Que vs. lo que

[laepelba]

The English sentence: I should tell you (Ud.) what happened.

I wrote: Le debiera decir lo que pasó.

The book's answer: Debiera decirle que pasó.

I understand the pronombre enclítico, but am wondering about the word "lo". Is it okay where I wrote it? Or do I have the wrong understanding of it's use?

Thank you!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

The English sentence: I should tell you (Ud.) what happened.

I wrote: Le debiera decir lo que pasó.

The book's answer: Debiera decirle que pasó.

I understand the pronombre enclítico, but am wondering about the word "lo". Is it okay where I wrote it? Or do I have the wrong understanding of it's use?

Thank you!

For me the book's choice is ambiguous, as it should translate also to "I should tell you that happened"

Do I make sense?

"lo que" = what in this case.

[laepelba]

So what I wrote is wrong? Or right?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

So what I wrote is wrong? Or right?

Sorry, I meant to to state that you are more than right.

[laepelba]

Thanks! I use "lo que" a lot, and want to make sure that I'm not mis-using it....

[Rusty]

What you wrote is fine.
Both sentences mean the same thing.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Rusty

What you wrote is fine.
Both sentences mean the same thing.

Not exactly. Not to me anyway. The second phrase should also have a "lo" included.

Debiera decirle lo que pasó.

[Rusty]

I totally agree with you, but some speakers omit the pronoun. You can google "decirle lo que pasó" and "decirle qué pasó" and see what I mean. Most people use the pronoun. Notice that I added an accent to the second example, making the middle word a relative pronoun instead of a conjunction (which is what you were trying to teach Lou Ann earlier in this thread). The google hits demonstrate that most people use the pronoun and that those who don't use it don't know that the relative pronoun they used instead needs an accent.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Rusty

I totally agree with you, but some speakers omit the pronoun. You can google "decirle lo que pasó" and "decirle qué pasó" and see what I mean. Most people use the pronoun. Notice that I added an accent to the second example, making the middle word a relative pronoun instead of a conjunction (which is what you were trying to teach Lou Ann earlier in this thread). The google hits demonstrate that most people use the pronoun and that those who don't use it don't know that the relative pronoun they used instead needs an accent.

Got it.

[laepelba]

So is it like the difference between "...what happened" and "...that which happened" in English? Both equally acceptable, but different use of relative pronouns?