6 Use of word 'lo' Flashcards
Used as a masculine direct-object pronoun: In such cases, “lo” can be translated as either “him” or “it.”
The feminine equivalent is “la”.
¿Pablo? I didn’t see him
¿Pablo? No lo (or le) vi.
The car is very expensive. I want to buy it.
El coche es muy caro. Quiero comprarlo.
Give it to me.
Dámelo.
It would be very common in some areas, particularly in Spain, to use le instead of lo.
The use of le as a direct object pronoun is known as leísmo. (May not be good use)
“LO” as a neuter definite article: The definite articles in Spanish, typically el and la when singular, are the equivalent of the English “the.”
Lo can be used as a neuter definite article before an adjective to make an abstract noun.
For example, ‘lo importante’ can be translated as “the important thing,”
“that which is important” or “what is important.”
The good thing is that we have been more clever
Lo bueno es que hemos sido más listos.
What seems cheap ends up expensive.
Lo barato sale caro.
The best thing is that I’m going home
Lo mejor es que me voy a casa.
What is mine is yours.
Lo mío es tuyo.
The coach specializes in the impossible.
The coach specializes in what is impossible.
El entrenador se especializa en lo imposible.
El entrenador se especializa en lo que es imposible.
As a neuter direct-object pronoun: Lo can be used as an object pronoun:
-to refer to something abstract, to an unnamed activity or situation, or to a previous statement:
We can’t do it.
we do not do it
No podemos hacerlo.
no lo hacemos
I don’t understand it.
No lo comprendo.
