digerirlos

Digerirlos is a Spanish verb form formed by the verb digerir (to digest) with the clitic pronoun los (them). It denotes the act of processing or assimilating a plural masculine or mixed group of objects, ideas, or experiences. While it primarily refers to physical digestion, the expression is also used metaphorically to describe mentally or emotionally processing information, impressions, or events. The construction exemplifies how Spanish attaches pronouns to non-finite verb forms, producing forms such as digerirlos or digiriéndolos.

Grammatical notes: The base form is digerir with the pronoun los attached in infinitive constructions, yielding digerirlos (Necesito digerirlos; I need to digest them). When used with a finite conjugated verb, the pronoun can be attached to the verb (Voy a digerirlos) or placed before it (Los voy a digerir). In the gerund, the pronoun attaches to the gerund form, producing digiriéndolos or digeríéndolos, as in Está digiriéndolos, meaning “He is digesting them.” The past participle form is digeridos, used as an adjective or with ser/estar in passive or perfect constructions.

Usage and nuance: Physically, digerirlos refers to the digestion of food items referred to as los. Metaphorically, it is common in discussions of how someone has processed information, experiences, or bad news, for example: Después de la noticia, le costó digerirlos. The term is neutral and widely understood in standard Spanish, without a fixed cultural designation beyond its general linguistic and semantic usages.

See also: digerir, pronombres átonos, clitic pronouns in Spanish.