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Intermediate

Pro-Verbs & Verb Substitution

How languages substitute for a repeated or understood verb phrase in Spanish, English and Chinese.

Compare languages

Pro-verbs are substitutes for verbs or verb phrases, avoiding repetition. English uses do/do so/did. Spanish uses hacerlo. Chinese uses 这zhè样yàng/那nà样yàng or simply omits the verb.

Overview

Pro-verbs substitute for a previously mentioned verb or verb phrase, avoiding repetition.

Spanish: Uses también for agreement, lo as a pronoun for actions (hacerlo), and explicit repetition for short answers. No dedicated pro-verb like English do.
English: Uses do as a pro-verb with inverted word order (so does he, neither do I). Do so and do it substitute for action verb phrases.
Chinese: Often repeats the verb or omits it entirely when context is clear. 也yě marks agreement. 这zhè样yàng/那nà样yàng can substitute for actions.

Spanish

También / tampoco (agreement)

A mí me gusta y a él también. (I like it and he does too.)
Yo no fui y él tampoco. (I didn’t go and neither did he.)

Note: Spanish repeats the experiencer (a mí / a él) rather than using a pro-verb.

Hacerlo / decirlo / saberlo

The pronoun lo can stand for an action:

¿Vas a hacerlo? (Are you going to do it?)
No puedo evitarlo. (I can’t avoid it.)
Dime lo que pasó. Lo sé. (Tell me what happened. I know [it].)

Explicit repetition

Spanish often simply repeats the verb:

¿Te gusta? Sí, me gusta. (Do you like it? Yes, I like it.)
¿Vas a venir? Sí, voy. (Are you coming? Yes, I’m coming.)
¿Puedes ayudarme? Sí, puedo. (Can you help me? Yes, I can.)

Ellipsis

Spanish allows some ellipsis but less freely than English:

Quiero ir y creo que tú también quieres. (I want to go and I think you want to too.)
No lo leí, pero debería haberlo leído. (I didn’t read it, but I should have read it.)

Yo que tú / Yo en tu lugar

Yo que tú, lo haría. (If I were you, I would do it.)
Yo en tu lugar, no lo haría. (In your place, I wouldn’t do it.)

English

So + auxiliary (agreement)

I like it, and so does he.
She can swim, and so can I.
They have arrived, and so have we.
He went there, and so did I.

Neither / nor + auxiliary (negative agreement)

I don’t like it, and neither does he.
She can’t swim, and nor can I.
They haven’t arrived, and neither have we.
He didn’t go, and nor did I.

Inversion: The auxiliary precedes the subject in these constructions.

Do / does / did (short answers)

Do you like it? Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Can you help me? Yes, I can. / No, I can’t.
Did you go? Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.

Do so / do it / do that

Substitutes for action verb phrases:

He asked me to leave, so I did so.
She said she would call, and she did it.
I told him to stop, but he didn’t do so.

Note: Do so is more formal. Do it/that is more common in speech.

So I did / So I am (confirmation)

Echoing a previous statement:

A: You forgot your keys.
B: So I did! (You’re right, I did.)
A: You’re being silly.
B: So I am! (I admit it.)

Comparative ellipsis

He speaks better than I do.
She runs faster than he does.
I earn more than they do.

VP ellipsis

I haven’t read it, but I should. (= should have read it)
He doesn’t like it, but I think he might.
She said she would come, and she will.

Stripping

John likes tea, and Mary coffee. (= Mary likes coffee)
I went to Paris, and Bill to Rome. (= Bill went to Rome)

Chinese

Verb repetition

Chinese often repeats the verb in short answers:

A: 你nǐ喜xǐ欢huan吗ma？(Do you like it?)
B: 喜xǐ欢huan。(Like [it]. — yes)
B: 不bù喜xǐ欢huan。(Not like [it]. — no)
A: 你nǐ能néng来lái吗ma？(Can you come?)
B: 能néng。(Can. — yes)
B: 不bù能néng。(Cannot. — no)

也yě for agreement

我wǒ去qù了le，他tā也yě去qù了le。(I went, and he went too.)
我wǒ喜xǐ欢huan，他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huan。(I like it, and he likes it too.)

也yě + 是shì (pro-verb substitute)

我wǒ喜xǐ欢huan，他tā也yě是shì。(I like it, and so does he. — 是shì substitutes for 喜xǐ欢huān)
我wǒ是shì老lǎo师shī，他tā也yě是shì。(I’m a teacher, and so is he.)

Note: 也yě + 是shì only works with stative verbs. For action verbs, repeat the verb.

这zhè样yàng / 那nà样yàng (this way / that way)

Can substitute for manner:

我wǒ这zhè样yàng做zuò，他tā也yě这zhè样yàng。(I do it this way, and he does too.)
别bié那nà样yàng。(Don’t do it that way.)

Zero anaphora (omission)

Chinese often simply omits the repeated verb:

我wǒ想xiǎng去qù，他tā也yě想xiǎng。(I want to go, and he wants to [go] too.)
我wǒ没méi读dú，但dàn应yīng该gāi读dú。(I didn’t read it, but should read [it].)

Comparative with 比bǐ

他tā说shuō得de比bǐ我wǒ好hǎo。(He speaks better than me. — no pro-verb needed)
我wǒ跑pǎo得de比bǐ他tā快kuài。(I run faster than him.)

Comparison at a glance

Construction	Spanish	English	Chinese
Positive agreement	A mí también / Yo también	So + auxiliary	也yě + verb / 也yě是shì
Negative agreement	Yo tampoco	Neither/Nor + auxiliary	也yě不bù + verb
Short answer	Sí, me gusta / Sí, puedo	Yes, I do / Yes, I can	喜xǐ欢huān / 能néng
Pro-verb for action	hacerlo	do so / do it	这zhè样yàng / repeat verb
Comparative pro-verb	(repetition)	better than I do	比bǐ + person + adjective
VP ellipsis	limited	very productive	very productive (zero anaphora)

Examples

In Context

Spanish	English	Chinese
A mí me gusta y a él también.	I like it and so does he.	我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huān。
Yo no fui y él tampoco.	I didn’t go and neither did he.	我wǒ没méi去qù，他tā也yě没méi去qù。
¿Puedes ayudarme? Sí, puedo.	Can you help me? Yes, I can.	你nǐ能néng帮bāng我wǒ吗ma？能néng。

Common mistakes

Spanish speakers learning English: I like it and he too → I like it and so does he
English speakers learning Spanish: So do I → Yo también (no pro-verb construction)
English speakers learning Chinese: 你nǐ喜xǐ欢huān吗ma？是shì → 你nǐ喜xǐ欢huān吗ma？喜xǐ欢huān (repeat the verb, not 是shì)
Chinese speakers learning English: I like, he too → I like it, so does he

Ellipsis: How omission works in each language
Comparisons: How comparative constructions work
Word Order: How sentence structure supports substitution
Anaphora: How reference to prior material works

Examples

I like it and so does he

A mí me gusta y a él también

I went and he did too

Yo fui y él también

Do you like it? Yes, I do.

¿Te gusta? Sí, me gusta.

I didn't read it, but I should have

No lo leí, pero debería haberlo hecho

I think so / I hope so

Creo que sí / Espero que sí

If you want to go, you should

Si quieres ir, deberías hacerlo

He speaks better than I do

Habla mejor que yo

So + auxiliary (agreement)

A mí también / Yo también / A él también

Examples

I like it and so does he

I went and he did too

Do you like it? Yes, I do.

I didn't read it, but I should have

I think so / I hope so

If you want to go, you should

He speaks better than I do

So + auxiliary (agreement)

So + auxiliary: So do I / So is he

Examples

I like it and so does he

我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huān / 我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě是shì

I went and he did too

我wǒ去qù了le，他tā也yě去qù了le

Do you like it? Yes, I do.

你nǐ喜xǐ欢huān吗ma？喜xǐ欢huān。 / 喜xǐ欢huān。

I didn't read it, but I should have

我wǒ没méi读dú，但dàn是shì应yīng该gāi读dú

I think so / I hope so

我wǒ这zhè么mó想xiǎng / 希xī望wàng如rú此cǐ

If you want to go, you should

如rú果guǒ你nǐ想xiǎng去qù，就jiù去qù吧bā

He speaks better than I do

他tā说shuō得dé比bǐ我wǒ好hǎo

So + auxiliary (agreement)

也yě / 都dū (with context)

