5.2.1.1
Position of pronouns - one conjugated verb
Is there only one conjugated verb, the pronoun is set before it. This is in opposite to the English rule, where the pronoun is set after the verbs.
Example
Je
le
mange.
I
eat
it.
Modal verbs and infinitive forms
Modals and their conjugation were already talked about in the chapter present tense. The modals are used in French as they are in English.
Personal pronoun + modal verb + full verb in infinitive form + object
Je
peux
nager.
I
can
swim.
Je
dois
écrire
une
lettre.
I
must
write
a
letter.
Je
veux
aller
en
Espagne.
I
want to
go
to
Spain.
The basic rule: the pronoun is put before the conjugated verb (see above) or, if there is an infinitive before the infinitive. With modals we have a conjugated verb and an infinitive. So, we put the pronoun ... right, before the infinitive:
