What does "Lo de......." mean exactly.

Question

I have been trying to find out how to correctly use the phrase "Lo de.....". I have searched the Reference Section but to no avail and past threads.

Can anyone explain what does this phrase mean and more importantly how to use this phrase correctly when speaking.

For example

"Lo de tu hermano me preocupa mucho."

"Lo de ayer es mejor que lo olvides."

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

This is very hard to explain! The closest I can come in English to "lo de" in that kind of context is "the thing that", or "that stuff about" (awful, I know). As you're using it, it assumes that the speaker and the listener have some prior experience in common (maybe last week or last year, or maybe only a few sentences ago) and refers back to it. In English we would generally use a completely different construction. (Often "what happened") Some examples might help (I hope)

Lo de ayer me hace reir = What happened yesterday makes me laugh. (the thing that happened yesterday)

Dicen que lo de Clinton fue un error. = They say that stuff about Clinton was a mistake.

Lo de las hipotecas ha causado muchas problemas. = What happened with the mortgages has caused a lot of problems. (that stuff about the mortgages)

Lo de Messi le molestó a Heidi. - What Messi did bothered Heidi. (that stuff about Messi bothered Heidi).

I hope that helps a little.

• great - Heidita Apr 28, 2010

Answer 2

What was your context for the expression. Here is an example using it.

Lo de la protesta... The matter of the protest.

Perhaps it could be used as this.

El bolso de la señora es muy grande, pero lo del hombre es más pequeña. (Not sure about this.)

• I think it is "el del hombre", not "lo del hombre" in this context. - aceydoubleyo Apr 27, 2010
• Here's a page that explains it better: http://spanish.about.com/cs/grammar/qt/el_de.htm - aceydoubleyo Apr 27, 2010
• Gracias. - Delores--Lin Apr 28, 2010

Answer 3

Example: ¿Has entrado lo de Wayne Rooney? Have you heard the news about Wayne Rooney? Ha sido votado jugador de jugadores de la temporada.

• Enterado - Rey_Mysterio Apr 28, 2010

Answer 4

So "Lo de...." can be followed by a noun, adjective or a an article. There is no set rule?

Correct. Also, I think it can be followed by an adverb and maybe a verb, a preposition... I'm still thinking of examples

Lo de antes... (what happened before)

Lo de nadar... (that stuff about swimming)

Lo de allá... (what happened there... or maybe 'the way you do it there')

• Thank you for the good answer. - Mark-Baker May 8, 2010

Answer 5

Lo de...my friend is ....I give it to YOU!

Como...¡Le lo doy!

• matt, this is way off, - Heidita Apr 27, 2010

Answer 6

So "Lo de...." can be followed by a noun, adjective or a an article. There is no set rule?

Answer 7

"Lo de tu hermano me preocupa mucho."

"Lo de ayer es mejor que lo olvides."

The thing of your brother worries me a lot.

It's better you forget about the thing from yesterday.