A person standing next to a large, smooth, glowing purple orb that hangs in the air, symbolizing an abstract concept or previously mentioned idea.

ello

/EY-yo/

PronounB2

it?referring to a concept or whole situation

Also:that?referring to a previously mentioned idea

📝 In Action

Hablamos de su renuncia y todo lo relacionado con ello.

We talked about his resignation and everything related to it.

No quiero pensar en ello ahora.

I don't want to think about it now.

Para ello, necesitamos más tiempo.

For that, we need more time.

El problema es complicado, y por ello requiere nuestra atención.

The problem is complicated, and for that reason it requires our attention.

Word Connections

Synonyms

eso (that)
lo (it (the thing))

Common Collocations

por ello – for that reason, therefore
para ello – for that, to that end
a pesar de ello – in spite of that
con ello – with that, by that

Idioms & Expressions

en ello estoy – I'm working on it; I'm on it.

💡 Grammar Points

The 'It' for Ideas, Not Things

Use 'ello' to refer back to a whole idea, situation, or concept you just mentioned, not a specific masculine or feminine object. Think of it as a formal way to say 'that whole thing'.

Best Friends with Prepositions

You'll almost always see 'ello' right after a short connecting word (a preposition) like 'de', 'con', 'por', or 'en'. For example, 'No me preocupo por ello' (I'm not worried about it).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Ello' for Objects

Mistake: "Vi el coche y ello era rojo."

Correction: Vi el coche y era rojo. (Why: 'Ello' is for ideas. Since 'coche' is a masculine thing ('el coche'), you don't need a pronoun. Just say 'era rojo'.)

Overusing 'Ello' in Conversation

Mistake: "¿Te gustó el concierto? Ello fue increíble."

Correction: ¿Te gustó el concierto? Eso fue increíble. (Why: In everyday chat, 'ello' sounds very formal. 'Eso' is the natural choice for referring to 'that' or 'it' when talking about an event or idea.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Sound More Natural with 'Eso'

When you want to say 'it' or 'that' to refer to an idea in casual conversation, use 'eso' instead of 'ello'. 'Eso es interesante' (That's interesting) is much more common than 'Ello es interesante'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ello

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'ello' correctly?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

él(he, it (masculine)) - pronoun

ella(she, it (feminine)) - pronoun

ellos(they (masculine/mixed)) - pronoun

ellas(they (feminine)) - pronoun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'ello' and 'lo'?

It's tricky! 'Ello' is a standalone word, usually used after a preposition (like 'por ello', 'de ello'), to refer to a whole idea. 'Lo' is more versatile; it often attaches to verbs or comes before them and can mean 'it' in a more general sense, like in 'Lo sé' (I know it).

Do I really need to learn 'ello'?

For speaking, not really. You can get by perfectly using 'eso'. However, for reading and understanding more formal or literary Spanish, it's very helpful to recognize 'ello' and understand what it's referring to.