entenderlo
en-ten-DER-lo
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Es difícil, pero voy a intentar entenderlo.
A2It's difficult, but I am going to try to understand it.
Necesitas leer el manual para entenderlo todo.
B1You need to read the manual in order to understand it all.
¡No pude entenderlo! Hablaba muy rápido.
A2I couldn't understand him! He was speaking very fast.
💡 Grammar Points
The Meaning of 'lo'
The small word 'lo' attached to the end means 'it.' It is used when the thing you are understanding is masculine (like 'el libro') or when you are referring to a whole idea or situation (which is treated as neutral).
Attaching Pronouns
When using the base form of the verb (the infinitive, like 'entender'), the object pronouns always stick to the end, creating one long word. You could also say 'Lo voy a entender' (I am going to understand it).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Misplacing the Pronoun
Mistake: "Quiero lo entender."
Correction: Quiero entenderlo. (When the verb is an infinitive, the pronoun attaches to the end, not before it.)
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: "Yo entendo la lección."
Correction: Yo entiendo la lección. (The base verb 'entender' has a vowel change from 'e' to 'ie' when conjugated in the present tense, except for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Alternative Placement
If you have two verbs (like 'debo entenderlo' - I must understand it), you can choose to attach 'lo' to the infinitive ('entenderlo') or place it before the first conjugated verb ('Lo debo entender'). Both are correct!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: entenderlo
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'entenderlo'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'lo' attached to the end of the verb?
In Spanish, the base form of the verb (the infinitive) always requires any small object words like 'lo' (it) or 'me' (me) to be physically attached to the end. This is a common rule for infinitives, gerunds, and affirmative commands.
When does 'entender' change from 'e' to 'ie'?
The 'e' changes to 'ie' in the present tense (both indicative and subjunctive) for every person except 'nosotros' (we) and 'vosotros' (you plural, informal). This is called a stem change.