su revisión.

A los directores de cada departamento, les solicito que envíen sus comentarios antes del próximo viernes.

Atentamente,

Ricardo

S

Scenario 3

Spoken Debate

- Ponente A: La crisis climática exige una prohibición inmediata de los combustibles fósiles.

- Ponente B: Entiendo la urgencia, pero esa medida, la considero contraproducente sin un plan de transición. A los trabajadores de ese sector, ¿quién les garantiza un futuro? El problema es más complejo. (I understand the urgency, but that measure, I consider it counterproductive... For the workers in that sector, who guarantees them a future?)

Quick FAQ

Q: Is this structure more common in Spain or Latin America?

It is a core grammatical feature and is used constantly across the entire Spanish-speaking world. The only significant regional difference is the greater acceptance of leísmo in parts of Spain.

Q: Is the comma after the fronted topic always necessary in writing?

Yes, it's standard orthography. The comma visually marks the boundary between the topic and the comment, mirroring the slight pause that occurs in speech. This is a key difference from Focus Fronting (SOPA comí), which does not use a comma.

Q: Can I topicalize other sentence parts, like prepositional phrases?

Absolutely. Adverbial phrases of time, place, or manner are frequently fronted for emphasis (En esa época, yo no te conocía.). However, the obligatory clitic doubling is a unique feature tied to direct and indirect objects.

Q: What’s the real difference between A María, le di el libro and Le di el libro a María?

The difference is entirely pragmatic—it's about information structure. Le di el libro a María is a neutral statement where a María is likely the new information. In A María, le di el libro, María is the established topic of conversation. We're already talking about her, and the new information is what I did in relation to her.

Q: Why does this feel so unnatural for an English speaker?

It reflects a fundamental typological difference. English is a "subject-prominent" language where the SVO structure is the default neutral frame. Spanish is more "topic-prominent," prioritizing the flow of discourse by first establishing what is being discussed (topic) and then what is being said about it (comment). Spanish uses syntax for this, whereas English relies more heavily on vocal intonation.

Clitic Agreement Table

Object Type Clitic Pronoun Example
Direct Object (Masculine)
lo
El libro, lo leí.
Direct Object (Feminine)
la
La carta, la escribí.
Direct Object (Plural)
los/las
Los niños, los vi.
Indirect Object (Singular)
le
A María, le di el libro.
Indirect Object (Plural)
les
A ellos, les hablé.

Meanings

A syntactic structure used to highlight a specific element of the sentence by moving it to the front, requiring a mandatory clitic pronoun.

1

Contrastive Focus

Emphasizing one specific person or thing over others.

“A Juan lo invité, pero a Pedro no.”

“A este coche le cambié el aceite, no al otro.”

2

Topic Introduction

Setting the scene by introducing the topic first.

“El dinero, ya lo tengo.”

“La casa, la pintamos el año pasado.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Spanish Word Order: Emphasizing with Inversion (A María, le di...)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Object + , + Clitic + Verb
La puerta, la cerré.
Negative
Object + , + no + Clitic + Verb
La puerta, no la cerré.
Question
¿Object + , + Clitic + Verb?
¿La puerta, la cerraste?
Indirect Object
A + Person + , + le/les + Verb
A Juan, le escribí.
Plural Object
Object + , + Clitic + Verb
Los regalos, los compré.
Reflexive
Object + , + Clitic + Verb
A mí mismo, me engañé.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
El café, lo deseo.

El café, lo deseo. (Ordering in a cafe)

Neutral
El café, lo quiero.

El café, lo quiero. (Ordering in a cafe)

Informal
El café, lo quiero.

El café, lo quiero. (Ordering in a cafe)

Slang
El café, me lo pido.

El café, me lo pido. (Ordering in a cafe)

The Emphasis Flow

Emphasis

Components

  • Object The topic
  • Clitic The shadow
  • Verb The action
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Examples by Level

1

A Juan, lo vi.

I saw Juan.

2

La comida, la quiero.

I want the food.

3

A ella, la amo.

I love her.

4

El libro, lo tengo.

I have the book.

1

A mis amigos, los invité.

I invited my friends.

2

La tarea, la hice ayer.

I did the homework yesterday.

3

A mi perro, lo saqué.

I took my dog out.

4

El coche, lo vendí.

I sold the car.

1

A este problema, le buscaremos solución.

We will find a solution to this problem.

2

A los niños, les compré helado.

I bought ice cream for the kids.

3

La propuesta, la analizaremos mañana.

We will analyze the proposal tomorrow.

4

A ti, te extraño mucho.

