lo mismo
/lo mismo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for 'ditto' is lo mismo.
Lo mismo is used to repeat an earlier action or statement.
Meaning: (transitive) To repeat the aforesaid, the earlier action etc (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lo mismo is composed of lo (the neuter article) and mismo (same), literally meaning 'the same thing'.
Which one should you use?
While lo mismo and igual both act as informal ways to say 'ditto', you should use igualmente if you are responding to a greeting or a well-wish, such as 'Nice to meet you'.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo mismo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, lo mismo can be used as a shortcut for me da lo mismo, which means 'it is all the same to me' or 'I don't care'.
- The word mismo is actually a 'super-version' of the word 'same'. It evolved from a Latin construction that combined an emphatic suffix with a word meaning 'the very same'.
- The article lo in lo mismo is not a masculine version of 'the', but a special tool used to turn adjectives into abstract concepts.
Examples in context
- Esta película me hizo reír mucho. / Igual. Es realmente divertida.This movie made me laugh a lot. / Ditto. It's truly hilarious.
- Yo quiero lo mismo.I want the same thing.
- Yo quiero lo mismo, por favor.I want the same, please.
- Él pidió lo mismo que yo.He ordered the same as me.
- Ella dice lo mismo siempre.She always says the same thing.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are ordering food at a restaurant.
- LucíaYo quiero una hamburguesa y papas.I want a hamburger and fries.
- AlejandroPara mí, lo mismo, por favor.For me, the same, please.
- Lucía¿Quieres beber algo más?Do you want to drink something else?
- AlejandroNo, pido lo mismo que tú.No, I'll order the same as you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, mismo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
