It seems to me it is not always the case that se comes from a pronominal verb.
I think not when the situtation is accidental or emotional, right? So a non pronominal verb can accompany se while it is being activated buy these 2 states. In other words in,
Los niños se nos están haciendo mayores sin darnos cuenta.Our children are growing without us realising.
hacerse not here, se only comes from emotional involvement. Or is it always the case? I can see where hacerse means becoming.
Hola Todd
Thank you for your insightful question regarding the use of "se" in Spanish, particularly in the context of accidental or emotional situations.
You are correct that "se" does not always come from a pronominal verb. In cases where the situation is accidental or emotional, "se" can be used with non-pronominal verbs to express these nuances. For instance, in the sentence "Los niños se nos están haciendo mayores sin darnos cuenta" (Our children are growing up without us realizing), "hacerse" here reflects an emotional involvement rather than a straightforward pronominal use.
While "hacerse" generally means "to become", in this context, the "se" conveys an emotional nuance, indicating a process happening almost passively to the subject, which affects the speaker emotionally.
Therefore, it is not always the case that "se" derives from a pronominal verb; it can indeed be used to indicate accidental or emotional involvement with non-pronominal verbs.
I hope this clarifies your query. Please feel free to reach out if you have further questions.
Saludos
Silvia
Don't have an account yet? Join today
Test your Spanish to the CEFR standard
Find your Spanish level