probarlo

Probarlo is a Spanish verbal construction formed by the infinitive provar along with the direct object pronoun lo. It translates roughly as “to try it” or “to test it” and is used when the object being tried has been mentioned or is understood from context.

Grammatical use and examples: Probarlo indicates attempting or testing a masculine singular object. Common sentences include: “Quiero probarlo” (I want to try it), “Voy a probarlo” (I am going to try it), and in negative or interrogative forms, “¿Lo pruebas?” (Do you try it?). The pronoun lo can refer to a masculine noun (el producto, el experimento) or to a neutral idea previously stated. The pronoun may also be attached to an infinitive or appear before a conjugated verb, as in “Lo voy a probar” or “Voy a probarlo.”

Variations and related forms: For feminine objects, the pronoun changes to la (probarla). For plural objects, use los or las (probarlos, probarlas). The gerund form is probándolo (masculine) or probándola (feminine) when describing an ongoing action. The affirmative tú command is pruébalo, with an accent to maintain the correct stress; the negative form is no lo pruebes. The phrase can also appear in broader contexts such as “probar una idea” (to test an idea) or “probar un producto” (to sample a product).

Origin and usage: Probar comes from Latin probare. In everyday Spanish, probarlo covers tasting, testing, and evaluating both tangible objects and abstract concepts, making it a versatile term in culinary, consumer, scientific, and colloquial speech.