Accidental Se ?

Question

While looking up parar I stumbled upon this sentence:

'me parece que se le paró el reloj' / 'It seems to me that your watch has stopped'.

I really didn't/don't understand the "se le" in this sentence, unless it is indeed the accidental se. If so, would it translate to something like " It seems your watch stopped working on you". Confirming my suspicions would help a lot. Thanks !

You are correct, except "me parece" is "It seems to me" - margaretcorwin, May 27, 2011

Answer 1

Your suspicions are correct, however, 'It seems to me that your watch has stopped' and " It seems your watch stopped working on you" mean exactly the same.

"Le" is linking the action of the watch to "you."

If it were a watch in a store for sale, for example, and not connected to anything or anyone, you could say "me parece que se paró el reloj.".... "It seems to me the watch has stopped (itself)."

I agree with you. - LuisCache, May 27, 2011

Yea, I understand they mean the same, I just didn't a less fluid, more word-for-word translation to help me better understand. Thank for the help ! - Politically_Correct1, May 27, 2011

I only see the word "le" as third person... both indirect and direct object pronouns. So, why does "le" mean you? - kyle_hurley, Jul 16, 2012

Answer 2

The verb "parar" normally needs two participants: the "stopper" and the "stopped". In "Paré la película" (I stopped the movie) you have both participants, for example.

Now, if you want to use it with just one participant (e.g. the watch stopped), you generally signal this in Spanish with "se", so "El reloj se paró" (Note: some verbs do not require this 'se').

Call it accidental 'se' if you wish, nearly all "se" redirect the attention from one participant or goal to the subject.

The "le" simply indicates whose clock stopped working or who got affected by it.

So will this type of "Se" always precede a IDOP ? - Politically_Correct1, May 27, 2011

Yes, the order of these pronouns is completely predictable; there are no exceptions in their order. - lazarus1907, May 27, 2011

is this the same with romper - se le rompio? - dewclaw, May 27, 2011

Note: some verbs do not require this 'se'.. how do you know which ones need it and which ones don't? - dewclaw, May 27, 2011

You don't know; you learn them by heart, like with hundreds of verbs in English. - lazarus1907, May 27, 2011

Answer 3

I think the indirect object "le" is needed to tell whose watch stopped working. However, my track record on object proniuns this week has been really bad. . .I expect to be struck by lightning as soon as lazarus posts.

Yes, you are right. - LuisCache, May 27, 2011

haha - dewclaw, May 27, 2011

Answer 4

pararse / se paró

it is reflexive

and the le as far as I know is refering to "you" formal.. like

"it looks like / it seems that your watch stopped working on you."

this is what I think but it maye be wrong so wait for someone more experienced to tell you.

NOTE: pararse is a pronominal verb

Dew

Thanks - Politically_Correct1, May 27, 2011

No, it is not reflexive. - lazarus1907, May 27, 2011

Answer 5

Lorenzo and Julian are right:

"Le" is linking the action of the watch to "you."

I think the indirect object "le" is needed to tell whose watch stopped working.

This sentence: "El reloj se paró" would refer to a public watch, vgr. a watch in a train station, or in a store for sale. Or a clock above a chimeney.

This sentence: "El reloj se le paró" indicates that the watch belongs to someone else, a man or a woman.

Answer 6

Not the 'se ' is a bit of a mystery to me, as the reflexive verb 'pararse' means 'to stop'. It's the use of the pronoun 'le' that seems to me to be typically Spanish . My guess is that it refers to the watch, and is not translated as such in English. ' It looks as if the watch has stopped' or 'The watch seems to have stopped' But let's wait for the resurrection of Lazarus, shall we?

Further research confirmed what others had already discovered: 'le' refers to the owner of the watch. Instead of using a possessive pronoun ( f.i. ... his watch had stopped) this idea is expressed in a different way in the Spanish language. Another example that shows you just can't just translate separate words but that you have to look for a corresponding expression in you own language.

Answer 7

The questioner is correct in his translation. Se paró (stopped itself, talking about the watch). When you place "le" between se and paró, "se le paró", it becomes "stopped itself on you (Ud.)" (the watch stopped itself on you).