rappresentarlo

Rappresentarlo is an Italian verbal form built from the infinitive rappresentare (to represent) plus the clitic pronoun lo, meaning “it” or, in some contexts, “him.” The resulting form literally means “to represent it” or “to represent him,” depending on the gender and number of the direct object. It is commonly used when the object being represented is a thing or a person previously mentioned or understood from context.

Grammatical use and pronoun placement. In Italian, clitic pronouns attach to the infinitive or to other verb forms when the action is expressed in combination with another verb (modal or auxiliary). Thus, you can hear or see forms like rappresentarlo (to represent it) or rappresentandolo (representing it, while doing so). When a second pronoun is added (for example, an indirect object like to him/her), the indirect pronoun precedes the direct pronoun in the clitic cluster, resulting in forms such as rappresentaglielo, rappresentagliela, etc. In sentences with auxiliary or modal verbs, the pronoun cluster often appears attached to the infinitive, but in compound tenses it sits before the auxiliary (l’ho rappresentato).

Etymology and range of meaning. Rappresentare derives from Latin repraesentare, meaning to present or to show. In Italian, the verb covers multiple senses related to representation: to stand for, to depict or portray, to represent a group or position, or to present something to an audience. The attached pronoun form rappedresentarlo is frequent in both spoken and written Italian, especially in concise or formal contexts where the object is clearly identified.

Examples. Devo rappresentarlo al consiglio. (I must represent it to the council.) Rappresentaglielo in tavola è una richiesta del designer. (Represent it to him at the table is the designer’s request.) L’ho rappresentato ieri. (I represented it yesterday.)