What are the differences between comerse y comer?

Question

Diego va a comerse una manzana.

Diego va a comer una manzana.

Aren't they the same?

What smalleye said... - afowen, Mar 30, 2012

Answer 1

the "se" is used for emphasis in the above sentence. "comer" and "comerse" roughly have the same meaning. Its something like saying "eat" and "eat up".

Diego va a comerse una manzana. Diego is going to EAT UP an apple.

Diego va a comer una manzana. Diego is going to EAT an apple.

Hope that helped. saludos.

Please remember to use proper capitalization! - rac1, Mar 30, 2012

Answer 2

From a Spanish grammar textbook (The Ultimate SPANISH Review and Practice), page 103:

Certain verbs are made reflexive to stress participation by the subject or to convey an intensification of the action.

Compré un coche. I bought a car. Me compré un coche. I bought (myself) a car.

Leo comió los pasteles. Leo ate the pastries. Leo se comió los pasteles. Leo gobbled up the pastries.

that book is one of my favorite Spanish textbooks. - Sassette, Jul 3, 2015

I'm always thinking about what the future will be like. I wonder how things will be 3 years down the road in 2015 :) - Sassette, Jul 3, 2015

Good examples! - 005faa61, Jul 3, 2015

Answer 3

'Comer' can be both transitive and intransitive verb:

Diego va a comer. (intr.) Diego va a comer una manzana. (tr.)