Direct Object Pronouns with Infinitives and Gerunds | Spanish (Latin America) Grammar

When a sentence contains an infinitive or a gerund, you have a choice about where to put the direct object pronoun. You can place it before the conjugated main verb, or attach it to the end of the infinitive or gerund. Both positions are equally standard.

Infinitive: the two options

Quiero verlo.

I want to see it. (Pronoun attached to the infinitive.)

Lo quiero ver.

I want to see it. (Pronoun before the conjugated verb.)

Both sentences are perfectly natural. Latin American speakers use them interchangeably.

When does this apply?

Any time you have a conjugated verb + infinitive structure. This includes:

Modal verbs: querer, poder, deber, saber, necesitar.
Periphrastic future: ir a + infinitive.
Constructions with tener que, hay que, acabar de, volver a, empezar a.

Attached	Before main verb	Meaning
Quiero comprarlo.	Lo quiero comprar.	I want to buy it.
Tienes que hacerlo.	Lo tienes que hacer.	You have to do it.
Va a leerla.	La va a leer.	He's going to read it.
Acabo de verlos.	Los acabo de ver.	I just saw them.

Voy a llamarla esta noche.

I'm going to call her tonight.

Necesito hacerlo ahora.

I need to do it now.

Gerund: same two options, but with an accent

With the gerund (the -ndo form), you can place the pronoun before the conjugated verb, or attach it to the gerund. When you attach, you must add a written accent to preserve the stress.

Estoy leyéndolo. / Lo estoy leyendo.

I'm reading it.

Estaba escribiéndola. / La estaba escribiendo.

He was writing it.

Estamos esperándolos. / Los estamos esperando.

We're waiting for them.

The accent goes on the syllable that was already stressed before the pronoun was added: leyéndolo keeps the stress on yen; escribiéndola keeps it on bien.

Why the accent?

Spanish stress rules require an accent when adding syllables would shift the stressed syllable. Without the accent, leyendolo would be pronounced with the stress on len-DO-lo, which is wrong.

Gerund	With pronoun	Stress
leyendo	leyéndolo	on yen
comiendo	comiéndolo	on mien
diciendo	diciéndolo	on cien
escribiendo	escribiéndola	on bien

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Quick rule: when you attach any pronoun to a gerund, always add an accent on the vowel that was already stressed. You can check: if you remove the pronoun, the accent mark disappears with it.

Infinitive: no accent needed

An infinitive ends in -ar, -er, -ir — the stress is always on the final syllable. Adding a pronoun pushes the stress one syllable earlier, but since the infinitive already follows the regular rule, no accent is needed.

verlo (vr+lo) — no accent.

to see it

comprarla — no accent.

to buy it

An exception: if you attach two pronouns, you do need an accent. Dárselo, comprármelo. More on this in Combined Order.

Choosing between the two positions

Grammatically, both positions are equal. Stylistically:

Attached to the infinitive/gerund feels slightly more formal and literary, and it's common in writing.
Before the conjugated verb is slightly more conversational and feels a bit more emphatic (you hear the pronoun first).

Both are standard and you can use either. Native speakers mix them freely.

Lo estoy escribiendo ahora.

I'm writing it now. (Conversational.)

Estoy escribiéndolo ahora.

I'm writing it now. (Slightly more formal, same meaning.)

Don't split the verb phrase

You cannot put the pronoun between the conjugated verb and the infinitive. And you cannot put it between estar and the gerund.

❌ Quiero lo comprar.

Wrong. Must be 'Quiero comprarlo' or 'Lo quiero comprar'.

❌ Estoy lo leyendo.

Wrong. Must be 'Estoy leyéndolo' or 'Lo estoy leyendo'.

With two infinitives or gerunds in a row

If you have a chain of infinitives, the pronoun can attach to the final infinitive or move to the very front, before the first conjugated verb.

Quiero empezar a leerlo.

I want to start reading it. (Attached to the final infinitive.)

Lo quiero empezar a leer.

I want to start reading it. (Moved to the front.)

It cannot sit between the middle verbs: quiero lo empezar a leer is wrong.

Multi-pronoun examples

When you have both a direct and an indirect object pronoun, they travel together — either both attached, or both in front.

Voy a comprártelo. / Te lo voy a comprar.

I'm going to buy it for you.

Está diciéndonoslo. / Nos lo está diciendo.

He's telling it to us.

See Combined Object Pronouns: Order Rules for details.

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Whichever position you choose, stick with it for the whole pronoun cluster. Don't split them — never say "voy a me lo comprar" or "me voy a comprarlo".

Summary

With infinitives and gerunds, you can put pronouns before the main verb or attach them to the end.
When attached to a gerund, add a written accent to keep the stress correct.
Infinitives usually don't need an accent (one pronoun) — unless you attach two.
Both positions are standard; they're equally common in Latin American Spanish.

Next: Direct Object Pronouns with Commands.