Using 'What' in Statements: Lo Que
lo que to turn any idea or action into a subject or object without naming a specific noun.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'lo que' when you mean 'the thing that' or 'what' to connect ideas without a specific noun antecedent.
- Use 'lo que' at the start of a sentence: 'Lo que quiero es dormir' (What I want is to sleep).
- Use 'lo que' to summarize a previous idea: 'No estudió, lo que me preocupa' (He didn't study, which worries me).
- Never use 'lo que' if you are referring to a specific noun; use 'el que' or 'que' instead.
Overview
Ever found yourself scrolling through TikTok or Instagram and seeing a caption like Lo que necesito ahora mismo... followed by a picture of a massive taco? Or maybe you're watching a Netflix show in Spanish and someone says No entiendo lo que dices. You might be thinking, "Wait, I thought 'what' was qué?" Well, you've just stumbled upon one of the most useful, versatile, and—let's be honest—slightly sneaky tools in the Spanish language: lo que.
While qué (with an accent) is your go-to for asking questions, lo que is the secret sauce for talking about ideas, actions, or things you haven't even named yet. Think of it as the "what" that isn't a question. It’s the "the thing that" or "that which." If Spanish grammar were a video game, lo que would be that legendary multi-tool that helps you craft complex sentences without needing a massive vocabulary.
You don't need to know the specific word for "that annoying thing my neighbor does at 3 AM"; you just say lo que hace mi vecino. It's a life-saver for beginners who want to sound more natural and less like a walking dictionary. Plus, it's gender-neutral!
In a language where every chair and table has a gender, lo que is the cool, non-binary cousin that just doesn't care about masculine or feminine rules. It's here to represent concepts, and concepts don't have genders. (I mean, does the concept of "happiness" really need to be a boy or a girl?
Spanish says no, and gives us lo).
How This Grammar Works
lo que, we have to look at its two parts: lo and que. In Spanish, lo is a neuter article. Unlike el or la, which point to specific objects, lo points to abstract ideas or unnamed things.que, which means "that." Put them together, and you literally get "the thing that." This phrase works as a relative pronoun. But don't let the technical term scare you! It simply means it relates one part of your sentence to another.lo que shines.los que or la que when it's referring to a general concept.lo que. This is great news for you because it means one less thing to conjugate or agree! It basically allows you to turn a whole sentence into a noun.todo lo que compraste. It's like magic, but with fewer top hats and more grammar.Formation Pattern
lo que is incredibly consistent. Unlike verbs that have more moods than a teenager, lo que stays the same. Here is how you build it:
lo que.
decir, saber, or entender to describe an object.
Lo que quieres es café. | What you want is coffee.
lo que haces. | I don't know what you are doing.
lo que ves es mío. | Everything that you see is mine.
Lo que pasó fue raro. | What happened was weird.
When To Use It
lo que popping up in almost every conversation once you start looking for it. Use it when you want to refer to something that isn't a specific object you've already named.- Expressing Preferences: When you're ordering food on an app and want to tell your friend what you like.
Lo que más me gusta es el sushi. (What I like most is sushi). - Clarifying Confusion: When your Wi-Fi dies during a Zoom interview and you have to repeat yourself.
Lo que dije fue que mi conexión es mala. (What I said was that my connection is bad). - Reacting to News: When you see a viral meme and want to comment.
¡Lo que faltaba!(Just what we needed! - usually used sarcastically). - Daily Habits: Talking about your routine.
Hago lo que puedo. (I do what I can). - Summarizing Ideas: If you're talking about a movie plot.
Lo que no entiendo es el final. (What I don't understand is the ending).
