Separándolo

Separándolo is the gerund form of the Spanish verb separar with the direct object pronoun lo attached at the end. It expresses an ongoing action of separating something and is typically used in constructions with auxiliary verbs that indicate aspect, such as estar or seguir. For example, “Estoy separándolo” means “I am separating it.”

Grammatically, separándolo is formed from the gerund separando plus the pronoun lo, which stands for a masculine or neuter direct object. The pronoun can change to agree with the object in gender and number, yielding separándola (feminine singular), separándolos (masculine plural), or separándolas (feminine plural). When used with a preposition, it can appear as separándolo de, separándolo de la mezcla, etc. The written accent on the á helps indicate the correct stress after attaching the pronoun.

Usage notes include its role in indicating ongoing action or a process within a larger sentence. It can function adverbially or within a description of steps in a procedure, such as “El técnico está separándolo de las piezas defectuosas” (The technician is separating it from the defective pieces).

Related forms include separando (gerund without pronoun) and other gender/number variants like separándola, separándolos, separándolas. The form is common in spoken and written Spanish when a specific object is being identified and the action is in progress.