Can someone please explain …
why is it “como enterarse” for “how to find out”
but “como enterarme lo que quiro” for “how to find out what I want”
must be a rule that applies to these reflexive verbs. What is it?
Can I add my thanks to the hard work that’s gone into level 2. Nearly there! Just waiting for challenges 24 and 25 - hopefully in time for our trip to Cuba in the new year! And Level 3 in 2016. Huzzah!
thanks
Malcolm
Hi Malcom,
Think of “how to find out” as the infinitive verb, therefore it translates as enterarse (a reflexive verb)
When we star conjugating this verbal expression, we have to apply the different endings according to the person that does the action, so:
how can I find out : como puedo enterarme
how can you find out : como puedes enterarte
etc
Similarly, “how to find out what I want” implies that “I” is doing the action, so therefore “como enterarme lo que quiero”
I know is confusing, because we wouldn’t use this expression by it self in Spanish, but as a part of a longer sentence such as:
“I need to ask her how to find out what I want” : “Tengo que preguntarle a ella como enterarme lo que quiero”
or something as obscure as that 
In any case, we can’t say “como enterarse lo que quiero”, both verbs have to be conjugated in the first person singular.
I hope I didn’t manage to make things even more difficult! As usually in SSi, just go with the flow of the course and it will all become automatic sooner or later.
Cheers,
Gaby
Thanks for the fast reply!
That’s all very helpful.
I was thinking of the reflexive ending as being a pronoun - the same as adding eg lo or le to the end of a verb. But If I understand your explanation, “como enterarme lo que quiero” is actually “how I find out what I want” making sure both verbs refer to the same subject.
I think it’s maybe the English construction that’s confusing, We use an infinitive construction where Spanish doesn’t.
Just to be awkward (sorry!) how would I say e.g. “Tell me: how does Jose find out what I want?”
Maybe something like “Digame, como enterarse Jose de lo que quiero” ?
What I’m trying to do is use “de” to separate the two parts of the sentence, so “enterarse” now agrees with “Jose”, and the phrase “lo que quiero” becomes the object of the verb.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply
Malcolm
Yes, that’s exactly it! I would even argue that there is a “how CAN I find out…” implied in that sentence, which would probably make it easier to translate as “como puedo (yo) enterarme”
Yes, you are right about using the “de” to divide the two “actors” of the sentence. The only thing is that if you use “how DOES Jose find out” the translation is “como se entera Jose”. See the following examples:
how does Jose find out what I want? – Como se entera Jose de lo que (yo) quiero?
how does Jose/ He do to find out what I want? - Como hace Jose /él para enterarse de lo que (yo) quiero?
how can Jose find out what I want? - Como puede Jose enterarse de lo que (yo) quiero?
I hope this helps,
Gaby
Excellent! Thank you so much 