Comparison at a glance

Grammar concepts	Spanish	English	Chinese
I like it and so does he	A mí me gusta y a él también	I like it and so does he	我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huān / 我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě是shì
I went and he did too	Yo fui y él también	I went and he did too	我wǒ去qù了le，他tā也yě去qù了le
Do you like it? Yes, I do.	¿Te gusta? Sí, me gusta.	Do you like it? Yes, I do.	你nǐ喜xǐ欢huān吗ma？喜xǐ欢huān。 / 喜xǐ欢huān。
I didn't read it, but I should have	No lo leí, pero debería haberlo hecho	I didn't read it, but I should have	我wǒ没méi读dú，但dàn是shì应yīng该gāi读dú
I think so / I hope so	Creo que sí / Espero que sí	I think so / I hope so	我wǒ这zhè么mó想xiǎng / 希xī望wàng如rú此cǐ
If you want to go, you should	Si quieres ir, deberías hacerlo	If you want to go, you should	如rú果guǒ你nǐ想xiǎng去qù，就jiù去qù吧bā
He speaks better than I do	Habla mejor que yo	He speaks better than I do	他tā说shuō得dé比bǐ我wǒ好hǎo
So + auxiliary (agreement)	A mí también / Yo también / A él también	So + auxiliary: So do I / So is he	也yě / 都dū (with context)

Side-by-side comparison

Grammar concepts	Spanish	English	Chinese
I like it and so does he	A mí me gusta y a él también	I like it and so does he	我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huān / 我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě是shì
I went and he did too	Yo fui y él también	I went and he did too	我wǒ去qù了le，他tā也yě去qù了le
Do you like it? Yes, I do.	¿Te gusta? Sí, me gusta.	Do you like it? Yes, I do.	你nǐ喜xǐ欢huān吗ma？喜xǐ欢huān。 / 喜xǐ欢huān。
I didn't read it, but I should have	No lo leí, pero debería haberlo hecho	I didn't read it, but I should have	我wǒ没méi读dú，但dàn是shì应yīng该gāi读dú
I think so / I hope so	Creo que sí / Espero que sí	I think so / I hope so	我wǒ这zhè么mó想xiǎng / 希xī望wàng如rú此cǐ
If you want to go, you should	Si quieres ir, deberías hacerlo	If you want to go, you should	如rú果guǒ你nǐ想xiǎng去qù，就jiù去qù吧bā
He speaks better than I do	Habla mejor que yo	He speaks better than I do	他tā说shuō得dé比bǐ我wǒ好hǎo
So + auxiliary (agreement)	A mí también / Yo también / A él también	So + auxiliary: So do I / So is he	也yě / 都dū (with context)

Examples in context

I like it and so does he

Spanish

A mí me gusta y a él también

English

I like it and so does he

Chinese

我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huān / 我wǒ喜xǐ欢huān，他tā也yě是shì

I went and he did too

Spanish

Yo fui y él también

English

I went and he did too

Chinese

我wǒ去qù了le，他tā也yě去qù了le

Do you like it? Yes, I do.

Spanish

¿Te gusta? Sí, me gusta.

English

Do you like it? Yes, I do.

Chinese

你nǐ喜xǐ欢huān吗ma？喜xǐ欢huān。 / 喜xǐ欢huān。

I didn't read it, but I should have

Spanish

No lo leí, pero debería haberlo hecho

English

I didn't read it, but I should have

Chinese

我wǒ没méi读dú，但dàn是shì应yīng该gāi读dú

I think so / I hope so

Spanish

Creo que sí / Espero que sí

English

I think so / I hope so

Chinese

我wǒ这zhè么mó想xiǎng / 希xī望wàng如rú此cǐ

If you want to go, you should

Spanish

Si quieres ir, deberías hacerlo

English

If you want to go, you should

Chinese

如rú果guǒ你nǐ想xiǎng去qù，就jiù去qù吧bā

He speaks better than I do

Spanish

Habla mejor que yo

English

He speaks better than I do

Chinese

他tā说shuō得dé比bǐ我wǒ好hǎo

So + auxiliary (agreement)

Spanish

A mí también / Yo también / A él también

English

So + auxiliary: So do I / So is he

Chinese

也yě / 都dū (with context)

Key Takeaways

Spanish: Uses también for agreement, lo as a pronoun for actions (hacerlo), and explicit repetition for short answers. No dedicated pro-verb like Eng.

English: Uses do as a pro-verb with inverted word order (so does he, neither do I). Do so and do it substitute for action verb phrases.

