lo quiero
/lo kjeɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I want him" translates to Spanish as lo quiero.
Depending on the context, lo quiero can mean both 'I want him' (desire/possession) and 'I love him' (affection).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is structured with the direct object pronoun lo (him) preceding the conjugated verb quiero (I want).
How do you pronounce it?
/lo kjeɾo/
Did you know?
- The pronoun lo in this phrase shares a common ancestor with the English word 'that', both tracing back to the Latin 'ille'.
- In some Spanish dialects, particularly in Spain, lo quiero might be replaced by le quiero due to a linguistic phenomenon called leísmo, where le is used for masculine direct objects.
- Because lo quiero can mean 'I love him', saying it to a person you just met might be perceived as an overwhelming or even aggressive romantic overture.
Examples in context
- Lo quiero muerto.I want him killed.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire for someone to be dead using lo quiero.Tatoeba #8228071 by fpp, translation #3904786 by CH
- Deseo tenerlo en nuestro equipo. Creo que sería una gran adición.I want him on our team. I think he would be a great addition.
- Lo quiero para mi equipo.I want him for my team.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a new employee.
- JavierMira a ese chico, es muy talentoso.Look at that guy, he is very talented.
- ElenaSí, lo quiero para el proyecto.Yes, I want him for the project.
- Javier¿Vas a contratarlo entonces?Are you going to hire him then?
- ElenaDefinitivamente, lo quiero aquí ahora.Definitely, I want him here now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
