discutirlos

Discutirlos is a Spanish construction formed by the verb discutir (to discuss or to debate) with the direct object pronoun los (them) attached. The combination yields discutirlos, which functions as an infinitive phrase meaning “to discuss them.” When used with a gerund, it becomes discutiéndolos. In finite forms, the pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb, as in Los discutimos mañana, or the infinitive phrase can appear with a periphrasis, as Vamos a discutirlos.

Usage and nuance: discutir puede expresar neutralmente la acción de discutir, o, depending on context, puede connotar un debate intenso o incluso una discusión airada. The presence of the clitic los specifies the object being discussed, referring to masculine plural nouns or topics previously mentioned. Feminine or mixed references would use las or los, según corresponda (discutirlas, discutiéndolas, etc.).

Examples:

- Quiero discutirlos antes de la reunión. (I want to discuss them before the meeting.)

- Estamos discutiéndolos en este momento. (We are discussing them right now.)

- Los discutimos ayer y acordamos un plan. (We discussed them yesterday and agreed on a plan.)

Relationship to other forms: discutirlos can alternate with los discutimos, los voy a discutir, or voy a discutirlos, depending on sentence structure and emphasis. The infinitive or gerund forms with attached pronouns are common in written and spoken Spanish, though placement may vary with tense and mood.

Etymology: discutir derives from Latin discutere, meaning to shake apart or examine, which evolved to the modern sense of discussing or debating.