Accidental Se in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Master the accidental “se” construction to describe unplanned events
• Learn the correct word order: se + indirect object + verb + subject
• Understand how to express accidents without placing blame
• Practice using accidental “se” with common verbs like olvidar, caer, romper
• Differentiate between accidental “se” and other uses of “se”

Describe Accidents Without Placing Blame

The accidental “se” is a unique and essential Spanish structure that lets you describe unplanned or accidental events without specifying who’s at fault. It’s the polite, natural way to say “I broke the glass” without sounding like you did it on purpose. Think of it as the Spanish equivalent of “It broke on me” or “I ended up forgetting.”

What is Accidental Se? (¿Qué es “Se” Accidental?)

Accidental “se” is used when:

• ✅ Describing unplanned events
• ✅ Removing blame from the person
• ✅ Emphasizing the accident, not the actor
• ✅ Being polite about mistakes

The Accidental Se Formula

Structure: Se + Indirect Object Pronoun + Verb + Subject

Indirect Object Pronouns:

• me (to/for me)
• te (to/for you)
• le (to/for him/her/you formal)
• nos (to/for us)
• les (to/for them/you all)

Examples:

• “Se me cayó el vaso.” (The glass fell on me.)
• “Se te olvidó la cita.” (The appointment slipped your mind.)
• “Se le perdió la llave.” (The key got lost on him.)

💡 Grammar Tip: The construction literally means “It happened to me/you/him.” This removes responsibility and makes it sound like an accident.

Common Verbs with Accidental Se

Verb	Meaning	Accidental Construction	Translation
Olvidar	to forget	Se me olvidó el libro.	I forgot the book. (The book slipped my mind.)
Caer	to fall	Se te cayó el teléfono.	You dropped the phone. (The phone fell on you.)
Perder	to lose	Se le perdió el dinero.	He lost the money. (The money got lost on him.)
Romper	to break	Se nos rompió el jarrón.	We broke the vase. (The vase broke on us.)
Quemar	to burn	Se les quemó la comida.	They burned the food. (The food burned on them.)
Acabar	to run out	Se me acabó el tiempo.	I ran out of time. (Time ran out on me.)
Quedar	to be left	Se te quedó el coche.	You left the car. (The car was left with you.)

🔍 Grammar Focus: Notice the verb agrees with what was lost/broken/forgotten, not with the person. “Se me olvidaron las llaves” (plural) vs “Se me olvidó la llave” (singular).

Accidental Se vs. Regular Constructions

Accidental (No Blame):	Regular (Direct Responsibility):
Se me cayó el plato. (The plate fell on me.)	Dejé caer el plato. (I let the plate fall.)
Se le olvidó el nombre. (The name slipped his mind.)	Olvidó el nombre. (He forgot the name.)
Se nos rompieron los vasos. (The glasses broke on us.)	Rompimos los vasos. (We broke the glasses.)

Verb Agreement Rules

The verb must agree with the item that was lost, broken, or forgotten:

Singular Item:	Plural Item:
Se me perdió la cartera. (I lost the wallet.)	Se me perdieron las llaves. (I lost the keys.)
Se te rompió el plato. (You broke the plate.)	Se te rompieron los platos. (You broke the plates.)
Se le olvidó el número. (He forgot the number.)	Se le olvidaron los números. (He forgot the numbers.)

Putting It All Together: Real Accident Stories

Conversation 1: Kitchen Mishap
Ana: ¡Ay no! Se me cayó el plato. Se me rompió en mil pedazos.
Carlos: No te preocupes. A mí se me quemó la comida ayer.
Ana: Y se me acabó el detergente para limpiar.
Carlos: Se nos olvidó comprar más.

Translation:
Ana: Oh no! I dropped the plate. It broke into a thousand pieces on me.
Carlos: Don’t worry. Yesterday the food burned on me.
Ana: And I ran out of detergent to clean.
Carlos: We forgot to buy more.

Conversation 2: Morning Problems
Madre: ¿Por qué llegas tarde?
Hijo: Se me quedó el despertador. Luego se me cayeron los libros.
Madre: A tu hermano se le perdió el teléfono ayer. ¡Qué familia!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Wrong word order: “Me se cayó” (wrong) → “Se me cayó” (correct)
2. Incorrect verb agreement: “Se me olvidaron el libro” (wrong) → “Se me olvidó el libro” (correct)
3. Using direct objects: “Se lo olvidé” (I forgot it – direct) vs “Se me olvidó” (it slipped my mind – accidental)
4. Confusing with reflexive: “Me caí” (I fell down) vs “Se me cayó” (I dropped it)
5. Adding “a mí” unnecessarily: The “me” already indicates “to me”

Quick Reference Chart

Element	Rule	Example
Word Order	Se + IO + Verb + Subject	Se me olvidó
Verb Agreement	Match the item lost/broken	Se me cayó el libro / Se me cayeron los libros
Common Verbs	Olvidar, caer, perder, romper, quemar	Se te perdió, Se le rompió
Indirect Objects	me, te, le, nos, les	Se nos acabó, Se les quemó
Polite Effect	Removes blame	Sounds like an accident

Practice Exercise: Create Accidental Sentences

Create accidental “se” sentences for these situations:

1. I forgot my keys. (las llaves)
2. You broke the glasses. (los vasos)
3. He lost his wallet. (la cartera)
4. We ran out of milk. (la leche)

Answers:

1. Se me olvidaron las llaves.
2. Se te rompieron los vasos.
3. Se le perdió la cartera.
4. Se nos acabó la leche.

📚 Master all “se” constructions: Review Impersonal Se in Spanish

Ready to Describe Accidents?

Think you’ve mastered accidental “se”? Test your ability to describe unplanned events politely in Spanish!

Take Our Accidental Se Quiz ►

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