Breakdown of No estoy lo suficientemente despierto como para empezar otra redacción ahora.
yo
I
estar
to be
ahora
now
otro
other
Questions & Answers about No estoy lo suficientemente despierto como para empezar otra redacción ahora.
Why is estar used in No estoy... instead of ser?
Because despierto here describes a temporary state: being awake or alert right now.
- estar despierto = to be awake / alert
- ser is generally used for more permanent or defining characteristics
So:
- Estoy despierto = I’m awake
- Soy despierto can mean something quite different, more like I’m clever / quick-witted
In this sentence, the speaker is talking about their current level of alertness, so estar is the correct verb.
What does lo suficientemente mean, and why is lo there?
Lo suficientemente means enough or sufficiently, especially before an adjective or adverb.
In this sentence:
- lo suficientemente despierto = awake enough
The lo here is not the and not a direct object. It is a neuter word used to turn the adjective phrase into something like to a sufficient degree.
A useful pattern is:
- lo suficientemente + adjective/adverb + como para...
Examples:
- No es lo suficientemente alto = He/She isn’t tall enough
- Corres lo suficientemente rápido = You run fast enough
English speakers often want a word-for-word match, but it’s best to learn lo suficientemente as a set phrase.
How does lo suficientemente despierto como para... work as a structure?