[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-lucide:chevron-down":3,"i-lucide:type":8,"i-lucide:languages":10,"i-lucide:layers":12,"i-lucide:menu":14,"i-lucide:house":16,"i-lucide:chevron-right":18,"i-lucide:list-ordered":20,"i-lucide:book-open":22,"i-lucide:library-big":24,"i-lucide:book-open-text":26,"i-lucide:graduation-cap":28,"i-lucide:case-sensitive":30,"i-lucide:gamepad-2":32,"i-lucide:presentation":34,"i-simple-icons:mastodon":36,"i-simple-icons:bluesky":38,"i-simple-icons:x":40,"i-simple-icons:linkedin":42,"grammar-spanish-se-unplanned-events":45,"grammar-verbs-spanish-se-unplanned-events":678,"i-lucide:download":679,"i-lucide:folder-down":681},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,24,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m6 9l6 6l6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":9},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 4v16M4 7V5a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h14a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v2M9 20h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":11},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m5 8l6 6m-7 0l6-6l2-3M2 5h12M7 2h1m14 20l-5-10l-5 10m2-4h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":13},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12.83 2.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 6.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.83l8.58 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0l8.58-3.9a1 1 0 0 0 0-1.83z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 12a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 12\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 17a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 17\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":15},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M4 5h16M4 12h16M4 19h16\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M15 21v-8a1 1 0 0 0-1-1h-4a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v8\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M3 10a2 2 0 0 1 .709-1.528l7-6a2 2 0 0 1 2.582 0l7 6A2 2 0 0 1 21 10v9a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m9 18l6-6l-6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":21},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 5h10m-10 7h10m-10 7h10M4 4h1v5M4 9h2m.5 11H3.4c0-1 2.6-1.925 2.6-3.5a1.5 1.5 0 0 0-2.6-1.02\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":23},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m-9-3a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":25},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"8\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"1\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M7 3v18m13.4-2.1c.2.5-.1 1.1-.6 1.3l-1.9.7c-.5.2-1.1-.1-1.3-.6L11.1 5.1c-.2-.5.1-1.1.6-1.3l1.9-.7c.5-.2 1.1.1 1.3.6Z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":27},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m4-9h2m-2-4h2M3 18a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3zm3-6h2M6 8h2\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":29},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M21.42 10.922a1 1 0 0 0-.019-1.838L12.83 5.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 9.