A couple of days ago, I had “alumuerzo” here in Medellin, Colombia with my American friend David (not his real name). We had lunch at a “restaurante” that serves “comida típica” or food that is typical of Medellín or the “Antioquia” region of Colombia.

David speaks Spanish very well. His pronunciation is almost like a native speaker’s and his grammar is also excellent.

When I was having “almuerzo” (lunch) with David, I heard him not actually commit errors in Spanish — but there is a better way he could have said certain things in Spanish. In fact, for the most part, he did not commit any errors grammatically. But his statements carried certain connotations which I am sure that he did not intend.

So here’s what happened . . . .

For “almuerzo” (lunch), I had “sancocho de gallina” “Sancocho de gallina” is a soup or a stew that consists of papas (potatoes), yuca, plátanos (plantains), mazorca de maíz (corn on the cob), some other ingredients, and of course “gallina” (hen).

By the way, “Sancocho” is also a popular dish in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, especially in “La República Dominicana” (Dominican Republic). David told me that he usually has the “sopa de mondongo” at this restaurant.

“Sopa de mondongo” is a soup made from tripe. In other words, the stomach of a cow. But this time David decided to order something a little more mainstream:

Pollo a la plancha con papas a la francesa
(Grilled chicken with french fries)

When the “mesera” or waitress approached our “mesa” (table) David, apparently, recognized her because he eats at the same “restaurante” often. That’s when he made the first blunder (for lack of a better term).

Me olivdé tu nombre.
(I forgot your name.)

I looked at the face of the “mesera” to see if she was bothered by David’s blunder. She wasn’t. Since she knew that David wasn’t a native Spanish speaker I guess what he said didn’t bother her.

Grammatically, there was nothing wrong with what he said. But I will explain the problem a little later here.

Shortly after his “pollo a la plancha con papas a la francesa” arrived, David accidentally dropped his fork. That’s when David committed his second blunder and said:

Caí mi tenedor.
He was trying to say “I dropped my fork.”

And then a few minutes later, I accidentally knocked my bottle of “Club Colombia” off the table. (“Club Colombia” is a brand of Colombian “cerveza”) That’s when David committed his third mistake and told the “mesera”:

El rompió la botella de cerveza.
He broke the bottle of beer.

I resisted the temptation of saying “mentiroso” (liar) to David and waited to see if the “mesera” corrected his Spanish but she didn’t.

While we were eating David was telling me about his new “novia” (girlfriend) and how great a “cocinera” or “chef” she was but that sometimes:

Ella quema el arroz.
She burns the rice.

Depending on what David was trying to express, that might have been a fourth mistake.

When the “cuenta” (bill) finally arrived, David searched through his “billetera” (wallet) or “cartera” (wallet) for his credit card. When he wasn’t able to find it, he said to me: ‘

Perdí mi tarjeta.
I lost my card (credit card).

That was the fifth and final straw. This time I corrected David’s Spanish.

Spanish has a “se” construction with certain verbs to express unplanned, unexpected, or accidental events. Here are a few of these verbs:

1. caérsele – to drop
2. ocurrírsele – to dawn on
3. rompérsele – to break
4. olvidársele – to forget
5. perdérsele – to lose
6. quedársele – to leave something behind
7. quemársele – to burn

When you do NOT use the “se” construction with these verbs (unless it is clear from the context) it may imply that the action was “intentional” or “on purpose”. It implies that the action was “intencionalmente” or “a propósito.” Or as the Paisas (people of Medellín) say “con gusto.”

By the way, in Medellín, like in other parts of Latin America, “con gusto” can mean “with pleasure,” but in Medellín (unlike other parts of Latin America) “con gusto” can ALSO mean “on purpose” or “intentional.”

So if you want to express that something happened “por accidente” or, as they say here in Medellín, “sin gusto,” you must use the “se” construction with these verbs.

And if you don’t use the “se” construction with these verbs, then “me olivdé tu nombre,” may suggest that “I forgot your name on purpose.”

And “Él rompió la botella de cerveza” depending on the context can suggest that “he intentionally broke the bottle of beer.”

And “ella quema el arroz” depending on the context can suggest that “she purposely burns the rice.”

And “perdí mi tarjeta” may suggest that “I intentionally lost my card (credit card).”

If you want to express that things happened “por accidente” (or “sin gusto” as the Paisas say here in Medellín) then you must use the “se” construction with these verbs and say:

Se me olvidió su nombre.
I forgot your name (unintentionally).

Se me cayó el tenedor.
I accidentally dropped the fork.

Se le rompió la botella de cerveza.
He accidentally broke the bottle of beer.

Se le quema el arroz.
She burns the rice by mistake.

Se me perdió la tarjeta.
I unintentionally lost my card (credit card).