"se le" translation (again!!)

Question

I have read several entries in the forum reference the "se le" combination but they are not helping me understand the use of "le" in the phrase "se le decomisaron" of the sentence below. Since I see no explicit "agent" I presume this is a passive sentence so ...the handgun, cartridge, etc were seized... which accounts for the "se". What is the direct object?

La dependencia precisó que al momento de su captura se le decomisaron un arma corta, un cargador, 421 cartuchos útiles de diferentes calibres, seis mil dosis de cocaína en polvo y dos mil 850 dosis de cocaína en piedra, así como 75 kilos de marihuana y 401 mil 100 pesos.

Thanks in advance...

Answer 1

As you know, the "se" in this case is the passive structure.

Maybe if we take a look at a few other structures it would help. The passive in Spanish is more encompassing than in English.

For example:

"Se cerró la puerta" - The door closed. "Se me cerró la puerta" - The door closed on me, the door closed in my face.

"Se compró la máquina" - The machine was purchased. "Se le compró la máquina" - The machine was purchased from him.

"Se fue todo el dinero" - The money was all gone. "Se nos fue todo el dinero" - The money was all gone from us, we spent all of our money.

Se perdió el hilo de la conversación" - The thread of the conversation (the topic of conversation) was lost. "Se le perdió el hilo de la conversación" - He lost the train of thought of the conversation.

Moving back to your question: " La dependencia precisó que al momento de su captura se le decomisaron un arma corta, un cargador, 421 cartuchos útiles de diferentes calibres, seis mil dosis de cocaína en polvo y dos mil 850 dosis de cocaína en piedra, así como 75 kilos de marihuana y 401 mil 100 pesos."..."...the low caliber weapon, the 421 live ammunition, etc. "were seized from him". The "se" is the "were seized" and the "le" is the "from him".

To answer your direct object question: in this type of structure there is no direct object.

I hope this has helped. Once you see the larger pattern of the sturucture in several examples you will find it more comfortable to recognize as you run across it.

Once again, you have done a great job providing understandable insight with a very confusing construct. Could "le" refer to an inanimate object as in "he was killed by the car"? - cdunn3, Nov 27, 2011

Ooops, that should have been "of a very confusing construct". - cdunn3, Nov 27, 2011

Answer 2

they were seized from him....