The word lo can be a direct object pronoun (‘him,’ ‘it,’ ‘you’), but it can also function as a neuter article to describe an abstract idea. In English, this structure is usually expressed by ‘the...thing’. Lo más importante es que ustedes lleguen a tiempo (‘The most important thing is that you all arrive on time’). Lo malo es que Thomas no puede encontrar una casa amueblada (‘The bad thing is that Thomas can't find a furnished house’).

Lo can also refer to a whole situation: déjelo (‘forget the whole thing’). No lo comprendo (‘I don't understand anything’).