Chinese: Often repeats the verb or omits it entirely when context is clear. 也yě marks agreement. 这zhè样yàng/那nà样yàng can substitute for actions.

Key concepts compared: I like it and so does he, I went and he did too, Do you like it? Yes, I do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does English have a dedicated pro-verb 'do' while Spanish and Chinese manage without one?

English lost most of its verb inflection, so it needed a neutral pro-verb to substitute for any action: 'I like it and so DOES he' (does = likes it). Spanish has verb endings that track the subject, so it simply repeats the subject with *también*: *A mí me gusta y a él también* (to me it pleases and to him too). Chinese repeats the verb or omits it: <ruby>我<rt>wǒ</rt></ruby><ruby>喜<rt>xǐ</rt></ruby><ruby>欢<rt>huān</rt></ruby>，<ruby>他<rt>tā</rt></ruby><ruby>也<rt>yě</rt></ruby><ruby>喜<rt>xǐ</rt></ruby><ruby>欢<rt>huān</rt></ruby> (I like, he also likes). The English pro-verb system is complex: 'so does he,' 'neither do I,' 'did too,' each requiring the correct auxiliary form. Spanish and Chinese speakers learning English must memorize which auxiliary matches which tense and main verb.

How does Chinese verb omission in short answers differ from English 'do' substitution and Spanish explicit repetition?

Chinese short answers often simply repeat the verb or omit everything but the polarity: <ruby>喜<rt>xǐ</rt></ruby><ruby>欢<rt>huān</rt></ruby><ruby>吗<rt>ma</rt></ruby>？<ruby>喜<rt>xǐ</rt></ruby><ruby>欢<rt>huān</rt></ruby>。(Like [question]? Like.) English uses 'do': 'Do you like it? Yes, I do.' Spanish repeats the full clause: *¿Te gusta? Sí, me gusta.* Chinese speakers learning English will omit 'do' ('Yes, I like' is ungrammatical). English speakers learning Chinese will add unnecessary <ruby>是<rt>shì</rt></ruby> (be) in short answers: <ruby>喜<rt>xǐ</rt></ruby><ruby>欢<rt>huān</rt></ruby><ruby>吗<rt>ma</rt></ruby>？<ruby>是<rt>shì</rt></ruby>。(Like [question]? Is.) This is unnatural; Chinese requires echoing the main verb.

Why is 'I didn't read it, but I should have' so difficult for Spanish and Chinese speakers to produce correctly?

English allows radical verb phrase ellipsis where the verb is completely deleted and only the auxiliary remains: 'I didn't read it, but I should HAVE' (have = have read it). Spanish does not allow this degree of ellipsis; it requires explicit repetition or a pronoun: *No lo leí, pero debería haberlo hecho* (I should have it done). Chinese also does not allow this; it repeats the verb: <ruby>我<rt>wǒ</rt></ruby><ruby>没<rt>méi</rt></ruby><ruby>读<rt>dú</rt></ruby>，<ruby>但<rt>dàn</rt></ruby><ruby>是<rt>shì</rt></ruby><ruby>应<rt>yīng</rt></ruby><ruby>该<rt>gāi</rt></ruby><ruby>读<rt>dú</rt></ruby> (I didn't read, but should read). Spanish and Chinese speakers learning English will produce 'I didn't read it, but I should' (missing 'have') or will repeat the full verb phrase ('but I should read it'), which is grammatical but less idiomatic.

References

Nueva gramática de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, 2010
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language — Huddleston & Pullum, Cambridge University Press, 2002
A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Chinese Language — Li & Thompson, 1981

Read this first

pronouns verb-tenses

Last updated: June 4, 2026

Overview

Spanish

También / tampoco (agreement)

Hacerlo / decirlo / saberlo

Explicit repetition

Ellipsis

Yo que tú / Yo en tu lugar

English

So + auxiliary (agreement)

Neither / nor + auxiliary (negative agreement)

Do / does / did (short answers)

Do so / do it / do that

So I did / So I am (confirmation)

Comparative ellipsis

VP ellipsis

Stripping

Chinese

Verb repetition

也yě for agreement

也yě + 是shì (pro-verb substitute)

这zhè样yàng / 那nà样yàng (this way / that way)

Zero anaphora (omission)

Comparative with 比bǐ

Comparison at a glance

Examples

In Context

Common mistakes

Related topics

Examples

Examples

Examples

Comparison at a glance

Side-by-side comparison

Examples in context

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

References