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.832l8.57 3.908a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0zM22 10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M6 12.5V16a6 3 0 0 0 12 0v-3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":31},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"m2 16l4.039-9.69a.5.5 0 0 1 .923 0L11 16m11-7v7M3.304 13h6.392\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"18.5\" cy=\"12.5\" r=\"3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":33},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M6 11h4M8 9v4m7-1h.01M18 10h.01m-.69-5H6.68a4 4 0 0 0-3.978 3.59l-.017.152C2.604 9.416 2 14.456 2 16a3 3 0 0 0 3 3c1 0 1.5-.5 2-1l1.414-1.414A2 2 0 0 1 9.828 16h4.344a2 2 0 0 1 1.414.586L17 18c.5.5 1 1 2 1a3 3 0 0 0 3-3c0-1.545-.604-6.584-.685-7.258q-.01-.075-.017-.151A4 4 0 0 0 17.32 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":35},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M2 3h20m-1 0v11a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2V3m4 18l5-5l5 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":37},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M23.268 5.313c-.35-2.578-2.617-4.61-5.304-5.004C17.51.242 15.792 0 11.813 0h-.03c-3.98 0-4.835.242-5.288.309C3.882.692 1.496 2.518.917 5.127C.64 6.412.61 7.837.661 9.143c.074 1.874.088 3.745.26 5.611c.118 1.24.325 2.47.62 3.68c.55 2.237 2.777 4.098 4.96 4.857c2.336.792 4.849.923 7.256.38q.398-.092.786-.213c.585-.184 1.27-.39 1.774-.753a.06.06 0 0 0 .023-.043v-1.809a.05.05 0 0 0-.02-.041a.05.05 0 0 0-.046-.01a20.3 20.3 0 0 1-4.709.545c-2.73 0-3.463-1.284-3.674-1.818a5.6 5.6 0 0 1-.319-1.433a.053.053 0 0 1 .066-.054c1.517.363 3.072.546 4.632.546c.376 0 .75 0 1.125-.01c1.57-.044 3.224-.124 4.768-.422q.059-.011.11-.024c2.435-.464 4.753-1.92 4.989-5.604c.008-.145.03-1.52.03-1.67c.002-.512.167-3.63-.024-5.545m-3.748 9.195h-2.561V8.29c0-1.309-.55-1.976-1.67-1.976c-1.23 0-1.846.79-1.846 2.35v3.403h-2.546V8.663c0-1.56-.617-2.35-1.848-2.35c-1.112 0-1.668.668-1.67 1.977v6.218H4.822V8.102q0-1.965 1.011-3.12c.696-.77 1.608-1.164 2.74-1.164c1.311 0 2.302.5 2.962 1.498l.638 1.06l.638-1.06c.66-.999 1.65-1.498 2.96-1.498c1.13 0 2.043.395 2.74 1.164q1.012 1.155 1.012 3.12z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":39},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M5.202 2.857C7.954 4.922 10.913 9.11 12 11.358c1.087-2.247 4.046-6.436 6.798-8.501C20.783 1.366 24 .213 24 3.883c0 .732-.42 6.156-.667 7.037c-.856 3.061-3.978 3.842-6.755 3.37c4.854.826 6.089 3.562 3.422 6.299c-5.065 5.196-7.28-1.304-7.847-2.97c-.104-.305-.152-.448-.153-.327c0-.121-.05.022-.153.327c-.568 1.666-2.782 8.166-7.847 2.97c-2.667-2.737-1.432-5.473 3.422-6.3c-2.777.473-5.899-.308-6.755-3.369C.42 10.04 0 4.615 0 3.883c0-3.67 3.217-2.517 5.202-1.026\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":41},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14.234 10.162L22.977 0h-2.072l-7.591 8.824L7.251 0H.258l9.168 13.343L.258 24H2.33l8.016-9.318L16.749 24h6.993zm-2.837 3.299l-.929-1.329L3.076 1.56h3.182l5.965 8.532l.929 1.329l7.754 11.09h-3.182z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":43,"hidden":44},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M20.447 20.452h-3.554v-5.569c0-1.328-.027-3.037-1.852-3.037c-1.853 0-2.136 1.445-2.136 2.939v5.667H9.351V9h3.414v1.561h.046c.477-.9 1.637-1.85 3.37-1.85c3.601 0 4.267 2.37 4.267 5.455v6.286zM5.337 7.433a2.06 2.06 0 0 1-2.063-2.065a2.064 2.064 0 1 1 2.063 2.065m1.782 13.019H3.555V9h3.564zM22.225 0H1.771C.792 0 0 .774 0 1.729v20.542C0 23.227.792 24 1.771 24h20.451C23.2 24 24 23.227 24 22.271V1.729C24 .774 23.2 0 22.222 0z\"\u002F>",true,{"id":46,"title":47,"author":48,"body":49,"cefrLevel":657,"date":48,"description":658,"exercises":48,"extension":659,"faqs":660,"gcseTier":670,"intro":671,"language":672,"lastUpdated":48,"meta":673,"navigation":44,"path":674,"seo":675,"stem":676,"verbSlugs":48,"__hash__":677},"pages\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fse-unplanned-events.md","The Spanish Accidental se (se me cayó, se me