Morrir vs. Morrirse

Question

Hola! When would be the right time to use morrir vs the reflexive morrirse? Do they have different meanings?

In this sentence, which would be correct:

"Todas las noches, se recuerdan todos que (se) murieron en el ataque entre las otras tribus".

And while we are at it, what is the difference between recordarse and recordar?

Thanks so much!

Answer 1

Before answering, the verb is written with just one R.

Anyway, the difference between both verbs is still being debated among linguistic Spanish specialists, which means that no one can really explain it completely satisfactorily. In this case, "se murieron" during the attack suggests that the deaths might have happened while they were being attacked, but not because the attack itself, but maybe because of a heart attack or because they were too old, god knows. With "murieron", it is assumed that their deaths were due to the attack itself.

By the way, "se recuerdan todos que..." means "they all remind each other that..."

Answer 2

You use the reflexive tense when the object is the same as the subject:

There is no "reflexive tense", and "morirse" is not reflexive because it doesn't even have an object.

Morirse is considered pronomial, right? Good to see you around, by the way. - KevinB, Feb 4, 2012

Yes, Kevin, it is pronominal, but regardless of what you call it, it is a verb without objects (intransitive), so any explanation involving objects is simply wrong. - lazarus1907, Feb 4, 2012

Answer 3

You use the reflexive tense when the object is the same as the subject:

Examples can be found in the dictionary for morir: morirse por algo -> to be dying for something morirse de algo --> to die of something por poco me muero --> I nearly died morirse ---> to die for

The reflexive form of recordar is less common. One example given is (S. Cone) (México) (familiar) (despertar) to wake up

which seems to be a regional equivalent to the more common despertar.

Another interesting question is the difference between recordar and acordar de.