The situation with... "lo de"
When you want to refer back to a familiar topic, a recent event, or an ongoing situation that both speakers already know about, Spanish uses the phrase lo de.
This literally means "that of," but in English, it translates best as "the thing about," "the business with," or "the matter of." It is a fast, concise way to bring up a specific situation using just a noun or noun phrase.
| Honestly, I don't understand the thing about the fleas and the ticks. | Sinceramente, no entiendo lo de las pulgas y las garrapatas. |
| The thing about the infection on the snout is very serious. | Lo de la infección en el hocico es muy grave. |
| They are going to cure the tick thing with the medicine. | Van a curar lo de la garrapata con la medicina. |
"Lo de" with actions
You can also use lo de followed by an infinitive verb. This is especially useful for referring to actions or behaviors that have become a topic of concern, like a pet's ongoing symptoms or habits.
| Did the vet explain the thing about limping from that paw? | ¿El veterinario explicó lo de cojear de esa pata? |
| Curiously, the meowing thing got worse. | Curiosamente, empeoró lo de maullar. |
| The thing about meowing and purring a lot is normal. | Lo de maullar y ronronear mucho es normal. |
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