I miss you a lot.

1

A los candidatos, los entrevistaremos por separado.

We will interview the candidates separately.

2

El informe, lo entregué a tiempo.

I submitted the report on time.

3

A la empresa, le falta inversión.

The company lacks investment.

4

Las llaves, las dejé en la mesa.

I left the keys on the table.

1

A estas alturas, ya lo sabemos todo.

At this point, we already know everything.

2

La decisión, la tomaremos nosotros.

We will make the decision ourselves.

3

A los hechos, me remito.

I refer to the facts.

4

El resultado, lo veremos pronto.

We will see the result soon.

1

A la tradición, la respetamos profundamente.

We deeply respect tradition.

2

La justicia, la exigimos todos.

We all demand justice.

3

A los problemas, les daremos prioridad.

We will prioritize the problems.

4

El cambio, lo impulsaremos juntos.

We will drive the change together.

Easily Confused

Spanish Word Order: Emphasizing with Inversion (A María, le di...) vs Passive Voice

Both can move the object to the front.

Spanish Word Order: Emphasizing with Inversion (A María, le di...) vs Dislocation to the Right

Both use clitics.

Spanish Word Order: Emphasizing with Inversion (A María, le di...) vs Standard SVO

Learners often think they are the same.

Common Mistakes

✗

La pizza quiero.

✓

La pizza, la quiero.

Missing the clitic shadow.
✗

A María vi.

✓

A María, la vi.

Missing the clitic.
✗

El libro compré.

✓

El libro, lo compré.

Missing the clitic.
✗

A Juan hablé.

✓

A Juan, le hablé.

Missing the indirect object pronoun.
✗

Las llaves perdí.

✓

Las llaves, las perdí.

Missing the clitic.
✗

A mis amigos vi.

✓

A mis amigos, los vi.

Missing the clitic.
✗

La tarea hice.

✓

La tarea, la hice.

Missing the clitic.
✗

A los niños les compré helado.

✓

A los niños, les compré helado.

Missing the comma pause.
✗

La propuesta analizaremos.

✓

La propuesta, la analizaremos.

Missing the clitic.
✗

A ti extraño.

✓

A ti, te extraño.

Missing the clitic.
✗

A los hechos remito.

✓

A los hechos, me remito.

Missing the reflexive clitic.
✗

La decisión tomaremos.

✓

La decisión, la tomaremos.

Missing the clitic.
✗

A la tradición respetamos.

✓

A la tradición, la respetamos.

Missing the clitic.

Sentence Patterns

___, lo/la/los/las/le/les ___.

A ___, le/les ___.

___, no ___.

¿___, lo/la/los/las/le/les ___?

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

A ti, te extraño mucho.

Job Interview common

Mis metas, las tengo claras.

Ordering Food constant

La pizza, la quiero sin cebolla.

Texting very common

El dinero, ya lo tengo.

Travel occasional

El pasaporte, lo perdí.

Debate common

La justicia, la exigimos todos.

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💡

The Shadow Rule

Always imagine the clitic as a shadow. If the object moves, the shadow must follow.
⚠️

Don't Forget the Comma

In writing, the comma is essential to show the pause.
🎯

Use for Contrast

This is the best way to say 'I like X, but not Y'.
💬

Sound Native

Using this structure makes you sound much more natural than standard SVO.

Smart Tips

Use CLLD to highlight the difference.

Quiero la pizza, no quiero la pasta. → La pizza, la quiero; la pasta, no.

Front the topic to set the stage.

Hablamos del proyecto ahora. → El proyecto, lo hablamos ahora.

Use CLLD to avoid ambiguity.

Vi a Juan. → A Juan, lo vi.

Use CLLD to emphasize your point.

No entiendo nada. → Esto, no lo entiendo.

Pronunciation

La pizza [pause] la quiero.

Comma Pause

There is a slight pause after the fronted element.

Emphatic Rise

A MARÍA, la vi.

The fronted element gets higher pitch.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Front the thing, add the string (clitic).

Visual Association

Imagine a person walking (the object) and their shadow (the clitic) following them closely on the ground.

Rhyme

Move the object to the start, add the clitic, play your part.

Story

Maria is looking for her keys. She says: 'Las llaves, las perdí.' She moves the keys to the front and adds 'las' to make sure the keys are the star of the sentence.

Word Web

lolaloslaslelesénfasistópico

Challenge

For the next 5 minutes, describe 3 things you did today using this structure.

Cultural Notes

Very common in daily speech to emphasize topics.

Used frequently to clarify who is being discussed.

