What does 'se que' mean in this instance

Question

Hi all,

I saw the following saying on a poster on a friend's facebook page, and though I think I understand the whole thing, there are two words in a row, "se que" in the second half, that I don't quite get, and which frankly don't change the meaning if I just ignore them

(which is probably a good indication that I don't really understand after all)

Could someone please check me?

Thanks (and yes, I realize there may be some accent marks missing - I'm just typing what I see directly).

Por que se me ocurrio querer te

si se que no puedo tener te...

Why does it occur to me to love you if __ ____ I can't have you.

That second half would be "if I can't have you" without the se que, but I don't understand what they mean, and what it overall means with those two little words in there.

Thanks for any explanation.

It should also be *quererte* and *tenerte* - diagonx, Jun 25, 2012

This is a perfect example of where accents are crucial to understanding. - --Mariana--, Jun 25, 2012

Thanks. Makes sense now, and it IS a great example. As a beginner, I can get confused pretty easily. - rogspax, Jun 25, 2012

Answer 1

It should read sé que, meaning I know that, that's one of the times when using the tilde would make things easier to understand

And thanks to you too. The key part was me not being clever enough to interpret 'se' as 'sé'. Thanks! - rogspax, Jun 25, 2012

Answer 2

Por qué se me ocurrió quererte

Why did it occur to me to want you....?

si se que no puedo tener te...

I don't understand the second sentence, maybe because the accents are missing?

Edit: Got it if I add accents and correct punctuation.

Yes, I know that I can't have you....

Sí, sé que no puedo tenerte

Could that last part be "i sé que no puedo tenerte" "if I know that I can't have you" ??? I think that would fit best, no? - rogspax, Jun 25, 2012

I think the same... 'si sé que...' - NikkiLR, Jun 25, 2012

Answer 3

To put the sí before the sé que gives the sentence an extra emphatic meaning it is like saying I know so well that I can't have you. It is known as the emphatic "sí" e.g. Maria sabe como tocar el piano. Maria can play the piano. Maria sí sabe como tocar el piano. Maria really does know how to play the piano. In other words she is a really good piano player.

Nice addition, Ken. I did not know that one. - katydew, Jun 25, 2012

Thanks. I know of few of those little flavoring particles, some for emphasis, in German, but haven't run into them (and/or was not equipped to recognize them) in Spanish. Muchas Gracias. - rogspax, Jun 25, 2012

Answer 4

OK, it seems I did manage to stumble upon a good example of why accents matter (not that I wasn´t already convinced), so I´m going to try to post the link here now.

It´s kind of funny that although I knew there were probably accent mark issues (I was thinking of ocurrió and por qué) it didn´t even occur to me that the second se was in play too. Funny what the mind misses.

Answer 5

Why did it occur to me that I want you when I [already] know that I can't have you?

Answer 6

To me this looks like

¿Por qué se me ocurrió quererte si sé que no puedo tenerte?

Why did I think of loving you if I know I that cannot have you?