"La mejor cosa sobre espanñol es que puedes usarlo en muchos lugares".

Question

I recently had a test where I was asked to translate the sentence: "The best thing about Spanish is that you can use it in many places". I wrote, "La mejor cosa sobre espanñol es que puedes usarlo en muchos lugares". My teacher said "la" should be "lo" but I know a native speaker who was pretty sure I was right, althogh she wasn't 100% sure. I don't want to bring this issue up again with the teacher, but could someone tell me who was right?

So as of now, it appears that most people say that cosa can be left out because it's implied and I can just write lo mejor sobre... - psyche_of_frogs, MAY 26, 2010

Answer 1

I would translate "The best thing" as "Lo mejor" (sobre el español es que puedes usarlo en muchos lugares).

But one can also say " La mejor cosa sobre el español es que puedes usarlo (or lo puedes usar) en muchos lugares." (It sounds right to me, too)

Answer 2

Hi, Psyche. Welcome to the forum.

I bet your Spanish teacher was asking you to say "lo mejor" for "the best thing".

That would be my guess. A vote for the teacher, hooray! - tennismom, MAY 26, 2010

Answer 3

I think the sentence is written too much like an English sentence, and that's part of what's causing the problem.

La mejor cosa sobre español es que puedes usarlo en muchos lugares.

How about:

Lo mejor de español es que se puede usar en muchos lugares.

Excelente I believe your translation to be the more accurate version (the word cosa is already implied so it doesn't need to be translated ) - FELIZ77, MAY 26, 2010

Lo mejor DEL español es que puedes usarlo en muchos lugares. - Tpalmer20, MAY 26, 2010

se puede usar sin lo - 00494d19, MAY 27, 2010

Gracias - Goyo, MAY 27, 2010

Answer 4

When you say " 'la' should be 'lo'", are you talking about the "la" at the beginning of the sentence, or did you mean for "usarlo" to say "usarla"?

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La mejor cosa, because "cosa" is feminine

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usarlo, because it is a general thing that you cannot name feminine or masculine.

Good point MeEncantaCa!!! :) - Jason7R, MAY 26, 2010

Wouldn't the "lo" refer to Espa!nol which is masculine? el Español? - Delores--Lindsey, MAY 26, 2010

Delores, if you use "lo mejor," "lo" is not an article and is only indirectly refering to español. "Lo" used before an adjective is an expression that roughly translates as "what is" or "that which is." Examples: lo mejor, lo bueno, lo más importante. - chris126, MAY 26, 2010

Sorry if it wasn't clear, the "la" I was referring to was the one at the beginning of the sentence - psyche_of_frogs, MAY 26, 2010

Oops, Chris. I wasn't clear. I meant the "lo" in "usarlo"(to use it -i.e. Spanish. - Delores--Lindsey, MAY 26, 2010

Answer 5

Ok, i'm a native spanish speaker too and to me the only correct way to say it is: lo mejor del español es que puedes usarlo en muchos lugares

Oops! but please sir or madam, I didn't read this before my comment on Goyo's contribution. - geofc, MAY 26, 2010

Answer 6

From our dictionary:

1. (superlativo)

• el/la mejor… -> the best…
• el mejor vino de todos/del mundo -> the best wine of all/in the world
• lo mejor fue que… -> the best thing was that…

If it is an adjective it must show concordance. If it is a noun (lo mejor...an adjective serving as a noun) then you use lo and the masculine form of the adjective.

lo+adjective

La mejor cosa es que... mejor is an adjective

Lo mejor es que.... mejor is a noun.

Qué chévere! - foxluv, MAY 26, 2010

Answer 7

If I am not mistaken, "La" is being used here for the word "cosa" and "mejor" is describing the word "cosa". Hope this helps and welcome to the forum!!

Answer 8

La mejor cosa is grammatically correct, but certainly not idiomatic, so it cannot be considered a good translation. the only possible here is lo mejor.

And never forget: teachers are always right (teacher talking! )

Answer 9

Your Spanish teacher is right IF she wanted you to say "lo mejor," meaning "that (or the thing) which is best." The natural translation in English would be "the best thing."

However, if one chooses to use the word "cosa," as you did, you must use the article that matches it in the number and gender: la.

"Lo mejor" is is probably the better, more natural translation.

I totally agree with your answer chris. - foxluv, MAY 26, 2010

Thanks, FL! - chris126, MAY 26, 2010