se te cayó el móvil

Question

Hi!

Can anyone explain basic grammar of this phrase? Apparently the verb is caerse. But, is it possible to say "se cayó el móvil", meaning "the phone fell off", without specifying whose phone?

I'm confused how to see this phrase, either I lost the phone, or the phone has fallen off.

Are there more examples like this?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Thanks for your reply! Is there any Spanish grammar rule about this?

There is!:

Unplanned occurences

I was trying to remember the title of that, thanks. pilipina - pilipina, Feb 9, 2010

Nice link. Lazarus did some previous threads on this usage. - 0074b507, Feb 9, 2010

Answer 2

se is not the reflexive in this sense. Se is reflexive when the action bounces back on the person. "Se cayó", is he,she fell.

"Se" is "it went and fell on you", "se te cayó" is like, "se me olvidó", "se me perdieron", "I went and lost them", a more creative phrase.

It forgot itself to me. It went and fell on me, instead of, "it fell". In Engish, it's like, "my cell phone fell" instead of "it fell", or "it dropped on me". It's more descriptive, but not a reflexive.

Thanks for your reply! Is there any Spanish grammar rule about this? - vanyatka, Feb 9, 2010

Answer 3

Looks like all my Latino friends and I have been incorrectly saying, "¿perdiste tu cartera/dinero?"

No, that is not incorrect. The answer above does not mutually exclude the usage you cite... strange you would think so... - pilipina, Feb 9, 2010

Once again, someone in English could say, I lost my wallet, or I went and lost my wallet, the latter is more descriptive and wordy - pilipina, Feb 9, 2010

Also, unplanned occurrences are used more "in the moment" realizations, not direct questions soliciting facts. - pilipina, Feb 9, 2010

My Latino friends also say, "¿ya comisteS?" talking to one person and I know that is super incorrect. - jaimetayag, Feb 9, 2010

By the way, pilipina, are you from a hispanofilipino family? - jaimetayag, Feb 9, 2010

Hi jaime, read my profile. That would be a long answer as filipinos are not traditionally called hispanic, but they are... - pilipina, Feb 12, 2010

Answer 4

I want to know if it's okay to say "Perdí mis pitillos", "Olvidé la dirección de mi oficina", or do we have to say "se me perdió" & "se me olvidó".

How about "solté mi celular" or does it have to be "se me cayó"?

Sure you can say it that way if you want to take all the blame for it. Using the "se me perdió" construction shifts some of the blame to the object itself (or to outside forces) It's like the difference between saying "It broke on me" and "I broke it". - Goyo, Feb 9, 2010

Watch the video for lesson 3.12. It explains it very well. - Goyo, Feb 9, 2010