Lo que pedí vs. lo que recibí (What I ordered vs.Lo que no te mata, te hace más fuerte (What doesn't kill you makes you stronger). If you're texting a friend to complain about a professor, you might say No vas a creer lo que dijo hoy (You're not going to believe what he/she said today).Common Mistakes
lo que is friendly, it has a few traps that trip up everyone.- The Accent Trap: The biggest mistake is using
qué(with an accent) instead oflo que. Remember:quéis for questions (What is that?).lo queis for statements (What you said). If you're not asking a question, leave the accent at home and bring thelo. - The Infinitive Slip: If you want to say "I don't know what to do," you might be tempted to say
No sé lo que hacer. WRONG! When followed directly by an infinitive (to do, to eat, to go), you actually usequé. Correct:No sé qué hacer. Savelo quefor when there's a subject and a conjugated verb (e.g.,No sé lo que hago). - Gender Confusion: Sometimes learners try to say
la queorel quewhen referring to a general idea because they think they're talking about a feminine thing like "la idea." Nope! If it’s an abstract concept, it’s always neuterlo. - Direct Translation: In English, we often just say "what." In Spanish, you can't just use
que. If you saySé que quieres, it sounds like "I know that you want..." and people will wait for you to finish the sentence. You must include theloto make it "I know what you want."
Contrast With Similar Patterns
- 1
que(without accent): This is the "connector." It means "that." Example:Creo que es tarde(I think that it's late). It links two ideas but doesn't act as the "thing" itself. - 2
qué(with accent): This is the "investigator." It asks a question or expresses an exclamation. Example:¿Qué quieres?(What do you want?) or¡Qué calor!(What heat!). - 3
lo que: This is the "placeholder." it stands in for a concept. Example:Lo que quieres es dinero(What you want is money).
lo que vs el que/la que. Use el que or la que when you are referring to a specific noun mentioned before. Example: De todas las pizzas, la que más me gusta es la de pepperoni (Of all the pizzas, the one [the pizza] I like most is pepperoni).la. But if you are just talking about "what I like" in general, without mentioning pizzas first, you go back to the safe harbor of lo que.Quick FAQ
Can I use lo que to refer to a person?
No! For people, use quien or el que/la que. lo que is strictly for things, ideas, or situations.
Is lo que the same as lo cual?
Mostly, yes! But lo cual can only be used if the thing it refers to has already been mentioned in the same sentence. lo que is more flexible and can start a sentence. Stick with lo que for now; it's much more common in daily speech.
Does lo que change in plural?
Nope! Since it refers to a concept, and concepts don't have numbers, it stays as lo que.
Can I say todo lo que?
Yes! It’s the standard way to say "everything that." Todo lo que necesito es wifi.
Why is it called "neuter"?
Because it doesn't have a gender. It’s like the Switzerland of grammar—neutral and very useful.
How do I say "What a beautiful day!"?
Use ¡Qué!, not lo que. Exclamations always use ¡Qué!.
Is lo que used in Spain and Latin America?
Absolutely. It’s universal. You’ll hear it in Madrid, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires exactly the same way.
Can I put a preposition before it?
Yes! You can say de lo que (about what) or a lo que (to what). For example: Depende de lo que digas (It depends on what you say).
Structure of 'Lo que' Clauses
| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lo
|
que
|
Subject + Verb
|
Lo que yo quiero
|
|
Lo
|
que
|
Verb
|
Lo que pasó
|
|
Clause
|
lo que
|
Verb
|
Llegó tarde, lo que molesta
|
Meanings
The neuter relative pronoun 'lo que' is used to refer to an abstract concept, an entire situation, or an idea previously mentioned, rather than a specific masculine or feminine noun.
Abstract 'What'
Referring to an unknown or non-specific thing.
“Lo que me gusta es el café.”
“Dime lo que piensas.”
Summarizing Clause
Referring to the entire preceding clause as an object.
“Llegó tarde, lo que me molestó.”