Often used with 'vos' for emphasis.

This structure evolved from Latin, where word order was more flexible due to case endings.

Conversation Starters

“

¿A quién, lo invitarías a tu fiesta?

“

¿El dinero, lo gastas o lo ahorras?

“

¿A tu familia, la ves a menudo?

“

¿La política, la sigues en las noticias?

Journal Prompts

Describe your favorite food using this structure.
Write about a person you admire.
Discuss a current event.
Reflect on your life goals.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Complete the sentence with the correct clitic.

A María, ___ vi ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
María is feminine, so we use 'la'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

El libro compré.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Needs the clitic 'lo'.
Which sentence is correct? Multiple Choice

Select the correct emphatic structure.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Requires the clitic 'los'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct order.
Translate to Spanish. Translation

I love her.

Answer starts with: a...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Requires clitic 'la'.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

A Juan, ___ hablé.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Indirect object requires 'le'.
Complete the sentence.

La tarea, ___ hice.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Tarea is feminine.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

A mis amigos, vi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Needs clitic 'los'.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Complete the sentence with the correct clitic.

A María, ___ vi ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
María is feminine, so we use 'la'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

El libro compré.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Needs the clitic 'lo'.
Which sentence is correct? Multiple Choice

Select the correct emphatic structure.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Requires the clitic 'los'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

la / la / quiero / pizza

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct order.
Translate to Spanish. Translation

I love her.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Requires clitic 'la'.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

A Juan, ___ hablé.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Indirect object requires 'le'.
Complete the sentence.

La tarea, ___ hice.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Tarea is feminine.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

A mis amigos, vi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Needs clitic 'los'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

8 exercises
Complete the sentence with the correct pronoun. Fill in the Blank

A esas chicas ___ vi en el concierto de ayer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: las
Reorder for maximum emphasis on the coffee. Sentence Reorder

Order: [bebió] [se] [ {el|m} café] [Juan] [lo]

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {el|m} café, se lo bebió Juan
Fix the missing 'a' in this person-object sentence. Error Correction

Mi jefe lo vi en el supermercado.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: A mi jefe lo vi en el supermercado.
Translate to Spanish using topicalization. Translation

As for the truth, I told it to him.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {la|f} verdad, se la dije.
Which sentence sounds most natural in spoken Spanish? Multiple Choice

Pick the best option:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eso no lo sabía yo.
Match the standard sentence to its topicalized version. Match Pairs

Match them:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Matches correctly matched.
Focus fronting (Contrastive): No pronoun needed! Fill in the Blank

¡___ queremos, no palabras!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: HECHOS
Reorder for a typical Spanish news headline. Sentence Reorder

Order: [ {el|m} presidente] [ayer] [dimitió]

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ayer dimitió {el|m} presidente

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

Yes, in this specific construction, it is mandatory.

Yes, it works with almost any transitive verb.

It is used in all registers.

The comma represents the pause in speech.

It adds emphasis and topicalization.

The clitic must be plural (los/las/les).

Yes, it is very common for indirect objects.

No, they are different grammatical structures.

Scaffolded Practice

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1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

French high

Dislocation à gauche

French clitics are often mandatory in all contexts.

German moderate

Topicalization

No clitic shadow in German.

Japanese partial

Topic marker 'wa'

Japanese uses particles, not pronouns.

Arabic moderate

Topicalization

Resumptive pronouns are optional in some cases.

Chinese low

Topic-comment structure

No clitic system.

English low

Fronting

English does not use clitic pronouns.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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Sophisticated Contrast: Despite... with (Con + Infinitivo)
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Spanish Absolute Phrases: The 'After/Because' Shortcut (Construcciones absolutas)

Related Grammar Rules

B1

Using the Passive Se (Se vende)

Overview The Spanish particle `se` is a versatile and fundamental component of the language, often presenting a challeng...
A1

Spanish Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)

Overview Spanish sentence structure, at its most fundamental level, closely mirrors that of English: **Subject-Verb-Obje...
B2

Passive Voice: Emphasizing the Action (Voz Pasiva)

Overview The passive voice, or `voz pasiva`, in Spanish is a fundamental grammatical structure that allows you to strate...
C1

Fronting for Emphasis: 'El libro lo leí' (Topicalization)

Overview In Spanish, the flexibility of word order is not arbitrary; it is a sophisticated tool for managing the flow o...
B2

Spanish Third Conditional: Regrets and Past Possibilities (Si hubiera...)

Overview Ever looked at an old photo and thought, "Man, if I hadn't worn that neon green shirt, I might actually have a...
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