Why an extra "pronoun"

Question

Hi, why is it necessary to say,"cuando se le metió un virus en la computadora" I think it means, " when a virus entered the computer" is the "le" necessary? i would translate it as "when a virus entered itself into the computer" that takes care of the "se" so why the"le"?

Answer 1

"cuando se le metió un virus en la computadora"

I don't have the context, so it is hard to say.

Personally the way I would interpret it is:

se metió- inserted itself- true pronominal se.

le- on him/her (prior unnamed party that was affected by the action, who this happened to).

When a virus inserted itself in the computer on him/her.

I am a learner as well, I could be wrong in this, please await other input.

Thankyou - maglet, Nov 28, 2016

De nada. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 28, 2016

Answer 2

I think Bosque is correct. Here's a similar example from Collins that takes it one step further than directing the action on to someone by applying it to their possessed item:

Se me metió una avispa en el coche - A wasp got into my car

Which would give us:

Cuando se le metió un virus en la computadora - When a virus got into his/her/your computer

Honestly as I think about it, I cannot be absolutely sure whether it has to be his computer, or simply a computer he was using. I did forget the you option. I also don't know for sure that it is pronominal or passive se- - bosquederoble, Nov 29, 2016

Whether to virus was inserted or inserted itself. But I often read passive se as pronominal anyway. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 29, 2016

Say the context was: I lent him my computer and he was using it when a virus got into the computer on him. - bosquederoble, Nov 29, 2016

Tha almost sounds like the se of se le olvidó algo or se le cayó algo- it happened on them, without assigning blame really. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 29, 2016

My comments are meant to be questions, not statements of fact. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 29, 2016

muchas gracias. - maglet, Nov 29, 2016

Re passive "se" vs pronominal I think you are right Bosque and it can often just come down to perspective. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but for example: Se corta el dedo - He cuts his finger. Se corta el tomate - The tomato is cut. - jellonz, Nov 29, 2016

Same structure, different voices. So: The virus is inserted ... or ... The virus gets into. Either seems to work. Re the possessive again it could be ambiguous / contextual I guess, but I do like natural English translations when they seem to work :) - jellonz, Nov 29, 2016

I'm guessing a comprehensive translation of the alternative would be something like "A virus got / was inserted into the computer he/she/you was/were using." - jellonz, Nov 29, 2016

Yes, there is a reason I started with that without the context it is hard to say for sure. In the more common context your original suggestion is perfect I think, and I actually had considered putting it that way. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 29, 2016