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"La de" is a form of "de", a preposition which is often translated as "from". "Lo de" is a phrase which is often translated as "the business about". Learn more about the difference between "la de" and "lo de" below.
de(
deh
)
A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
preposition
a. from
Mis padres vienen de Nicaragua.My parents are from Nicaragua.
a. of
Esta mesa está hecha de plástico.This table is made of plastic.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Te recojo en el coche de mi padre.I'll come get you in my father's car.
¿Esa no es la casa de Susana?Isn't that Susana's house?
a. of
La comida era de gran calidad.The food was of great quality.
a. of
Andrés siempre llevaba una bolsa de canicas.Andres always carried around a bag of marbles.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Voy a comprar otro traje de baño para el verano.I'm going to buy another bathing suit for the summer.
Se usa la palanca de cambios para cambiar las marchas.You use the gear shift to change the gears.
a. in
Es mejor trabajar de mañana.It is better to work in the morning.
a. with
Me sorprendí llorando de pena al pensar en él.I caught myself crying with sorrow when I thought of him.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
feminine noun
a. d
¿Dijiste la letra de o te?Did you say the letter d or t?
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lo de(
loh
 
deh
)
A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
phrase
a. the business about
¿Lo de irte a vivir a otro país va en serio?Is the business about your going to live in another country for real?
b. the story about
Resulta que lo de la herencia era mentira y son más pobres que las ratas.It turns out the story about the inheritance was a lie and they're as poor as church mice.
c.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
¿Te enteraste de lo de Silvia y Alberto? Por lo visto se divorcian.Did you hear about Silvia and Alberto? It seems they're getting divorced.
¿Quién tuvo la idea de lo de la fiesta sorpresa?Whose idea was the surprise party?
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
He venido a buscar lo de Rosa. - Está en su cuarto.I've come to get Rosa's things. - They're in her room.
Eso que hay allí es lo de Manuel, y esto que hay aquí es lo mío.Those things over there are Manuel's, and these things over here are mine.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Cuando hace calor, voy lo de Gabriel, para bañarme en su piscina.When it's hot I go to Gabriel's for a swim in his pool.
¿Adónde van? - Vamos a lo de Antonia, que nos invitó a cenar.Where are you going? - We're going to Antonia's. She invited us for dinner.
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