enfrentar vs enfrentarse
Curious to know why it is se enfrenta instead of enfrenta in the second sentence: "El capitán Michael Roberts identificó a la mujer como Megan Huntsman. No estaba inmediatamente claro por qué se enfrenta a seis y no a siete cargos de asesinato."
No estaba inmediatamente claro por qué se enfrenta a seis y no a siete cargos de asesinato. It was not immediately clear why she faces 6 and not seven charges of murder.
The se doesn't appear to passive, impersonal, reflexive, or de-transitive. Pronominal appears to be the last alternative but unsure what makes enfrentar unique from enfrentarse.
As always, thanks in advance for any insights.
3 Answers
Both verbs could have been used in the example you have provided. But the reflexive verb has been chosen by the author to clearly signify a "confrontation", i.e. something with which one has to do battle with or fight against. Had the non-reflexive version been used in describing the plot, a less combative, less dramatic sense of the conflict might have been created in the mind of the reader, which is not what was desired by the author.
The usage of enfrentar and enfrentarse is much more related with the ' degree of mandatoriness', this is, with something that someone/somewhat needs to do in order to accomplish something else or to comply a rule, a duty, a law or similar.
*Mañana mi equipo va a enfrentar a Atlético Minheiro. ( A ) *Mañana mi equipo tendrá que enfrentarse contra Atlético Minheiro. ( B )
So, in ( A ), I'm referring something in a simple way, this is, my favorite team's next match.
In ( B ), just by the fact of using " enfrentarse a ", I'm trying to specify something my favorite team has to do in order to " remain alive ", in order to " avoid elimination " in the tournament.
However, you can also use enfrentar and enfrentarse in a " synonymic " way, BUT:
*Mañana mi equipo va a enfrentar a Atlético Minheiro. ( C ) *Mañana mi equipo va a enfrentarse a Atlético Minheiro. ( D )
If you say ( D ) instead of ( C ), then well... your listeners will assume that it's something you dont care too much.
Regards.
The verb enfrentarse is correct in the context of the second sentence. The person is faced with 7 not six counts of murder. In the English section to be faced with is translated as enfrentarse The action is happening to her , which appears to me to be passive (I am no expert in grammar) but she is not instigating the action except in so much as she carried out the murder and is having to face the consequences! Someone else is bringing the charges (active) but she is facing the charges (which would appear to be passive)
Enfrentarse is listed in the Spanish section of my Oxford Spanish Dictionary (4th edn) as a pronominal verb.
I have to be totally honest that I am not sure whether enfrentarse is needed because the passive form is being used in this sentence or for some other reason. It would appear not to be used in a reflexive way (at least not one like it that I have ever come across before) because reflexive endings are usually used to indicate that the person is doing the action to them...self/selves which is obviously not the case here! She is being charged; she is not charging herself with counts of murder; I mean, what sane person would incriminate themself in such a way?!)
Looking at the sentence once more: "No estaba inmediatamente claro por qué se enfrenta a seis y no a siete cargos de asesinato. It was not immediately clear why she faces 6 and not seven charges of murder."
It seems to me, if I am not completely wrong, that she herself faces the charges so the 'se' here may be being used here simply for emphasis, to show to whom the charges refer. I am open to correction as always, and could be completely wrng about the reason/s for the use of this verb: enfrentarse.
I await with interest the comments by the natives here and other grammar experts.