olvidó)",null,{"type":50,"value":51,"toc":646},"minimark",[52,57,90,101,106,109,124,185,196,297,301,304,317,320,334,340,344,351,435,445,449,456,489,500,504,542,546,559,579,589,604,607,611],[53,54,56],"h1",{"id":55},"the-accidental-se","The Accidental se",[58,59,60,61,65,66,69,70,73,74,77,78,81,82,85,86,89],"p",{},"Spanish has a favourite trick for reporting accidents: it lets the mishap happen ",[62,63,64],"strong",{},"by itself",", and merely mentions that you were the unlucky person it happened ",[62,67,68],{},"to",". ",[62,71,72],{},"Se me cayó el vaso"," - word for word \"the glass fell itself on me\" - is how you say \"",[62,75,76],{},"I dropped the glass","\" without confessing you did it on purpose. This is the ",[62,79,80],{},"accidental se"," (also called the ",[62,83,84],{},"no-fault"," or ",[62,87,88],{},"involuntary"," se), and once you see it you will hear it everywhere.",[58,91,92,93,96,97,100],{},"The logic is simple and human: most breakages, losses and slips are ",[62,94,95],{},"not deliberate",", so Spanish frames them as events that ",[62,98,99],{},"befell"," you rather than acts you chose. The construction says \"it wasn't my fault\" built right into the grammar.",[102,103,105],"h2",{"id":104},"building-it-se-indirect-pronoun-verb","Building it: se + indirect pronoun + verb",[58,107,108],{},"Three parts stack up:",[110,111,112],"blockquote",{},[58,113,114,117,118,117,121],{},[62,115,116],{},"se"," + ",[62,119,120],{},"indirect-object pronoun",[62,122,123],{},"verb (3rd person, agreeing with the thing)",[125,126,127,133,143,157,171],"ul",{},[128,129,130,132],"li",{},[62,131,116],{}," - marks the event as unplanned.",[128,134,135,138,139,142],{},[62,136,137],{},"me \u002F te \u002F le \u002F nos \u002F os \u002F les"," - the ",[62,140,141],{},"indirect object",", pointing at the unlucky person.",[128,144,145,148,149,152,153,156],{},[62,146,147],{},"the verb"," - in the ",[62,150,151],{},"third person",", agreeing not with the person but with the ",[62,154,155],{},"thing"," that fell, broke or vanished.",[128,158,159,162,163,166,167,170],{},[62,160,161],{},"Se me cayó el vaso."," (I dropped the glass.) - ",[62,164,165],{},"cayó"," agrees with ",[62,168,169],{},"el vaso"," (singular).",[128,172,173,176,177,180,181,184],{},[62,174,175],{},"Se me cayeron los vasos."," (I dropped the glasses.) - ",[62,178,179],{},"cayeron"," is plural, agreeing with ",[62,182,183],{},"los vasos",".",[58,186,187,188,191,192,195],{},"That agreement is the crucial point: ",[62,189,190],{},"the thing is the grammatical subject",", so the verb matches ",[62,193,194],{},"it",", not the person. The person is only the indirect object - the bystander to their own accident.",[197,198,199,215],"table",{},[200,201,202],"thead",{},[203,204,205,209,212],"tr",{},[206,207,208],"th",{},"Person affected",[206,210,211],{},"Pronoun",[206,213,214],{},"Example",[216,217,218,232,245,258,271,284],"tbody",{},[203,219,220,224,226],{},[221,222,223],"td",{},"me",[221,225,223],{},[221,227,228,229,231],{},"se ",[62,230,223],{}," olvidó",[203,233,234,237,240],{},[221,235,236],{},"you",[221,238,239],{},"te",[221,241,228,242,244],{},[62,243,239],{}," cayó",[203,246,247,250,253],{},[221,248,249],{},"him\u002Fher\u002Fyou(f)",[221,251,252],{},"le",[221,254,228,255,257],{},[62,256,252],{}," rompió",[203,259,260,263,266],{},[221,261,262],{},"us",[221,264,265],{},"nos",[221,267,228,268,270],{},[62,269,265],{}," acabó",[203,272,273,276,279],{},[221,274,275],{},"you (pl)",[221,277,278],{},"os",[221,280,228,281,283],{},[62,282,278],{}," perdió",[203,285,286,289,292],{},[221,287,288],{},"them\u002Fyou(pl f)",[221,290,291],{},"les",[221,293,228,294,296],{},[62,295,291],{}," quemó",[102,298,300],{"id":299},"why-not-just-say-i-dropped-it","Why