Breakdown of Lo de ese animal terrestre y herbívoro es muy curioso.
ser
to be
de
from / of
y
and
el animal
the animal
ese
that (masculine)
muy
very
lo
the ... thing (neuter article)
curioso
curious
terrestre
terrestrial
herbívoro
herbivorous
Questions & Answers about Lo de ese animal terrestre y herbívoro es muy curioso.
Why do terrestre and herbívoro have to go after animal? Could we put them before it?
No, you cannot put them before the noun. Terrestre (land-dwelling) and herbívoro (plant-eating) are relational adjectives. This means they classify the noun into an objective category rather than describing a subjective quality. In Spanish, relational adjectives must almost always be placed directly after the noun they modify.
Can we mix these with other types of adjectives and say something like ese animal curioso y terrestre?
It sounds unnatural to join them with y (and) in that way. Terrestre classifies the animal, while curioso is a qualifying adjective that gives a gradable trait or opinion. Spanish strongly prefers coordinating adjectives of the same type. To use both, keep the relational one closest to the noun and drop the y: ese animal terrestre tan curioso.
Why is it correct to say muy curioso at the end of the sentence, but incorrect to say muy terrestre or muy herbívoro?
Curioso is a qualifying adjective, so it has degrees of intensity (something can be slightly or very curious). Terrestre and herbívoro are relational adjectives that establish absolute categories: an animal either belongs to the land-dwelling category or it does not. Because they are absolute, you cannot use degree modifiers like muy (very) or poco (little) with them.
What is the grammatical function of lo de at the start of the sentence?
Lo is the neuter article. When combined with de, it creates a phrase meaning "the matter of", "the thing about", or "the situation concerning". You use lo de to refer back to a known situation or abstract concept that doesn't have a specific gender, which in this case is whatever is happening with that particular animal.
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