- Understand what lo + adjective means and why it's used
- Express abstract concepts like lo bueno (the good thing), lo difícil (the difficult part)
- Use lo + adjective + es que to explain situations
- Distinguish between lo (neutral article) and el/la/los/las (definite articles)
- Apply lo + adverb constructions like lo más rápido posible
- Understand lo de (the thing about) in everyday conversation
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Lo + adjective: the neuter article
What You'll Learn
Overview / Usage
What Is "Lo + Adjective"?
The construction lo + adjective is used to turn an adjective into an abstract noun or concept. Instead of referring to a specific person or thing, it expresses "the X thing/part/aspect" or "what's X" in a general sense.
Think of lo as "the neutral article" - it doesn't have gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) like el/la/los/las. It creates abstract concepts from adjectives.
Common examples
Abstract concept
Lo bueno es que llegamos a tiempo
The good thing is that we arrived on time
Abstract concept
Lo difícil fue entenderlo
The difficult thing/part was understanding it
Abstract concept
Lo importante es tu salud
The important thing is your health
Abstract concept
Lo peor ya pasó
The worst (thing/part) is over now
💡 Why "lo" instead of "el" or "la"?
Lo is the neuter article in Spanish. Unlike el (masculine) and la (feminine), lo has no gender because it doesn't refer to a specific noun - it refers to an abstract concept or quality.
When you use lo + adjective, you're talking about "the concept/quality/aspect of being X" - not a specific person or thing that is X.
Lo bueno = the good thing/aspect/part (abstract concept)
El bueno = the good one (specific masculine person/thing)
La buena = the good one (specific feminine person/thing)
Compare:
Lo difícil es aprender gramática
The difficult thing/part is learning grammar (the concept of difficulty)
El difícil es Juan
The difficult one is Juan (Juan is the difficult person)
Structure & Formation
1. Lo + adjective (basic construction)
Structure
LO + ADJECTIVE (masculine singular form)
Note: The adjective is always in the masculine singular form, regardless of what you're talking about.
Lo bueno de Madrid es el clima
The good thing about Madrid is the climate
Lo malo es que cuesta mucho
The bad thing is that it costs a lot
Lo mejor fue la comida
The best thing/part was the food
Lo interesante es su historia
The interesting thing is its history
2. Lo + adjective + es que (the X thing is that...)
Structure
LO + ADJECTIVE + ES QUE + clause
This pattern is very common for explaining or emphasising a particular aspect of a situation.
Lo difícil es que no hablo español
The difficult thing is that I don't speak Spanish
Lo raro es que nadie me llamó
The strange thing is that nobody called me
Lo triste es que se fue
The sad thing is that he/she left
Lo curioso es que llegó temprano
The curious thing is that he/she arrived early
3. Lo más/menos + adjective/adverb + posible
Structure for "as X as possible"
LO MÁS/MENOS + ADJECTIVE/ADVERB + POSIBLE
Hazlo lo más rápido posible
Do it as quickly as possible
Ven lo antes posible
Come as soon as possible
Lo hice lo mejor posible
I did it as well as possible
Habla lo más claro posible
Speak as clearly as possible
4. Lo que (what / that which)
Using "lo que" for "what"
Lo que means "what" or "that which" when referring to an abstract thing, idea, or action (not a specific noun).
No entiendo lo que dices
I don't understand what you're saying
Lo que necesito es descansar
What I need is to rest
Haz lo que quieras
Do what(ever) you want
Lo que pasó ayer fue increíble
What happened yesterday was incredible
5. Lo de (the thing about / that matter of)
Using "lo de" for situations and matters
Lo de refers to "the thing/matter/situation about" something. It's very colloquial and common in everyday Spanish.
Lo de ayer fue un malentendido
What happened yesterday / That thing yesterday was a misunderstanding
Lo de María me preocupa
The situation with María worries me
¿Ya sabes lo del trabajo?
Do you already know about the job thing/matter?
