se te antojo ? (sp?)
OK, I was speaking with a few few natives this evening just a bit, and ran into a phrase I hadn´t heard before, and which in the loud environment, I couldn´t quite make out.
The phrase was something (approximately) like. Se me antojo ... and was originally asked of me in the form (I think) of Se te antojo...(in this case, un Tequila).
I gather it was a bit like ¨Tengo ganas¨, but was not quite sure, either in meaning, and certainly not in my spelling or hearing..
So, if anyone has any corrections for what I thought I heard, and also any insight as to whether this would be (assuming I understood the gist at all) stronger than, similar to, or weaker than ¨tener ganas¨, I´d be much obliged.
Thanks Roger
4 Answers
Wow. I thought so far that the verb "antojar" was universally known, but I looked for it in three English-Spanish dictionaries on line (including SD) and didn't find it.
It means "to like something (1) to eat or drink" or "to have a desire of something (1)", or more simply "to wish" or "to desire" something to eat or drink, or even anything which you don't necessarily need. It is a synonym of "apetecer".
A practical example: We use to say that pregnant women have so many whims. "Las mujeres embarazadas experimentan mucho antojo", using "antojo" as a noun.
According to RAE:
Antojar: 1. prnl. Dicho de una cosa: Hacerse objeto de vehemente deseo, especialmente si es por puro capricho. "Se me antojó una flor". "No hace más que lo que se le antoja".
So, "¿Se te antoja?" means the same than "¿Te apetece?". Maybe you heard "¿Se te antoja?", because "¿Se te antojo?" doesn't make sense, although "¿Se te antojó?" could make sense. Notice that it would be funny that you said "Tengo (un) antojo", because it would imply that you are pregnant, since that noun in singular is mostly (but not only) used in those cases.
(1) Something which you really don't need, that's why I don't use "want" (to want something to eat).
Se me antoja. (present)
Se me antojó ( past)
and other tenses.
The verb is "antojar". This verb comes from the noun "antojo". Antojo is a typical word for what pregnant women have. LOL If they crave or want a strawberry at 3 o'clock in the morning, her husband must get one or else the baby will have a strawberry mark in his/her skin when he/she is born. LOL.
So " antojar" is like wanting something, craving but without any rational reason. Just because.
Se me antoja tomar una cerveza.
Se te antoja tomar una Coca.
Se le antoja comer una golosina.
Se nos antoja ir a la playa.
Se les antoja ir a nadar.
etc.
Maybe a little stronger that "tener ganas" but mostly it's a "capricho", "whim", " caprice",
I really don't understand the se te part myself. I know se lo and se la but se te???
I was given the following examples by a native speaker, but I don't really understand what those pronouns are doing
Se te antoja ir a la fiesta?/ do you feel like going to the party? Se te cayó una moneda / you dropped a coin Se te olvidó recoger la lavandería / you forgot to pick up the laundry
I am trying to get a more direct translation. What about these? Se te antoja ir a la fiesta?/ does it feel to you - to go to the party (I know this isn't right in English) Se te cayó una moneda / A coin dropped from you Se te olvidó recoger la lavandería / The laundry is forgotten from you
I know those aren't good translations, I just am trying to get a bit closer...
Well, it sounds a lot like ¨crave¨ then, right down to being used often by the expectant. So, I gather it expresses a very strong desire? More than ´´tener ganas´´?
In this case, I don´t quite understand the ´se te´ construction, even though I¨m familiar with it in things like ¨se me olvidó¨
Also, I think the ¨se te antojo¨ was initially someone asking me a question (specifically, a shot of tequila on the house, which in my confusion of the verb, very nearly accidentally declined). ¡Qué terrible! Does it make sense in that context?
thanks roger
