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Question

Difficulty: MediumPronoun Usage and Placement in Spoken Spanish

During a simulated conversation task for an oral exam, your partner asks you, "¿Cuándo me vas a entregar el informe del proyecto?" (When are you going to turn in the project report to me?). You want to respond by saying, "I am going to send it to you tonight." Which of the following is the grammatically correct way to express this using double object pronouns in spoken Spanish?

  1. The phrase "Voy a mandártelo esta noche"Answer
  2. B
    The phrase "Voy a mandarlote esta noche"
  3. C
    The phrase "Te voy a mandarlo esta noche"
  4. D
    The phrase "Lo te voy a mandar esta noche"

Answer

The phrase "Voy a mandártelo esta noche"
The correct response attaches both the indirect object pronoun (te) and the direct object pronoun (lo) to the infinitive (mandar) in the correct order (indirect before direct). Furthermore, it correctly utilizes a written accent over the 'a' in 'mandar' (mandártelo) to preserve the natural phonetic stress of the infinitive verb after adding two extra syllables.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the necessary object pronouns for the target sentence 'I am going to send it to you tonight'.
The indirect object pronoun for 'to you' (informal) is 'te', and the direct object pronoun for 'it' (the report/el informe) is 'lo'.
Correct pronoun selection is the foundational step before determining placement.
2
Determine the correct sequence for using two object pronouns together.
The rule states that the indirect object pronoun must always precede the direct object pronoun, resulting in the sequence 'te lo'.
Spanish grammar strictly follows the Indirect before Direct rule for double object pronouns.
3
Apply the placement rules for sentences containing a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive (voy a mandar).
The pronouns 'te lo' must remain together and can either be placed before the conjugated verb ('te lo voy a mandar') or attached to the end of the infinitive ('voy a mandártelo').
Double object pronouns are indivisible; they cannot be separated by verbs or placed in different syntactic positions within the same clause.

Key Concept

Placement and Order of Double Object Pronouns

Hints

1
Remember the RID rule for pronoun order: Reflexive, Indirect, Direct. Which pronoun should come first: 'to you' or 'it'?
2
Double object pronouns are like best friends; they cannot be separated from each other when used in the same verb phrase.
3
You have two valid options for placement: either put 'te lo' entirely before 'voy', or attach 'te lo' entirely to the end of 'mandar' (and add an accent!).

Practice More

Practice similar scenarios using gerunds (e.g., 'I am sending it to you right now' -> 'Estoy mandándotelo' or 'Te lo estoy mandando').

Alternative Method

Another perfectly correct way to express this would be placing both pronouns before the conjugated verb phrase: 'Te lo voy a mandar esta noche'.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Pronoun Usage and Placement in Spoken Spanish

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