Lo de siempre
The usual (thing) / Same old story
Examples
Lo + adjective vs el/la + adjective
LO + adjective (abstract)
Lo bueno es que es gratis
The good thing is that it's free
→ Abstract concept
Lo mejor del viaje fue Barcelona
The best part of the trip was Barcelona
→ Abstract concept
EL/LA + adjective (specific)
El bueno siempre gana
The good guy always wins
→ Specific person (masculine)
El mejor de la clase es Juan
The best one in the class is Juan
→ Specific person
Everyday conversation examples
Talking about a problem
Lo peor de mi trabajo es el horario
The worst thing about my job is the schedule
Explaining a situation
Lo gracioso es que él tampoco sabía
The funny thing is that he didn't know either
Giving advice
Lo importante es que estés feliz
The important thing is that you're happy
Making a request
Termínalo lo antes posible
Finish it as soon as possible
Discussing news
¿Has oído lo de Carlos?
Have you heard about the Carlos thing / what happened with Carlos?
Expressing preference
Lo mejor sería esperar
The best thing would be to wait
Lo + adjective + que = "how" (exclamations & indirect questions)
Pattern: lo + adjective + que
When you use lo + adjective + que, it expresses "how" in exclamations and indirect questions. This is different from the basic "lo + adjective" which means "the X thing/part".
Formula: lo + adjective + que + verb/clause
Indirect question - seeing someone's height
¿Has visto lo alta que es?
Have you seen how tall she is?
Exclamation - amazing something
No puedes imaginar lo bonito que es
You can't imagine how beautiful it is
Realisation - difficulty level
No sabes lo difícil que fue
You don't know how difficult it was
Surprise - someone's age
¿Te has dado cuenta de lo joven que parece?
Have you noticed how young he/she looks?
Emphasis - duration
Me sorprende lo rápido que aprendes
I'm surprised by how quickly you learn
Observation - price
Mira lo caro que está todo
Look at how expensive everything is
💡 Key difference
Lo + adjective (abstract concept)
Lo difícil es el examen
The difficult thing is the exam
Lo + adjective + que (how/extent)
Mira lo difícil que es el examen
Look at how difficult the exam is
Gotchas / Common Mistakes
1. Using el/la instead of lo for abstract concepts
❌ Incorrect
El bueno es que llegamos
Wrong article for abstract concept
✅ Correct
Lo bueno es que llegamos
The good thing is that we arrived
Use lo (not el/la) when expressing abstract concepts or qualities.
2. Saying "lo más mejor" instead of "lo mejor"
❌ Incorrect
Lo más mejor sería salir temprano
Double superlative (redundant)
✅ Correct
Lo mejor sería salir temprano
The best thing would be to leave early
Don't use más/menos with mejor/peor/mayor/menor - these are already superlatives. Say "lo mejor" not "lo más mejor".
3. Confusing "lo que" with "el que/la que"
LO QUE (abstract)
Lo que dijiste es verdad
What you said is true
→ Refers to an abstract thing/concept
EL QUE (specific)
El que está allí es mi hermano
The one who's there is my brother
→ Refers to a specific person
Use lo que for abstract things/concepts. Use el que/la que for specific people or things.
4. Forgetting "lo" in superlative expressions
❌ Incorrect
Hazlo más rápido posible
Missing "lo"
✅ Correct
Hazlo lo más rápido posible
Do it as quickly as possible
Don't forget lo in the construction "lo más/menos + adjective/adverb + posible".
5. Saying "lo de Juan" when you mean "el de Juan"
❌ Incorrect
¿Cuál coche prefieres? Lo de Juan
"Lo de" = the matter/thing about
✅ Correct
¿Cuál coche prefieres? El de Juan
Which car do you prefer? Juan's (one)
Use el/la de (not lo de) when referring to possession or a specific one. Lo de means "the matter/situation about" something, not "the one belonging to".
6. Translating "lo" as a direct object pronoun
LO as neutral article
Lo bueno es estudiar
The good thing is to study
→ "Lo" before adjective
LO as pronoun "it"
Lo estudié ayer
I studied it yesterday
→ "Lo" before verb = "it"
Don't confuse lo + adjective (neutral article for abstract concepts) with the direct object pronoun lo meaning "it" or "him".
Quick Test / Mini Quiz
Lo + Adjective: Expressing Abstract Concepts Quiz
Test your understanding of the lo + adjective construction
1
What does 'lo bueno' mean in Spanish?
2
How do you say 'The difficult thing is that I don't have time'?
3
Which sentence is correct?
4
What does 'lo de ayer' mean?
5
How do you say 'as quickly as possible' using lo?
6
What's the difference between 'lo mejor' and 'el mejor'?
7
Which sentence expresses an abstract concept?
8
Complete: 'No entiendo ___ me dijiste'
Useful Resources
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