Why is "se me olvido el libro" correct, but "se me gusta el libro" not?

Question

Reflexive giving me trouble. Some reflexives like vistirse involve action by a speaker or other person, hence, "yo me visto, I dress myself." Others turn the object of a sentence into the subject, hence "I forgot the book" becomes "The book forgot itself to me" or in Spanish. "Se me olvido el libro." But verbs like gustar and alegrar do not seem to fit either pattern. It is not correct to say "Yo gusto el libro' for "I like the book.", but rather "Me gusta el libro.", meaning literally "The book likes me." But the reflexive clitic "se" is not used. Is there a rule for these constructions?

Answer 1

I think the literal translation for "Me gusta el libro" is "The book is pleasing to me". I don't know the answer to your question, but I am very interested to see what the answer is.

• I think you're right: gustar is defined as " to please, to be liked" and is not shown to be a reflexive verb. - pradcliff Jan 10, 2010

Answer 2

Bienvenido a SpanishDict, pradcliff!

Susan has helped you head in the right direction. "Me gusta el libro" is 'The book pleases me.' But in your other sentence "se me olvido el libro" I think you may be missing an accent mark.

You could say "Olvido el libro." which is "I forget (I'm forgetting) the book."

Or you could say "Se me olvidó el libro." which is past tense: "I forgot the book." This is a common way to express it, although the literal translation would be "The book was forgotten to me."

Another way would be "Me olvido del libro." And this would be "I forget about the book." as in 'I put it out of my mind.'

Hopefully someone else could provide an answer to confirm this (or prove this wrong) but I don't think it is grammatical to say "Se me olvido el libro." (without a final accented "ó" on 'olvido'.)

I hope that helps, and we look forward to seeing you around on the Forum!

• Thanks. "olvido' was intended to be past tense. This has all helped a lot. but I think my problem was that "gustar' is an intransitive verb and not reflexive - pradcliff Jan 11, 2010
• ¡Una buena respuesta!:) - FELIZ77 Jun 29, 2011

Answer 3

Hi qfreed, you are right about the present tense also fits into that construction , but just a slight correction of:

Siempre se me olvido de mi cartera cuando salgo de casa de prisa

My translation of "I always forget my wallet when I leave the house in a hurry" would be:

"Siempre se (me) olvido de mi cartera cuando salgo de casa deprisa"

or you can say:

"Siempre se me olvida de mi cartera cuando salgo de casa de prisa."

• Your last example is exactly how this expression is most commonly used. - JulianChivi Jan 10, 2010

Answer 4

but I don't think it is grammatical to say "Se me olvido el libro." (without a final accented "ó" on 'olvido'.)

I see no reason why the present tense of olvidar would not fit into that construction as well as the past tense.

Siempre se me olvido de mi cartera cuando salgo de casa de prisa.

I always forget my wallet when I leave the house in a hurry.

In one of Lazarus' previous threads on the use of "se", he explains that the inclusion of the reflexive pronoun in this context provides a sense of "accidentally" forgot; rather than forgetting something on purpose. (or putting it out of your mind as you mentioned).

• I'd like to see that thread. But in this case the verb is 'olvidarse' not 'olvidar'. For that reason I didn't think using the present tense form for "Yo" was grammatical. Iker seems to be confirming that in his answer below. - chaparrito Jan 10, 2010

Answer 5

If I had forgot the book I would just say: Me he olvidado el libro unless I was referring to a specific time in the past like La semana pasada me olvidé el libro. Last week I forgot the book.

• I have a question about that last sentence. Why is it that it reads the week last I forgot the book? - teresa3101 Jan 10, 2010
• Well that's spanish grammer isn't it. - kenwilliams Jan 10, 2010

Answer 6

but rather "Me gusta el libro.", meaning literally "The book likes me."

Emphatically not the meaning. If your wish to preserve the subject/object syntax of the Spanish then your only choice is "The book pleases me." If you wish to ignore the Spanish syntax and provide, instead, the typical English semantically equivalent expression, then "I like the book." Conveying the same meaning is not the same as using the same syntax/grammar. Translate word-for-word at you peril!

• Exactly! Well said Samdie::) - FELIZ77 Jun 29, 2011

Answer 7

Go back and watch Learn Spanish 3.12. It's pretty clear why you say se me olvidó el libro. You're placing the blame more on the book than on yourself.
http://www.spanishdict.com/learn/show/83

Answer 8

I have heard that referred to as "accidental se" in the idea that what comes after was not intended. Like, se me caí = I accidentally fell down. It just expresses that it was an accident. The book can't exactly be accidentally pleasing to you

Answer 9

"Se me olvidó el libro." which is past tense: "I forgot the book."

I do not understand,, why is this not,,,, Se me olvidé el libro. ???????

olvidó ,,, he/ she / it forgot....????

I am beginner,, but thought I understood the difference in 1st person past tense. and 3rd person past tense.... then I see,,,, the sentence translated as "I forgot" and do not understand....please advise why I am thinking incorrectly..thanks much Gene