De + haber + Condicional Perfecto

Question

I need help from some knowledgeable grammarians, please....... All my spanish professors are on the beach (tut, tut) and I'm here doing exercises in spanish grammar of my own volition.(how sad)

I have 2 phrases to join practising the use of the 'Condicional irreal' thus:-

Pilar fue de vacaciones s México + Se quedó a vivir allí.

The answer is :- De no haberse ido de vacaciones a México, Pilar no se habría quedado a vivir allí.

My question is:- Why is "ir a vacaciones" changed to the reflexive form in the joined sentence? Has there been a printing error somewhere or am I missing a pearl of grammar knowledge.

Could someone throw me a bone here please. I've trawled the net and looked through all my textbooks. ¡No he descubierto nada!

Answer 1

The difference between "haber ido" and "haberse ido" in this sentence is too subtle to be important. Both sentences would be correct.

"Ir" is a verb used when we want others to focus on the destination. "Irse" is a verb that we use when we want to call someone's attention on the fact that the starting location has been left. Although it is by no means essential to use "irse" here, it would be the preferred choice of someone who is concerned about Pilar having left her home, because it stresses the fact the she left.

Just notice that "ir" cannot be used unless there is a known destination to go to, and with "irse" there is absolutely no need to know the destination.

Great answer - patch, Aug 15, 2010

Thanks for that. I could not understand why I should have been wrong in saying " De no haber ido de vacaciones a México........ Now I know it wasn´t completely wrong. - MaureenPeters, Aug 16, 2010

Answer 2

Hi! just a little comment on that last sentence:

"Lo pagé muy bien vomitando haberme comido mucho" hmm isn't right.

I am no language teacher but I am a native speaker. It's just that precisely with comer you wouldn't say "haberME" you would say:

Pagué muy caro haber comido mucho

or in some countries

Lo pagué muy caro el haber comido mucho

You never say haberme comido because that would mean eating yourself. With the other sentence:

De no haberse ido de vacaciones a México... haberse points to HER, specifically, not like any person who goes to Mexico will have that consequence

I would say it is like:

Had she not gone to Mexico on a holiday, Pilar wouldn't have stayed and lived there.

De no haber ido de vacaciones a Mexico...

Were it not for the holiday to Mexico, Pilar wouldn't have stayed and lived there.

You get it? it's like haberSE places herself in the action

Answer 3

Hey, I think it's already ir de vacaciones and when forming it infinitive it's like that for example

No haberte visto me hizo triste

Lo pagé muy bien vomitando haberme comido mucho ( disgusting sentence )

Well I think to underline the subject it's used like that because haber ido doesn't tell you who has gone? But I think I have heard it like that too...I think If the one whom you talk uderstands who you are talking about you don't have to say it... But for me;

haberme comido means : I am the one who did the action.

So , De no haberse ido de vacaciones a México, Pilar no se habría quedado a vivir allí. Here : no haberse ido : Pilar is the one who didn't go...

Well at least I understand it like that... Hope this is helpful for you...