Se me alegra la nota

Question

The note makes me happy, why is the se there? I know it's alegrarse for "me alegro de verte" etc..... but also that "me alegra verte" works without the se, why is it needed here? Gracias.

Answer 1

"Se me" beause something is being done to me by some unknown, tacit subject:

Se me enfría el café - my coffee is growing cold: it is my coffee and it is being caused to go cold (As opposed to el café se enfría, or estoy permitiendo que el café se enfríe).

Se me cayó el lápiz: I dropped the pencil: It is my pencil and it was caused to fall from me (as opposed to el lápiz se cayó, or tiré el lápiz).

La nota can be taken to mean, in this case: feeling, mood.

Qué buena nota: what a good feeling! I'm happy!

Me dió una mala nota: It gave me a bad feeling.

Me alegra la nota: gives me a happy feeling, cheers me up.

Se me alegra la nota: "My mood is being made cheerful" - this is causing me to feel happy.

Answer 2

So alegrarse la nota just means, it makes me happy - and the "la nota" doesn't have any significance other than to emphasize the happiness? And that's only for Mexico and Latin American countries? Gracias de antemano.

Jeezzle

Mexico is a Latin American country too. "La nota" doesn't have a specific meaning in this case. You can say: Me alegras la vida to be more specific. - Av41500803, Oct 3, 2010

Answer 3

I spent a few hours talking on Skype this morning talking with my friend Norma in Guanajuato. She never heard this phrase used int the sense you gave, "You make me happy."

Maybe the original was literally the note/grade/sound (of music) makes me happy? That's the only way it means something, at least in Mexico.

J

Answer 4

La nota means that it shows, the happiness shows.

Estoy cansado y por eso voy a acostarme, buenas noches. - kenwilliams, Oct 3, 2010

Answer 5

Nota in spanish is "note". Since it is feminine, the "la" proceeds it.

carmot, do you actually know what I am asking? - 00494d19, Oct 3, 2010

I think she was asking whether it meant, note or grade. la nota has more than one translation. - bornconfused, Oct 3, 2010

Answer 6

What is the meaning of la nota here, Av?

In this case la nota doesn't have the meaning that you already know. As I told you before it is just an expresion - Av41500803, Oct 3, 2010

According to the dictionary, la nota can be used for "mood" in some cases. - KevinB, Oct 3, 2010

Answer 7

It is an expresion in some Latin American countries. When something or somebody makes you happy you say: You make happy. (Tu me alegras la nota).

Answer 8

Video lesson 3.12 at minute 9:30 explains "se me" as an unexpected event that happened to me. A mi me pongo muy confusa con "se me. "

Answer 9

"me alegra verte" works without the se, why is it needed here?

You already have me and te, so I don't think you can add a third object pronoun.