lo nuestro
/lo nwestɾo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'ours' is expressed as lo nuestro.
lo nuestro is used to refer to an abstract concept, a situation or an unspecified thing that belongs to us.
Meaning: that which belongs to us (pron)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the neuter article lo and the masculine singular adjective nuestro, which literally translates to 'the ours' or 'the thing that is ours'.
Which one should you use?
Use lo nuestro for abstract ideas, such as a relationship or 'what is ours'. In contrast, use the adjective forms like nuestro when referring to a specific, concrete object.
How does it change in a sentence?
When 'ours' refers to a specific noun with a known gender and number, you must use the gender- and number-agreeing forms: nuestro (masculine singular), nuestra (feminine singular), nuestros (masculine plural) or nuestras (feminine plural). The form lo nuestro is specifically the neuter form used for abstract concepts.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo nwestɾo/
Did you know?
- In romantic contexts, lo nuestro is a common shorthand to refer to a relationship without using a label, meaning 'the thing between us'.
- The word lo in lo nuestro descends from the Latin word illud, which was used specifically for neuter gender nouns.
- While lo nuestro often describes a romance, it can also be used to describe a shared cultural identity or national heritage, such as lo nuestro referring to 'our traditional ways'.
Examples in context
- Lo nuestro fue tan fugaz, que una estrella nos vio y pidió un deseo.Ours was so fleeting that a star saw us and made a wish.This sentence illustrates the use of lo nuestro when describing an abstract connection or situation.Tatoeba #3985689 by ManuelML, translation #11218475 by DJ_Saidez
- La casa es la nuestra.The house is ours.
- El coche es nuestro.The car is ours.
- El gato es nuestro.The cat is ours.
- La mochila es la nuestra.The backpack is ours.
- Estos libros son nuestros.These books are ours.
- La bicicleta es de nosotros.The bicycle is ours.
- Al final, lo nuestro es el respeto.In the end, what we have is respect.
- No importa lo que digan, lo nuestro es real.It doesn't matter what they say, what we have is real.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing their relationship.
- Mateo¿Crees que esto funcionará?Do you think this will work?
- SofíaSí, porque lo nuestro es muy fuerte.Yes, because what we have is very strong.
- MateoTienes razón, Sofía.You're right, Sofía.
- SofíaConfío plenamente en nosotros.I trust in us completely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ours” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, nuestro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
