why use reflexive SE in this sentence

Question

Le pegaba, se burlaba de él y siempre le robaba la comida o el sandwich.

In the above sentence, what i don't understand is why use the reflexive SE? why not use le instead of se? can it be Le pegaba, le burlaba.....? doesn't the sentence mean he hit him and made fun of him in English?

Thanks a lot

I am closing this post because the member refuses to answer me and keeps asking the same question. - ray76, Nov 25, 2015

Answer 1

This word is a Personal Pronoun. I will say the same thing in another way and I hope you understand a little bit:

Se burlaba de él = Él se burlaba de él.

It means the same... In spanish we don't always have to use the Personal Pronoun, in fact, it is usually omitted for not repeating it as you can see in the example. "Él se burlaba de él."

You can simply say: Se burlaba de él.

Answer 2

They don't mean the same transitively and pronominally, it changes a bit, although subtlely.

If you want make fun of, or mock, rather than trick, decieve it it burlarse de alguien.

http://dle.rae.es/?w=burlar&o=h

1. tr. Chasquear, zumbar. U. m. c. prnl.
2. tr. engañar (? hacer creer que algo falso es verdadero).
3. tr. Esquivar a quien va a impedir el paso o a detenerlo.
4. tr. Frustrar, desvanecer la esperanza, el deseo, etc., de alguien.
5. tr. Seducir con engaño a una mujer.
6. tr. Taurom. Esquivar la acometida del toro.
7. prnl. Hacer burla de alguien o algo. U. t. c. intr.

http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/burlar

burlar

TRANSITIVE VERB

1 (engañar) [+persona] to deceive; trick; [+enemigo] to outwit; [+vigilancia] to defeat; [+bloqueo] to run

2 (frustrar) [+ambición, plan] to thwart; frustrate; [+esperanzas] to ruin; frustrate

3 (seducir) to seduce

4 (saber usar) to know how to use; be able to handle ya burla la moto she can handle the bike now (familiar)

PRONOMINAL VERB

burlarse

1 (bromear) to joke; banter yo no me burlo I'm serious; I'm not joking

2 burlarse de algn to mock sb; make fun of sb