“Se olvidó las llaves, lo que es típico de él.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Lo que + [verb]
|
Lo que importa es la salud.
|
|
Negative
|
No + [verb] + lo que + [verb]
|
No sé lo que dices.
|
|
Question
|
¿[Verb] + lo que + [verb]?
|
¿Sabes lo que quiero?
|
|
Summarizing
|
[Clause], lo que + [verb]
|
Llovió, lo que arruinó el plan.
|
|
Subject
|
Lo que + [verb] + es + [noun]
|
Lo que busco es paz.
|
|
Object
|
[Verb] + lo que + [verb]
|
Entiendo lo que haces.
|
Formality Spectrum
Lo que deseo es partir. (Expressing a desire)
Lo que quiero es irme. (Expressing a desire)
Lo que quiero es largarme. (Expressing a desire)
Lo que quiero es pirarme. (Expressing a desire)
The 'Lo que' Universe
Function
- Abstract Non-specific
- Summarizing Which
Usage
- Subject What I need
- Object I know what
Examples by Level
Lo que quiero es comer.
What I want is to eat.
No sé lo que es esto.
I don't know what this is.
Lo que necesito es agua.
What I need is water.
Dime lo que piensas.
Tell me what you think.
Lo que me gusta es viajar.
What I like is traveling.
No entiendo lo que dice el profesor.
I don't understand what the teacher says.
Él no vino, lo que es raro.
He didn't come, which is strange.
Lo que pasó ayer fue increíble.
What happened yesterday was incredible.
Lo que más me molesta es la impuntualidad.
What bothers me most is unpunctuality.
No me dijo lo que iba a hacer.
He didn't tell me what he was going to do.
Perdí el tren, lo que me causó problemas.
I missed the train, which caused me problems.
Lo que tienes que hacer es estudiar más.
What you have to do is study more.
Lo que realmente me preocupa es el impacto ambiental.
What really worries me is the environmental impact.
Lo que me gusta de este trabajo es la flexibilidad.
What I like about this job is the flexibility.
Se olvidó de las llaves, lo que complicó todo.
He forgot his keys, which complicated everything.
Lo que se necesita es una solución inmediata.
What is needed is an immediate solution.
Lo que subyace a este problema es la falta de comunicación.
What underlies this problem is the lack of communication.
Lo que él pretendía era ocultar la verdad.
What he intended was to hide the truth.
No es lo que parece, lo que hace la situación más compleja.
It's not what it seems, which makes the situation more complex.
Lo que me resulta fascinante es su capacidad de adaptación.
What I find fascinating is his ability to adapt.
Lo que se ha omitido en el informe es crucial para el análisis.
What has been omitted in the report is crucial for the analysis.
Lo que constituye el núcleo del argumento es la evidencia empírica.
What constitutes the core of the argument is the empirical evidence.
Lo que me lleva a concluir que la propuesta es inviable, lo cual es lamentable.
Which leads me to conclude that the proposal is unfeasible, which is regrettable.
Lo que se requiere es una reevaluación profunda de los principios básicos.
What is required is a deep re-evaluation of the basic principles.
Easily Confused
Both can summarize a clause, but 'lo cual' is more formal and cannot start a sentence.
Learners use 'lo que' when they should use 'el que' for specific nouns.
Learners add 'lo' when it's not needed.
Common Mistakes
Lo que libro es bueno.
El libro que leo es bueno.
La que quiero es agua.
Lo que quiero es agua.
Lo que es mi amigo.
Mi amigo, que es bueno.
Yo quiero lo que coche.
Yo quiero el coche.
Lo que casa es grande.
La casa que veo es grande.
Él llegó, lo que él es feliz.
Él llegó, lo que me hace feliz.
Lo que necesito es el libro.
Lo que necesito es el libro.
Lo que cual es verdad.
Lo cual es verdad.
No sé lo que el hombre quiere.
No sé lo que quiere el hombre.
Lo que es importante, es la vida.
Lo importante es la vida.
Lo que me refiero es...
A lo que me refiero es...
Lo que es el caso...
Lo cual es el caso...
Lo que se trata es de...
De lo que se trata es de...
Lo que me gusta, lo es el café.
Lo que me gusta es el café.
