serlo
“serlo” means “to be it” in Spanish (referring to a status or condition).
to be it, to be so
Also: to be one
📝 In Action
¿Es difícil ser médico? No sé, pero debe **serlo**.
B1Is it difficult to be a doctor? I don't know, but it must **be so**.
Ella dice que es una persona paciente, pero dudo que pueda **serlo** siempre.
B2She says she is a patient person, but I doubt she can **be that way** always.
Para triunfar, tienes que estar convencido de que puedes **serlo**.
C1To succeed, you have to be convinced that you can **do it** (be successful).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: serlo
Question 1 of 2
In the sentence 'Ella es muy inteligente y quiere seguir siéndolo,' what does 'siéndolo' mean?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Serlo' is a contraction of the verb 'ser' (from the Latin 'esse', meaning 'to be') and the neuter pronoun 'lo' (from the Latin 'illum', meaning 'that' or 'it'). The structure of attaching the pronoun to the infinitive is common across Romance languages.
First recorded: Structure common since the early development of Spanish (Medieval period).
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'serlo' the only way to say 'to be it'?
Yes, when 'it' refers to an abstract idea, condition, or characteristic previously mentioned, 'serlo' is the standard and most natural way to express the infinitive form. If 'it' were a direct object noun (e.g., 'the book'), you would use 'leerlo' (to read it).
Why don't I see conjugations for 'serlo'?
'Serlo' is the base form (infinitive) of the verb 'ser' with the pronoun attached. You only conjugate the verb 'ser' itself, and then you place 'lo' before the conjugated verb (e.g., 'lo soy' - I am it) or keep it attached to the infinitive.