Todos cayeron VS todos se cayeron. Caer VS Caerse again

Question

I really thought I knew this one. Snow falls with caer since it is thought to be something that drops and is expected. Tree falls with caerse since it is expected to not fall and therefore the falling needs the se. (based on a Lazarus talk that I remembered some of and probably have wrong here lol)

So, watching Sesame Street, the baby is playing with her blocks (I know.... what the heck was I watching that for) but she says "AHA, todos cayeron"!! and they fell.

It seems to be it should be "todos se cayeron" or can they really be interchanged arbitrarily? Gracias.

Answer 1

Todos cayeron = Everybody fell (for it)

Todos se cayeron = Everyone fell

The first one can mean both, the second one only point that everyone hit the floor, period.

Answer 2

So, watching Sesame Street, the baby is playing with her blocks (I know.... what the heck was I watching that for) but she says "AHA, todos cayeron"!! and they fell.

Here is my understanding as to why caer is used here instead of caerse. Since caer deals with falling from a higher to a lower place due to gravity, and caerse is going from an upright position to one where someone or something ends up on the floor, then caer is indeed the appropriate choice, since the blocks are in a position higher than the floor and fell towards it because of gravity. Now if you are referring to the structure made up of those blocks, and it went from upright to scattered on the floor, then you should use caerse (the structure fell down/collapsed: se cayó, not se cayeron).

Todos al suelo, but your response makes me wonder if there is a way with caer?

I'm familiar and have heard "¡Cáiganse!" before.

Answer 3

Maybe she used it because while stacking blocks at some point they would be expected to fall.

Now that is a good thought. ;) - jeezzle, Aug 14, 2011

Answer 4

I think you're right about the reflexive form used to show unexpected or accidental falling but I don't think it has to be used, it's just a way of putting emphasis on the fact that it was unexpected or accidental - the regular form can also work

Caer vs Caerse

Answer 5

Is it possible that since she is a baby (or small child), she isn't supposed to be correct? I mean, since she is a small child, she has yet to fully understand the difference?

For example, on English-speaking shows, the baby or infant might be babbling nonsensically, but since they're cute, it's ok.

Yeah I thought that too, maybe it was cute that she wasn't correct or maybe she really didn't know the difference, she was only 3 after all. - jeezzle, Aug 14, 2011

Answer 6

The first one can mean both, the second one only point that everyone hit the floor, period.

OK Chileno (gracias por su respuesta) you've made me wonder something else now.

Let's say I was robbing a bank.

How would I say "Everybody get down"? Everyone on the floor?

Gracias.

Todos al suelo, but your response makes me wonder if there is a way with caer?

Gracias.