Para mí "lo" eres todo

Question

Para mí "lo" eres todo. I know lo means, the thing, the one, etc.... but I don't see why it is needed here, para mí eres todo - to me you are everything, in fact I don't really get it, for me you are the everything thing, the everything one? I guess "the one that's everything" but what is the point of that lo when followed by todo like that?

Gracias

Answer 1

It could also refer to some traits mentioned before it, for example:

Q: ¿Crees que soy guapa, amable e inteligente?

A. Para mí lo eres todo.

¿Crees que sea.....? - pescador1, Apr 15, 2011

No need for subjunctive for creer, "no creer" sí, casi siempre. - Deanski, Apr 15, 2011

You do need it in this case because you are asking a question, which conveys uncertainty. - pescador1, Apr 15, 2011

It is not just a magic formula, it depends on context. - pescador1, Apr 15, 2011

You could use the indicative. It would just mean you had little doubt about the response you would receive. - pescador1, Apr 15, 2011

Hmmm... not really, Dean. Here the logical answer would be either "para mí lo eres" or "para mí eres todo eso". - cogumela, Apr 15, 2011

Good, thanks for taking me out of my misery cogu.:) So what does the phrase mean with todo? - Deanski, Apr 15, 2011

Answer 2

After reading the dictionary entry for todo, it makes some sense...maybe. I don't know if this helps or not. And, I don't understand it fully. It does seem to have some counterparts in English, though (just not the sentence that Jeezle has posted).

Did he sell that stuff? Yes, he sold it. (Sí, lo vendió)

Did he sell that stuff? Yes, he sold it all. (Sí, lo vendió todo)

Did he sell that stuff? Yes, he sold everything. (Sí, lo vendió todo)

You are everything to me. (Para mí, lo eres todo.)

So, "it all" and "everything" are apparently two things "lo...todo" can mean.

Answer 3

I´m afraid that I can only give you an empathetic pat on the back here, Jeez. It seems so incredibly redundant and unnecessary in English that it´s really hard to get used to in Spanish. I still haven´t.

Natives please correct me:

¿Es buena cocinera? Sí, lo es. Is she a good cook? Yes, she is.

¿Dónde está el banco? No lo sé. Where´s the bank? I don´t know.

But I know that in the second example you could also just say "no sé" so why would you add the "lo"?

Would it be correct to just say "Sí, es." in the first example?

Answer 4

The "lo" is used to refer to concepts or ideas like "everything".