No se las podías mirar

Tyrn · #1 June 28, 2020, 03:42 AM

Hi,

Las llamas eran tan brillantes que no se las podías mirar.

What is the place of se in this sentence? Is it really necessary?

**Rusty** · #2 June 28, 2020, 09:35 AM

The use of 'se' is required when expressing an impersonal subject (when no particular person is being referenced). Notice the word 'reference.' It requires a third-person singular form of the verb.
Your sentence has a second-person singular form of the verb. A particular person is being addressed (it's not a reference to a third party). Therefore, it isn't an impersonal reference and 'se' doesn't belong in the sentence.

Tyrn · #3 June 28, 2020, 10:22 AM

So s in podías is probably a typo?

**Rusty** · #4 June 28, 2020, 11:27 AM

Yep.

**AngelicaDeAlquezar** · #5 June 30, 2020, 09:53 PM

I agree. It's definitely a typo.

It's either: "No se las podía mirar" or "no las podías mirar". Both would be correct, but one is an impersonal sentence, the other is talking to "you", the reader.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Mirar	fglorca	Grammar	2	November 20, 2017 01:49 AM
El tren sale a las en punto/ a las menos veinte desde las 8	ROBINDESBOIS	Translations	6	December 02, 2009 07:04 PM
Mirar?	banannamuffin	Vocabulary	20	March 04, 2009 11:11 AM
¿Por qué te estás lavando las manos? -Las tengo sucias.	laepelba	Grammar	4	February 03, 2009 09:46 PM

Ask a Question

No se las podías mirar

This is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish.