I'm new to Espanól, and I can't figure out where the "lo" comes from. Shouldn't 'I am sorry" start with a YO or an ESTOY or MI or something?
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Lo Siento?

Hombre
April 4, 2006

litlmike
April 4, 2006
[quo]*Quote from * Hombre
I'm new to Espanól, and I can't figure out where the "lo" comes from. Shouldn't 'I am sorry" start with a YO or an ESTOY or MI or something?
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this forum is GREAT
[/quo]
The literal translation is "I feel it," or actually "it I feel," with the word order being different in spanish than in english. In English, it would be "I feel it," for the literal meaning.

taalibeen
April 4, 2006
First word of advice: DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT get caught up in trying to translate things litteraly from one languge to the next. You will end up saying things that just don't make sense in Spanish.

Hombre
April 4, 2006
Thanks you guys. Now that I know that "lo" = it, I can deal with it.

nohablo
April 4, 2006
Hola Hombre. I just want to second what taalibeen said: don't try to understand Spanish in terms of English. You'll go nuts if you try to do that with stuff like redundant indirect object pronouns (the "le" in *le doy el libro a Roberto* - I give the book to Roberto), the personal a after most verbs when the direct object is a person (e.g., *he invitado a mis amigos* - I have invited my friends), etc. Spanish is simply different from English.
¡Buena suerte!

Mauricio
April 6, 2006
Hello guys,
Good answers.
In the phrase "*Lo siento*", "lo" reflects what you are sorry about.. (it).
Well done.
Mauricio.

C_Norita
October 21, 2006
[quo]*Quote from * taalibeen
First word of advice: DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT get caught up in trying to translate things litteraly from one languge to the next. You will end up saying things that just don't make sense in Spanish.[/quo]
I agree with taalibeen COMPLETAMENTE, and I like how nohablo seconded taalibeen's suggestion. It's extremely important for one to understand and accept that. When I began learning, I was informed not to get so caught up in literal translations. Knowing ESO, I never look at a sentence, an expression, etc. with the desire to think of it in its literal sense.

mdietrich
November 15, 2006
Just as an aside, I have a tendency to use "I'm sorry" in English in places where "exuse me" or "pardon me" would be more appropriate and when I do this with "lo siento" my boyfriend tends to ask me something like 'what is it that your are feeling' or similiar poke at my misuse/overuse of this phrase.