The word lo can be used as a pronoun or as a neutral article. The article “lo” is used in Spanish as a neutral article to refer to something in the abstract, that is to say, to refer to something that is not specifically defined or specified.
Its use can be confusing for students of Spanish as a foreign language. In this article, we will explain when and how to use the article “lo” with useful examples.
When to use the article lo?
“Lo” is usually considered a neutral article because of its ability to serve as a noun for adjectives and certain relative clauses, i.e. to refer to something that is not concretely defined or specified, for example: lo malo, lo que está mal.
For many linguists, it is instead a pronoun.
Some examples of its use are:
| Uses | Examples |
| Lo bueno: It refers to something that is good in general, without specifying what specifically is being talked about. | Lo bueno de viajar es que conoces nuevas culturas. (The good thing about traveling is that you get to know new cultures.) |
| Lo malo: Similar to the previous case, but for something bad. | Lo malo de estudiar tanto es que no tienes tiempo para descansar. (The bad thing about studying so much is that you don’t have time to rest) |
| Lo importante: Refers to something that is relevant or essential in a given situation. | Lo importante en una entrevista de trabajo es causar una buena impresión. (The important thing in a job interview is to make a good impression.) |
| Lo que: It is used to refer to something that has not been previously defined. | Lo que me gusta de ti es tu sentido del humor. (What I like about you is your sense of humor.) |
In addition, “lo” is also used to emphasize something. For example:
| Spanish | English |
| Lo que quiero decir es que necesitamos más tiempo para terminar el proyecto. | What I mean is that we need more time to finish the project. |
| Lo que me sorprende es que no hayas venido a la fiesta. | What surprises me is that you didn’t come to the party. |
| Lo que más me gusta de la playa es el sonido de las olas. | What I like most about the beach is the sound of the waves. |
Another way in which the article “lo” is used in Spanish is as a direct complement to replace an object that has been mentioned previously.
When is the pronoun lo used?
In order to use the unstressed pronoun lo, the syntactic function of the pronoun and the gender and grammatical number of the word to which it refers must be taken into account.
When to use le,la and lo in Spanish?
The following table shows the unstressed pronouns la(s), le(s) and lo(s).
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| Direct Object: Masculine form Feminine form | lo la | los las |
| Direct Object Neutral form | lo | — |
| Indirect Object | le (or “se” before another unstressed pronoun) | les (or “se” before another unstressed pronoun) |
What is loísmo in Spanish?
Loísmo is the improper use of lo(s) as a masculine (person or thing) or neutral indirect object, instead of le(s), which is the correct form for this function.
For example:
| Incorrect use | Correct form |
| ❌ Me pidió mi pasaporte y lo di mi licencia de conducir. | ✅ Me pidió mi pasaporte y le di mi licencia de conducir. (He asked for my passport and I gave him my driver’s license) |
| ❌ Los avisé sobre los horarios del tren | ✅ Les avisé sobre los horarios del tren. (I told them about the train schedule) |
What is leísmo in Spanish?
Leísmo is the incorrect use of le(s) as a direct object, instead of lo (for masculine singular or neuter), los (for masculine plural) and la(s) (for feminine), which are the correct forms.
For example:
| Incorrect use | Correct form |
| ❌ Les vi el sábado pasado. | ✅ Los / Las vi el sábado pasado. (I saw them last Saturday) |
| ❌ Aquí está tu llave, le encontré en la vereda de casa. | ✅ Aquí está tu llave, la encontré en la vereda de casa. (Here is your key, I found it on the sidewalk at home) |
What is laísmo in Spanish?
Laísmo is the improper use of la(s) as a feminine indirect object, instead of le(s), which is the form to which this function corresponds.
For example:
| Incorrect use | Correct form |
| ❌ Llamaron de la escuela y la avisaron que su hijo no se sentía bien. | ✅ Llamaron de la escuela y le avisaron que su hijo no se sentía bien. (They called from the school and told her that her son was not feeling well) |
| ❌ Cuando vieron a Susana la preguntaron sobre su cuñado. | ✅ Cuando vieron a Susana le preguntaron sobre su cuñado. (When they saw Susana, they asked her about her brother-in-law) |
