La foto se me borró

[rolfdog]

I am having trouble translating the title of the song

lLa foto se me borró.

The photo was erased by me??

Thanks

Steve

[drloca]

Great song by El Jefe "Elvis Crespo"!

It means ...the photo got erased...I believe.

Love the bachata version.

[mkohn]

"rolf"
I'm thinkin' it means "The photo erased itself on me."
borrarse is to erase "one's" self.
putting the "me" in there kind of means it happened to me.
Kind of like the photos in the movie "Back to the Future" when Marty notices the figures disappearing almost before his eyes.
Anybody else got any ideas?
mkohn

[Chip]

It means the foto was erased but does not implicate anybody as to who did it, including the speaker - the "me" part simply indicates that the fotos were owned by the speaker.

This is a very common form here and expertly used by many Dominicans to not take the blame for something they did. Good example is when I asked my daughter who ate all of the tostitos and she replied, "se te acabaron, parece" - oye que frequita, eh?

[montreal]

Originally Posted by Chip

oye que frequita, eh?

Like all kids nowadays

[rolfdog]

"mko"

I like your translation the best. The photo vanished from me.

"chip"

I can't make sense of your example unless it means the tostitos finished themselves on you?

I tried reading the lyrics but still couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Anyway, thanks to all.

Anymore suggestions?

Steve

[Chip]

Originally Posted by rolfdog

"mko"

I like your translation the best. The photo vanished from me.

"chip"

I can't make sense of your example unless it means the tostitos finished themselves on you?

I tried reading the lyrics but still couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Anyway, thanks to all.

Anymore suggestions?

Steve

The translation I presented is correct. Unfortunately, not every idea, word, etc can be translated directly. The closest translations is probably "my foto was erased" and "the tostitos were all eaten, apparently". But like I said the sentance does not imply who or what erased the photos or ate the tostitos, just that they were.

It is to your benefit to try to learn the different expressions as they are in Spanish rather than trying to understands them in English or whatever language.

Another example is the verb gustar - try to translate that directly and you will go crazy, although to tell you the truth in the beginning I tried, but it was nothing that was close to correct English.

It actually becomes fun to use these different ways of expressing ideas, and it some point you will be wishing as I have that English had the same means of expression.

[xamaicano]

Rolfdog, Chip is correct. It is a distinction that is made in Spanish that isn't made in English. It is a passive construction. For instance, "olvidé el nombre" suggest that you intentionally forgot the name while "se me olvidó el nombre" means you unintentionally forgot the name as in I forgot her name because she broke my heart as oppose to I wan't to remember her name but I am at a lost.

Originally Posted by rolfdog

"chip"
I can't make sense of your example unless it means the tostitos finished themselves on you?

[J D Sauser]

Goes all with "... pero no fue mi culpa!" ... se borro (solito), se perdio (Godness gracious it grew legs! Was it fed up, took a hike?), se rompio ("it" suddenly became suicidal... the glass turned depressive and to the accused's total surprise, jumped out of the vitrine!).

Fue sin querer! Lo juro!
Yo no fui, ella tambien lo hizo!

[mkohn]

I like to look at the reflexive verbs as something apparently occurring spontaneously.
Referring to the verb gustar, maybe its translation should be more along the lines of something being pleasing to the speaker, or object.
Tu me gustas.
Me gustan los mangos.
A Luis le gusta jugar pelota.
Me gusta esta vaina.
"mko"