What does it mean word for word?
The phrase se me acabó la batería literally translates to 'the battery finished itself to me'. This construction is used to imply that the event happened to the speaker rather than the speaker performing the action.
Which one should you use?
Depending on the situation, you might use different forms. Se me ha muerto la batería is an informal way to say the battery has died, while Mi batería se ha agotado is a more formal way to say the battery has run out. For a direct and common informal expression, you can say No tengo batería (I have no battery). If you want to focus specifically on the lack of charge, use se me descargó la batería (my battery ran out/discharged). Finally, if the battery is almost out of power, you can use the informal phrase Mi batería está en las últimas (my battery is on its last legs).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico or Colombia, the word pila is used to refer to a battery instead of batería.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase se me acabó la batería, the verb acabó is in the third-person singular preterite tense to agree with the subject la batería. If you want to express that the battery is currently running low in the present tense, change the verb to se me acaba la batería (my battery is dying / is running out).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using mi batería murió.
Did you know?
- The word batería entered Spanish via French and originally referred to a group of artillery pieces or the act of beating.
- The phrase está en las últimas is used for batteries but can also describe a person who is near death or a failing business.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, people use the word pila for a battery, which literally means 'pile' or 'stack'.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, mi batería se ha agotadoExcuse me, my battery has run out
- ¡Oye, se me ha muerto la batería!Hey, my battery has died!
- Disculpa, no tengo bateríaSorry, I have no battery
- ¡Se me quedó sin pila el teléfono!My phone ran out of battery!
- Se me acabó la batería del móvil.My phone's battery died.
- No puedo llamar porque se me acabó la batería.I can't call because my battery died.
- ¡Qué mal! Se me acabó la batería de la tablet.How annoying! My tablet's battery died.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are meeting at a cafe, but Alejandro cannot show her a photo.
- AlejandroNo puedo enseñarte la foto porque se me acabó la batería.I can't show you the photo because my battery died.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, Alejandro, yo tengo un cargador.Don't worry, Alejandro, I have a charger.
- Alejandro¿De verdad? Eres la mejor, María.Really? You're the best, María.
- MaríaDe nada, ¡conéctalo rápido!You're welcome, plug it in quickly!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries batería, la, me, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