not just say \"I dropped it\"?",[58,302,303],{},"Compare the deliberate and the accidental:",[125,305,306,312],{},[128,307,308,311],{},[62,309,310],{},"Tiré el vaso."," (I threw the glass.) - on purpose.",[128,313,314,316],{},[62,315,161],{}," (I dropped the glass.) - it slipped; an accident.",[58,318,319],{},"Or with forgetting:",[125,321,322,328],{},[128,323,324,327],{},[62,325,326],{},"Olvidé las llaves."," (I forgot the keys.) - grammatical, but sounds like a decision.",[128,329,330,333],{},[62,331,332],{},"Se me olvidaron las llaves."," (I forgot the keys.) - the natural, no-fault version: they slipped my mind.",[58,335,336,337,184],{},"Spanish leans heavily on the second style for anything unintentional. It is not dishonest - it is precise about the fact that ",[62,338,339],{},"you did not mean to",[102,341,343],{"id":342},"the-verbs-that-love-this-pattern","The verbs that love this pattern",[58,345,346,347,350],{},"A cluster of verbs about ",[62,348,349],{},"accidental damage, loss and sudden mental events"," use the accidental se constantly:",[125,352,353,363,372,381,390,399,408,417,426],{},[128,354,355,358,359,362],{},[62,356,357],{},"caer"," -> ",[62,360,361],{},"se me cayó"," (I dropped)",[128,364,365,358,368,371],{},[62,366,367],{},"romper",[62,369,370],{},"se me rompió"," (it broke on me)",[128,373,374,358,377,380],{},[62,375,376],{},"perder",[62,378,379],{},"se me perdió"," (I lost)",[128,382,383,358,386,389],{},[62,384,385],{},"olvidar",[62,387,388],{},"se me olvidó"," (I forgot)",[128,391,392,358,395,398],{},[62,393,394],{},"acabar \u002F terminar",[62,396,397],{},"se me acabó"," (I ran out of)",[128,400,401,358,404,407],{},[62,402,403],{},"quemar",[62,405,406],{},"se me quemó"," (I burnt)",[128,409,410,358,413,416],{},[62,411,412],{},"manchar",[62,414,415],{},"se me manchó"," (I stained \u002F it got stained)",[128,418,419,358,422,425],{},[62,420,421],{},"escapar",[62,423,424],{},"se me escapó"," (it slipped out \u002F I let it slip)",[128,427,428,358,431,434],{},[62,429,430],{},"ocurrir",[62,432,433],{},"se me ocurrió"," (it occurred to me \u002F I had an idea)",[58,436,437,438,441,442,444],{},"That last one is worth memorising on its own: ",[62,439,440],{},"se me ocurrió una idea"," is the everyday way to say \"I had an idea\" - a thought that happened ",[62,443,68],{}," you.",[102,446,448],{"id":447},"adding-when-and-why","Adding when and why",[58,450,451,452,455],{},"You can front the whole thing with a time or place and slot the person's name in with ",[62,453,454],{},"a",":",[125,457,458,464,477,483],{},[128,459,460,463],{},[62,461,462],{},"Ayer se me rompió el móvil."," (My phone broke yesterday.)",[128,465,466,469,470,473,474,476],{},[62,467,468],{},"A Pedro se le perdieron las gafas."," (Pedro lost his glasses.) - ",[62,471,472],{},"a Pedro"," spells out who ",[62,475,252],{}," is.",[128,478,479,482],{},[62,480,481],{},"Se nos acabó la leche."," (We've run out of milk.)",[128,484,485,488],{},[62,486,487],{},"¿Se te olvidó otra vez?"," (Did you forget again?)",[58,490,491,492,495,496,499],{},"The ",[62,493,494],{},"a + name\u002Fpronoun"," clarifies the ",[62,497,498],{},"le \u002F les",", exactly as with any indirect object.",[102,501,503],{"id":502},"worked-examples","Worked examples",[125,505,506,512,518,524,530,536],{},[128,507,508,511],{},[62,509,510],{},"Se me cayeron todos los libros."," (I dropped all the books.) - plural thing, plural verb.",[128,513,514,517],{},[62,515,516],{},"Se le rompió el plato favorito."," (Her favourite plate broke.) - le for the affected person.",[128,519,520,523],{},[62,521,522],{},"Se nos olvidó la reunión."," (We forgot the meeting.)",[128,525,526,529],{},[62,527,528],{},"A los niños