Weak pronouns in Catalan
The
weak pronouns in Catalan (known in
Catalan as
"clítics" or
"pronoms febles") are
pronouns that, as the name indicates, are never emphasized vocally. All are monosyllables, and all must always fall immediately before or after a
verb: they cannot be used on their own or attached to a different element of the sentence. The construct of the verb plus the weak pronoun or pronouns that follow always has a single emphasized vowel, that of the verb. The weak pronoun or pronouns that precede a verb form a similar "block" with the word that precedes the verb or with the verb itself.
The weak pronouns in Catalan are:
- "em"
- "et"
- "es"
- "el"
- "la"
- "els"
- "les"
- "en"
- "ho"
- "li"
- "hi"
- "ens"
- "us"
The majority of these weak pronouns may have four different forms, depending on their position in a sentence.
Aspects of this issue are discussed in Catalan grammar and in Combination of weak pronouns in Catalan.
- Plain form ("forma plena"): This is the canonical form. The weak pronoun consists of a consonant followed by a vowel (some also have an s suffixed to that).
- Reinforced form ("forma reforçada"): The weak pronoun consists of a vowel followed by a consonant (some also have an s suffixed to that).
- Elided form ("forma elidida"): The weak pronoun consists of a consonant followed by an apostrophe.
- Reduced form ("forma reduïda"): The weak pronoun consists of an apostrophe followed by a consonant or consonants (some also have an s suffixed to that).
forma plena |
forma reforçada |
forma elidida |
forma reduïda |
me |
em |
m' |
'm |
te |
et |
t' |
't |
se |
es |
s' |
's |
lo |
el |
l' |
'l |
la |
- |
l' |
- |
los |
els |
- |
'ls |
les |
- |
- |
- |
ne |
en |
n' |
'n |
ho |
- |
- |
- |
li |
- |
- |
- |
hi |
- |
- |
- |
nos |
ens |
- |
'ns |
vos |
us |
- |
- |