"I'm not working enough at the moment"

Question

I translated this as 'No estoy trabajando suficiente en el momento", but the SpanishDict translator says 'No estoy trabajando lo suficiente en el momento".

Could someone explain what function the 'lo' is serving here?

Many thanks

Answer 1

Hi, Frog. welcome to the forum.

I think it would sound better to say: "No tengo suficiente trabajo ahora mismo." (I don't have enough work right now).

What you said ('No estoy trabajando suficiente en el momento") sounds like you are supposed to be doing some work but you just aren't doing it...for whatever reason.

Thanks Marianne. I should have been more clear. I did in fact mean that I'm supposed to be doing some work but I'm just not doing it! Hay tanto distracciones :) - CrunchyFr0g, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 2

I would have said "de momento" but I guess that comes down to different styles of speech.

Answer 3

En este momento, no estoy trabajando mucho.

Answer 4

I did in fact mean that I'm supposed to be doing some work but I'm just not doing it! Hay tanto (sic) distracciones

Al momento no cumplo con los deberes de mi trabajo (hay tantas distracciónes).

oops 'tantas' - I still make so many silly mistakes :) Thanks for your help. - CrunchyFr0g, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 5

No estoy trabajando lo suficiente por el momento is a perfect translation for what you are trying to say. (I´m not doing as much as I could right now/ these days)

...

The neuter article ´lo´ is joined to adjectives of any number or gender in order to nominalize them.

Lo cortés no quita lo valiente ---> La cortesía no quita la valentía

...

Sometimes it has an emphazising or exaggerating value:

No sabes lo linda que era esa muchacha

Thanks so much. That explains it perfectly. - CrunchyFr0g, Dec 12, 2010