ordenarlo

Ordenarlo is a Spanish verb phrase formed by the verb ordenar in its infinitive form followed by the masculine singular direct object pronoun lo. It means to sort, arrange, or put in order that item. The pronoun lo refers to a noun that has already been mentioned and is masculine singular; with feminine or plural objects the pronouns would be la, las, or los (e.g., ordenarla, ordenarlos).

The phrase is used across tenses with auxiliary verbs: voy a ordenarlo (I’m going to sort it), ya lo ordené (I already sorted it), necesito ordenarlo (I need to sort it). Semantically, ordenar covers tidying a physical space, organizing or classifying information, and arranging items according to a criterion, such as ordenar los papeles, ordenar la lista por fecha, or ordenar el inventario.

Etymology and related terms: ordenar comes from Latin ordinare, sharing a root with order and organization concepts found in Spanish. Related verbs include organizar and clasificar, which convey similar notions of arranging or systematizing. The sense of giving commands is also represented by ordenar in other forms (for example, the imperative ordénalo ‘sort it’), but that imperative form is distinct from the infinitive with a clitic pronoun.

In usage, the choice between ordenar, organizar, and clasificar depends on nuance: ordenar emphasizes putting in a specific order, while organizar is broader and may stress overall arrangement or management. See also ordenar la información, clasificar los datos, and ordenar por criterio for common contexts.