The use of 'se' in this sentence
I'm having a lot of problems with using 'se'. Here's one instance (below) where I never would have known to include it. Can anyone explain a way for me to get this? Perhaps giive me a "time to use 'se'" trigger?!
Se me hace un nudo en la garganta.
7 Answers
Se is used to represent that unknown thing causing the knot. Because without it, it may read like an actual person or thing is giving her the knot in the throat.
That's right!
If one said: "she makes me get a lump in my throat" then would that be "me hace.... un nudo en la garganta"
"Me hace un nudo en la garganta" suggests that there is an omitted subject (él/ella), and it would mean "She makes a lump in my throat". To make someone do something or to make things happen you use "Hacer que" plus a verb in subjunctive.
(Ella) Hace que se me haga un nudo en la garganta.
Like in many other Spanish constructions, people are not the subject of the sentence if they are not performing the action themselves, but the action is having some effect on them. "Gustar" is the prototypical example: things produce an impression on us (good or bad); you don't say things like tomorrow I am going to like this, but the day after tomorrow I am not going to like it. Under these circumstances, in most cases the subject is the thing or person that exerts an effect on us, and the person affected is the indirect object. Something similar happens in English with phrases like "on me" in "Don't die on me", but in Spanish it is much more frequent, and it is not idiomatic or colloquial, but perfectly standard.
Having that in mind, let's analyse the sentence in question, because that "me" is the indirect object that points towards the person who is affected by the main action. The sentence uses the idiom "un nudo en la garganta" (literally, a knot or lump in the throat), which normally uses "hacer" or "formar". The question now is: who or what is making this lump that is affecting this person? Well, nothing in particular, really. It just happens. No direct responsible here. If we say "El nudo en la gargante hace..." we are saying that the lump is doing something, but the lump is not doing anything. The lump itself is being formed somehow. This idea in Spanish is accomplished in most cases by using this SE. "El nudo se forma" means that the lump is being formed, it just happens to grow or appear there. A verb like "haber", which normally requires a direct object (ie. someone does SOMETHING), becomes intransitive (no direct object) with this SE.
Put both things together, and the lump gets formed with "se forma", and that "me" indicated who is being affected by that formation.
Lazarus, thank you!
I think I get it.
Se is used to represent that unknown thing causing the knot. Because without it, it may read like an actual person or thing is giving her the knot in the throat. (even though that may not be possible, just for example sake, I'm sticking with it).
If one said: "she makes me get a lump in my throat" then would that be "me hace.... un nudo en la garganta" (I don't know how to say all of it). Or maybe she makes my throat lump etc.
Is that at all right?
Only "me hace un nudo en la garganta", a native speaker think , Who?, he,she, ... ,but never i think is me, "hace"->el hace.
"Se" tell me i am, i received the action/relation of "hace". The long enunciate: "se me hace a mi un nudo en la garganta"
Hey, in this case se is a little bit different than usual.
For example;
¡Lo siento! Se me cayó de la mano de repente...
*I'm sorry! Suddenly I dropped it...
"hacersele" it means something has happened and has a relativity with someone but it wasn't intentional...
"Se le murió el gato..Pobrecito.... No estaba en la casa y se le olvidó de que el gato tenía hambre...
It means he killed the cat by forgetting to feed him, but it wasn't deliberate, and also se le olvidó : olvidarsele is a way to excuse easily.... You never forget to do something intentionally , do you? So, you can also say it without a se but when you use it, you do mean that you totally forgot about it...
another example;
¡Se me picaron la pobre hija los mosquitos!
It means you couldn't take care of her so they bit her... 
I hope this helps you..
Have you checked the dictionary? There's a similar sentence included from phrasebook:
Idiom
He got a lump in his throat.
Se le hizo un nudo en la garganta
That "se" is used to say that the lump emerged (reflexive verb).
Pronombre reflexivo
singular masculino ; himself....he's washing...se esta lavando (se lava) singular femenino; herself....she's washing...se esta lavando (se lava) plural; themselves; they are washing...se estan lavando (se lavan) reciproco; each other,one another; no se hablan ....they don't speak dativo; he has or she has...se compro un sombrero...he has bought a hat for himself
tambien...pronombre personal que corresponde a le,les se lo quito...he snatched it from her
y mis favoritos.... ¡siente-se!....sit down! ¡aligere-se¡...hurry up!
Hope this helps!
