Se acercaba meaing
Context: Se acercaba la victoria
Meaning from Google Translate: Victory was approaching
Q: Why the use of se? Can we say 'la victoria fue acercando' instead?
Muchas Gracias!
4 Answers
I don't agree that it's an impersonal sentence. The subject is "la victoria", and you can perfectly say "se acercaban las victorias". This change into the plural wouldn't simply be possible if the sentence were impersonal.
Acercarse is a very common pronominal verb, as many others that imply movement such as alejarse, aproximarse, sentarse, arrodillarse, levantarse, etc.
"La victoria fue acercando" is not correct, because acercar itself, without the "se", is transitive so it would require a direct object to make sense.
"La victoria se fue acercando" would be technically correct, but it's not something common to say.
Es una oración impersonal, y por lo tanto requiere "se".
Lo único que podés hacer para modificar la oración es: "La victoria fue acercandose" y también tenes el "se", pero "pegado" al verbo".
It's an impersonal sentence, thus needing the "se".
The only thing you can do to modify or rephrase the sentence is :"La victoria fue acercandose" , but you also need "se", but "attached" to the verb.
I agree with the answer of Hokuten. But will add two points. In English we would say that the victory was approaching, using the gerund. But in Spanish the gerund generally would not be used in this way. I think the imperfect form is correct as it is an action that began in the past and is continuing into the present.
You can say: Nelson se acercó a la victoria. ( Nelson is a random example).
It means the person came nearer to victory, or to danger, or whatever.