se les escapó el perro."," (The children let the dog get away.) - a + les clarified.",[128,531,532,535],{},[62,533,534],{},"Se me acabó la paciencia."," (I ran out of patience.)",[128,537,538,541],{},[62,539,540],{},"De repente se me ocurrió la solución."," (Suddenly the solution came to me.)",[102,543,545],{"id":544},"common-mistakes-english-speakers-make","Common mistakes English speakers make",[58,547,548,551,552,554,555,558],{},[62,549,550],{},"Making the verb agree with the person."," The verb agrees with the ",[62,553,155],{},", not the bystander: ",[62,556,557],{},"se me cayeron los vasos"," (plural, for the glasses), never \"se me caí\". You are the indirect object; the glasses are the subject.",[58,560,561,564,565,568,569,572,573,576,577,184],{},[62,562,563],{},"Dropping the indirect pronoun."," Without ",[62,566,567],{},"me \u002F te \u002F le...",", you lose the \"to whom\": ",[62,570,571],{},"se cayó el vaso"," just means \"the glass fell\", with no one at fault or affected. To say ",[62,574,575],{},"I"," dropped it, you need ",[62,578,361],{},[58,580,581,584,585,588],{},[62,582,583],{},"Using a plain active verb for accidents."," \"Rompí el vaso\" is not wrong, but it sounds deliberate. For a genuine accident, Spanish expects ",[62,586,587],{},"se me rompió el vaso",". Overusing the active makes you sound oddly confessional.",[58,590,591,594,595,138,598,600,601,603],{},[62,592,593],{},"Confusing the a-phrase."," ",[62,596,597],{},"A Pedro se le cayó",[62,599,472],{}," is the clarifier for ",[62,602,252],{},", not the subject. The subject is still the thing that fell.",[58,605,606],{},"Let the accident happen by itself, point the indirect pronoun at the victim, and agree the verb with the thing. That is the accidental se - the grammar of \"it wasn't my fault\", and one of the most Spanish things Spanish does.",[102,608,610],{"id":609},"see-also","See also",[125,612,613,620,632,639],{},[128,614,615,619],{},[454,616,618],{"href":617},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpassive-se","The passive se and impersonal se"," - the other se-constructions, for general statements and unnamed agents.",[128,621,622,626,627,631],{},[454,623,625],{"href":624},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fobject-pronouns","Object pronouns"," and ",[454,628,630],{"href":629},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpronoun-order","pronoun order"," - the me\u002Fte\u002Fle that this pattern leans on, and how they stack.",[128,633,634,638],{},[454,635,637],{"href":636},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Freflexive-verbs","Reflexive verbs"," - the se that turns an action back on its subject, distinct from this no-fault se.",[128,640,491,641,645],{},[454,642,644],{"href":643},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar","Spanish grammar cheatsheet"," has the se-me-cayó pattern and its verb list on one card.",{"title":647,"searchDepth":648,"depth":648,"links":649},"",2,[650,651,652,653,654,655,656],{"id":104,"depth":648,"text":105},{"id":299,"depth":648,"text":300},{"id":342,"depth":648,"text":343},{"id":447,"depth":648,"text":448},{"id":502,"depth":648,"text":503},{"id":544,"depth":648,"text":545},{"id":609,"depth":648,"text":610},"B1-B2","The 'no-fault' se: a construction that turns an accident into something that happened TO you rather than something you did. Se me cayó el vaso - the glass fell on me, i.e. I dropped it, but not on purpose. It stacks se + an indirect-object pronoun (me\u002Fte\u002Fle\u002Fnos\u002Fos\u002Fles) + a verb that agrees with the thing involved: se me olvidaron las llaves (I forgot the keys). This page builds the pattern, lists the verbs that love it (caer, romper, perder, olvidar, acabar, ocurrir) and explains why Spanish reaches for it to dodge blame.","md",[661,664,667],{"q":662,"a":663},"How is the accidental se construction built in Spanish?","Stack three parts: se + indirect-object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) + a verb in the third person that agrees with the thing. Se me cayó el vaso (I dropped the glass): se marks it as unplanned, me points at the unlucky person, cayó agrees with el vaso. If the thing is plural, the verb is plural: se me cayeron los vasos (I dropped the glasses). The person affected is the indirect object, never the subject - the grammatical subject is the thing that fell, broke or got lost.",{"q":665,"a":666},"Why do Spanish speakers say se me cayó instead of yo caí el vaso?","Because it deflects blame. Yo tiré el vaso (I threw the glass) sounds deliberate; se me cayó el vaso presents the drop as an accident that befell you, not an act you chose - closer to English 'the glass slipped out of my hand'. Spanish strongly prefers this no-fault framing for anything unintentional, so breaking, dropping, forgetting, losing and running out are routinely told with se me... rather than with a plain active verb. It is not evasive so much as accurate: you did not mean to.",{"q":668,"a":669},"Which verbs commonly use the accidental se?","The classics are caer (se me cayó, I dropped), romper (se me rompió, it broke on me), perder (se me perdió, I lost), olvidar (se me olvidó, I forgot), acabar\u002Fterminar (se me acabó, I ran out of), quemar (se me quemó, I burnt), manchar (se me manchó, I stained), and ocurrir (se me ocurrió, it occurred to me \u002F I had an idea). Most verbs of accidental damage, loss or sudden mental events accept the pattern. Note that se me ocurrió is the standard way to say 'I thought of', with the same 'it happened to me' logic.","higher","Spanish has a beautifully sneaky way of describing accidents: instead of owning up - 'I dropped the glass', 'I forgot the keys' - it lets the mishap happen all by itself, and merely notes that you were unlucky enough to be nearby. Se me cayó el vaso, literally 'the glass fell itself on me', is how a Spanish speaker says 'I dropped the glass' without admitting fault. Se me olvidó is 'it forgot itself on me' - I forgot. This 'accidental' or 'no-fault' se is everywhere in real speech, because most breakages, losses and slips are genuinely unintentional, and the construction says exactly that. It is built by stacking three things: the pronoun se, an indirect-object pronoun that points at the unlucky person, and a verb in the third person that agrees with the thing involved. This page assembles the pattern, drills the handful of verbs that use it constantly, and shows why it is the polite, natural way to report an accident.","spanish",{},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fse-unplanned-events",{"title":47,"description":658},"spanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fse-unplanned-events","WUqV18hkSBOjSjxeVBIBXd5e-JnapRlQ5OPLi7Ovrms",[],{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":680},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12 15V3m9 12v4a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2v-4\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m7 10l5 5l5-5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":682},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M20 20a2 2 0 0 0 2-2V8a2 2 0 0 0-2-2h-7.9a2 2 0 0 1-1.69-.9L9.6 3.9A2 2 0 0 0 7.93 3H4a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v13a2 2 0 0 0 2 2Zm-8-10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m15 13l-3 3l-3-3\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>"]