Úsalos

Úsalos is a Spanish phrase that means “use them.” It is formed by the verb usar in the second-person singular affirmative imperative combined with the direct object pronoun los, which refers to masculine plural nouns previously mentioned or understood. The phrase is commonly used to give a direct instruction to someone to make use of multiple items.

Pronunciation and orthography: In affirmative tú commands that attach a pronoun, the stress is kept on the base verb, so the word is written with an accent on the initial syllable: úsalos. This accent helps preserve the proper pronunciation when the clitic pronoun is attached. When capitalized at the start of a sentence or in a title, it is written as Úsalos.

Usage contexts: Úsalos appears in instructions, manuals, advertisements, packaging, and everyday speech where a speaker wants another person to employ a set of items. Examples include: “Tenemos varios destornilladores; úsalos para atornillar.” or “Úsalos con cuidado.” The masculine plural form corresponds to masculine or mixed gender groups of objects; feminine counterparts exist (úselas) for feminine plural objects.

Variants and related forms: For feminine plural objects the form is úsalas. For formal address (usted), the corresponding forms are úselo (masculine singular), úsela (feminine singular), úselos (masculine plural), and úselas (feminine plural). The negative forms use different conjugations, e.g., no los uses for tú or no los use for usted.

See also: Spanish imperative mood, clitic pronouns, object pronouns, usage in instruction and advertising.