Sentence Patterns
Lo que ___ es ___.
No entiendo lo que ___.
___, lo que me ___.
Lo que más me gusta de ___ es ___.
Real World Usage
Lo que me gusta de este filtro es el color.
No entiendo lo que me mandaste.
Lo que busco es un reto profesional.
Lo que quiero pedir es una hamburguesa.
Lo que necesito es un mapa.
Lo que se concluye es que los datos son correctos.
The 'Thing' Test
No Nouns!
Emphasis
Natural Flow
Smart Tips
Move the 'lo que' clause to the front of the sentence.
Check if there is a noun before the 'what'. If yes, use 'que'. If no, use 'lo que'.
Use 'lo que' to refer back to the whole idea.
Use 'lo cual' instead of 'lo que' when summarizing.
Pronunciation
Linking
The 'o' in 'lo' and the 'q' in 'que' should be pronounced smoothly without a pause.
Rising
¿Sabes lo que quiero? ↗
Used in questions to show curiosity.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Lo que is the 'What' that has no 'Where' (no specific noun).
Visual Association
Imagine a blank, glowing box. Inside the box is 'lo que'. It holds any abstract idea you can think of, but it never holds a physical object like a chair or a car.
Rhyme
When the noun is nowhere to be seen, use 'lo que' to keep it clean.
Story
Maria was trying to explain her feelings. She couldn't name a specific thing, so she used 'lo que'. 'Lo que siento es amor', she said. Her friend understood immediately because 'lo que' perfectly captured her abstract emotion.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about your day using 'lo que' to summarize events (e.g., 'I woke up late, lo que me hizo correr').
Cultural Notes
In Spain, 'lo que' is used frequently in casual speech to start sentences for emphasis.
Mexicans often use 'lo que' in combination with 'es que' to explain situations.
Argentinians use 'lo que' similarly but often with 'vos' forms.
Derived from the Latin 'illud quod' (that which).
Conversation Starters
¿Qué es lo que más te gusta de tu ciudad?
¿Sabes lo que voy a hacer mañana?
Si pudieras cambiar lo que hiciste ayer, ¿qué cambiarías?
¿Qué es lo que consideras más importante en un amigo?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
El libro ___ leo es muy interesante.
___ necesito es tiempo.
Find and fix the mistake:
La cosa lo que quiero es agua.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
What I like is coffee.
Answer starts with: Lo ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use 'lo que' to express what you need.
Choose the formal way to summarize a clause.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEl libro ___ leo es muy interesante.
___ necesito es tiempo.
Find and fix the mistake:
La cosa lo que quiero es agua.
es / lo / que / quiero / paz
What I like is coffee.
Llegó tarde, lo que me molestó.
Use 'lo que' to express what you need.
Choose the formal way to summarize a clause.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises___ necesito es un café bien grande.
No sé lo que hacer mañana.
quieres / Lo / es / que / imposible
What you said is true.
He comprado ___ necesitábamos.
Match the pairs:
¿___ es lo que buscas?
Dime que piensas de mi foto.
I don't understand what happened.
Caption for a travel photo:
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, 'lo que' is neuter and abstract. Use 'quien' or 'el que' for people.
They are similar when summarizing, but 'lo que' is more common and versatile.
Because 'libro' is a specific noun. You only need 'que'.
Yes, it is very common to start a sentence with 'lo que' for emphasis.
No, 'lo que' is always singular and neuter.
Yes, but it's more common in statements. In questions, 'qué' is usually used.
'Lo que' is a relative pronoun, while 'lo de' means 'the matter of' or 'the thing about'.
Yes, if the 'thing' is hypothetical or unknown.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ce que
None, they are direct equivalents.
das, was
German requires a comma and a specific word order.
koto (thing)
Japanese is agglutinative and uses particles, not relative pronouns.
ma (ما)
Arabic 'ma' is much broader in usage.
suǒ (所)
Chinese grammar is isolating and lacks gender/number.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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