Position of object pronouns
Stellung der Objektpronomen
A comes before a object; with two pronouns the precedes the , with two nouns the dative precedes the accusative.
Structure
Pronomen vor Nomen; zwei Pronomen: Akkusativ vor Dativ; zwei Nomen: Dativ vor Akkusativ
pronoun before noun; two pronouns: accusative before dative; two nouns: dative before accusative
Details
- Part of Speech
- Pronoun
- Word Type
- Object order
- Register
- Standard
Explanation
changes when objects become pronouns. The rule depends on what kind of objects you have:
- noun + noun → before : Ich gebe dem Kind den Ball.
- pronoun + noun → the comes first: Ich gebe ihm den Ball. / Ich gebe es dem Kind.
- pronoun + pronoun → accusative before dative: Ich gebe es ihm.
Pronouns generally move toward the front, right after the conjugated .
Examples:
- Ich gebe es dir morgen. - I'll give it to you tomorrow. (es = accusative pronoun first)
- Er schenkt ihn ihr. - He gives it to her. (accusative ihn before dative ihr)
- Ich zeige ihn dem Lehrer. - I show it to the teacher. (pronoun ihn before noun)
Common mistakes: The trickiest is + pronoun, where the order flips to accusative first: Ich gebe es ihm, not Ich gebe ihm es. With nouns the still comes first, so don't apply the rule there.
About Position of object pronouns
A comes before a object; with two pronouns the precedes the , with two nouns the dative precedes the accusative.
Order rules: +noun → Dat+Akk; +noun → pronoun first; pronoun+pronoun → Akk+Dat. Pronouns move toward the .
Ein steht vor einem ; bei zwei Pronomen steht der vor dem , bei zwei Nomen der Dativ vor dem Akkusativ.
Caution
Two nouns: dative before accusative. But a pronoun always comes first, and accusative pronoun precedes dative: 'Ich gebe es dir.'