Commands, attached pronouns, and accents

[laepelba]

What is the rule for the accent on a verb that is conjugated in the command form with attached pronoun(s) when there are two vowels side-by-side?

For example:
- Quíteselos, Uds.
- ¡Pruébatelo!
- ¡Diviértanse!
- ¡Max, aféitatela!

I thought that the accent should always go on the second of two side-by-side vowels, but in the last example, it goes on the first. (Right? That's what my workbook says...)

Thanks!!

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by laepelba

What is the rule for the accent on a verb that is conjugated in the command form with attached pronoun(s) when there are two vowels side-by-side?

For example:
- Quíteselos, Uds.
- ¡Pruébatelo!
- ¡Diviértanse!
- ¡Max, aféitatela!

I thought that the accent should always go on the second of two side-by-side vowels, but in the last example, it goes on the first. (Right? That's what my workbook says...)

Thanks!!

I thought it was always the third vowel from the end, pero I think I´m wrong.

Buena pregunta, espero que venga la respuesta

[Rusty]

Examine the vowels in question. Then ask yourself how the verb is normally pronounced when conjugated. The accent you add is merely there to maintain the same stress.
Pru e ba
Pru e ba te
Pru e ba te lo

Divi er tan
Divi er tan se

A fei ta
A fei ta te
A fei ta te la

In the case of the last verb, the leading vowel of the dipthong 'ei' is stressed. No accent is needed until the pronouns make it necessary, and only the leading vowel in a dipthong is marked.

There are more complex ways to say the same thing, but perhaps this will do.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Examine the vowels in question. Then ask yourself how the verb is normally pronounced when conjugated. The accent you add is merely there to maintain the same stress.
Pru e ba
Pru e ba te
Pru e ba te lo

Divi er tan
Divi er tan se

A fei ta
A fei ta te
A fei ta te la

In the case of the last verb, the leading vowel of the dipthong 'ei' is stressed. No accent is needed until the pronouns make it necessary, and only the leading vowel in a dipthong is marked.

There are more complex ways to say the same thing, but perhaps this will do.

I get that you are supposed to keep the correct syllable stressed. I suppose you have found my biggest problem - that I rarely have the opportunity to speak Spanish out loud. I have no idea how some of these words are pronounced. I don't know how "afeitar" is supposed to sound, so I don't know if the stress is on the "e" or on the "i". Hopefully I'll learn some of that in my classes this summer!

Thanks for the explanation!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

What is the rule for the accent on a verb that is conjugated in the command form with attached pronoun(s) when there are two vowels side-by-side?

For example:
- Quítenselos, (Uds.) /Quíteselos (Ud.)
- ¡Pruébatelo!
- ¡Diviértanse!
- ¡Max, aféitatela!

I thought that the accent should always go on the second of two side-by-side vowels, but in the last example, it goes on the first. (Right? That's what my workbook says...)

Thanks!!

When pronounced, the idea is to keep the accent where the conjugated verb has it, since the attached pronouns are extra syllables, but the importance of the word still falls on the verb root. That is why many words that were "graves" become "esdrújulas" or "sobreesdrújulas", or the "agudas" become "graves".




*I might need some corrections from the Spanish forummers, since I'm not sure about the imperative forms with "vosotros". Sorry.


Oh, Rusty beat me to do it, and with a much simpler explanation, but I worked a lot on the table so I'll just leave it.

[Rusty]

quitad, quitaos, quitáoslo
probad, probaos, probáoslo
(the other imperatives were correct, in the vosotros form)

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Ah! Thank you very much, Rusty. It's been corrected.

[laepelba]

And a beautiful table it is. Thanks for the effort. I am looking forward to the opportunity to spend a month (plus) listening to the spoken language and learning these things in practice.