No te me vayas

Question

What is this saying? Don't leave me? Why wouldn't it be No me te vayas then, and the translator says "I do not go." I don't get this contruction.

Answer 1

Perhaps it makes more sense to think of it as "Don't leave on me." This kind of construction is used to indicate that a person or thing did something that somehow affected someone else, without actually doing anything directly to them.. if that makes sense?

For example, if I want to say that "My car broke down on me," I might say "Mi coche se me descompuso." If I just say "Mi coche se descompuso," that means simply that my car broke down. If I say "Mi coche me descompuso," well that means my car broke me down. As fun as that sounds, clearly it doesn't make sense. Saying "se me descompuso," I can indicate that not only did my car break down, but it's breaking down affected me, and was unexpected or otherwise adverse.

To go back to the "ir" verb, we can express that someone "up and left on you" by saying "[alguien] se me fue."

Does that make a bit more sense?

It does but it's still wierd, I understand passive construction as in "El libro se me cayo" and "No se te olvidan los perros" but I've never heard it like this. No te (not se) me vayas. Don't leave on me. I guess I sort of get it....cool. - jeezzle, MAR 31, 2010

Answer 2

vayas means you go. te vayas means you leave.

Add the No (No te vayas) and it becomes Don't leave!

Add the Me (No te me vayas) and it becomes Don't leave me!