Learn How to Use Lo in Spanish

Learn How to Use Lo in Spanish Lo is one of those words that doesnt always have a clear definition - and it can function in at least three different ways, as a subject pronoun, object pronoun, or definite article. When you run across the word in a sentence and dont know what it means, you often need to figure out first how it is being used. Here, in rough order of how common they are, are the ways that lo can be used: Using Lo as a Masculine Direct-Object Pronoun As a direct object, lo can be translated as either him or it. The feminine equivalent is la.  ¿Pablo? No lo vi. (Pablo? I didnt see him.)El coche es muy caro. Quiero comprarlo. (The car is very expensive. I want to buy it.)Dmelo. (Give it to me.)No creo que lo hayas conocido. (I dont think youve met him.) Note that in the above sentences where lo means him, referring to a person, 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 leà ­smo. Using 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. Lo bueno es que hemos sido ms listos. (The good thing is that we have been more clever.)Lo barato sale caro. (What seems cheap ends up expensive.)Lo mejor es que me voy a casa. (The best thing is that Im going home.)Lo mà ­o es tuyo. (What is mine is yours.)El entrenador se especializa en lo imposible. (The coach specializes in the impossible.) Lo 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. Used in this way, lo is usually translated as it, sometimes as that: No podemos hacerlo. (We cant do it.)No lo comprendo. (I dont understand that.)Mi religià ³n no lo prohibe, pero cada vez que lo hago, le doy las gracias al animal por darme vida. (My religion doesnt prohibit it, but every time I do it, I give thanks to the animal for giving me life.) Using Lo With Ser and Estar It is common when answering questions to use lo  before  the verbs for to be to refer to a preceding noun or adjective. When used in this way, lo has neither number nor gender. -  ¿Es nueva tu computadora?. - No lo es. (Is your computer new? It isnt.)-  ¿Estaban felices?  - Sà ­, lo estaban. (Were they happy? Yes, they were.) Using Lo Que and Lo Cual The phrases lo que and lo cual serve as relative pronouns usually meaning that, what, or that which: La marihuana: Lo que los padres deben saber. (Marijuana: What parents ought to know.)Mis padres me daban todo lo que yo necesitaba. (My parents gave me everything that I needed.)No puedo decidir lo que es mejor. (I cant decide what is better.)No todo lo que brilla es oro. (Not everything that shines is gold.) Using Lo De The phrase lo de can be translated differently depending on the context, but generally means something like the matter concerning: Los senadores republicanos fueron informados sobre lo de la CIA. (The Republican senators were informed about the CIA matter.)Lo de que las nià ±as japonesas se perdieron no era una mentira. (The story about the Japanese girls getting lost wasnt a lie.)Lo de Castro es todo pretextos y mentiras segà ºn sus enemigos. (Castros way of doing things is all pretexts and lies, according to his enemies.) Using Lo in Phrases Phrases using lo, not necessarily in a way that seems intuitive, include: a lo largo de, throughouta lo lejos, in the distancea lo loco, like crazya lo mejor, probablylo sabe todo, he/she knows it allpor lo general, generallypor lo menos, at leastpor lo pronto, for nowpor lo tanto, as a resultpor lo visto, apparently Using Lo as an Indirect Object In some regions, you may occasionally hear the use of lo as an indirect object instead of le. However, this practice, known as loà ­smo, is considered substandard and should be avoided by those learning the language.