Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Grammar

With or without "Se"

 

Grammar questions– conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax, etc.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1
Old April 14, 2014, 05:31 AM
jellybabe jellybabe is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 304
jellybabe is on a distinguished road
With or without "Se"

Why in Spanish do you sometimes use "se" and others not like in the examples below.

"Se me caen los pantalones" "My trousers are falling down"

"Se me bajan las gafas" "My glasses are slipping down"

"Se me ha caído el bolí" "I've dropped the pen"

(All with "se") but in these next sentences it's without se.

"Le está saliendo agua de la mochila" "Water is leaking out of her bag"

"Te arrastra el vestido" "Your dress is dragging on the ground"

"No me gusta cuando el agua me entre en los ojos" I don't like getting water in my eyes"

Why is it not for example "se te arrastra el vestido" because the dress is "doing it to itself"????
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2
Old April 14, 2014, 05:34 AM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,402
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
The first sentences are all examples of the accidental 'se' construct. This is used whenever something happens that is not your fault. Even if it seems to be your fault in the English translation, the accidental 'se' construct is used in Spanish.
Reply With Quote
  #3
Old May 14, 2014, 11:39 AM
jellybabe jellybabe is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 304
jellybabe is on a distinguished road
Thanks but how do you decide if something is accidental in Spanish or not because in my mind, if water is leaking out of you bag or your dress is dragging along the ground, this is accidental!?
Reply With Quote
  #4
Old May 14, 2014, 03:02 PM
Tomisimo's Avatar
Tomisimo Tomisimo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 5,691
Native Language: American English
Tomisimo will become famous soon enoughTomisimo will become famous soon enough
Quote:
Originally Posted by jellybabe View Post
Why in Spanish do you sometimes use "se" and others not like in the examples below.
It depends on the verbs and if they're reflexive or not. That said, I'm not sure if all native speakers will agree that the last three are correct, at least not in all varieties of Spanish.
__________________
If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it!
Reply With Quote
  #5
Old May 14, 2014, 09:01 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,128
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
@Jelly: "Accidental" here means that you have no control over these things that happen. You might find useful this discussion about the uses of "se".


In addition:

"Le está saliendo agua de la mochila" -> The speaker could have used pronominal particles, but it seems he/she preferred an indirect object pronoun (le) to include the person carrying the bag that was leaking water.

With a pronominal particle, the speaker would have used a different structure: "se le está saliendo el agua de la mochila" / "se le está saliendo agua a la mochila", and here it's only the bag involved, not the carrier.


"Te arrastra el vestido" and "se te arrastra el vestido" are expressing the same idea. Many people tend to avoid the emphasis/accident function of "se", because they feel it's colloquial; for me though it's not a matter of correctness, but of personal preference.


"No me gusta cuando el agua me entra en los ojos" -> There is no "se" here, because the pronoun (me) is an indirect object one.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
accidental se, impersonal se, passive voice, reflexive

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Difference between "anotación", "nota" and "apunte"? Manuel Vocabulary 3 October 07, 2013 01:34 AM
"Hacer falta", "faltar" y "necesitar" ratoygato Vocabulary 4 June 18, 2013 12:30 PM
En "courage", Sp "coraje" Old French "corage" pacomartin123 Vocabulary 5 June 29, 2012 06:46 AM
Homework help regarding the words "tener", "venir", "preferir", and "querer" cwlcwlspanish Practice & Homework 8 October 08, 2011 06:20 PM
Verbs like "lavar", "cepillar", y "despertar" laepelba Grammar 9 February 02, 2009 03:01 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:27 AM.

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

X