se fueron
/se fweɾon/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'they left' is translated into Spanish as se fueron.
se fueron is used to state that a group of people departed from a specific location. While se fueron describes the act of departing or moving away, dejaron is used if they 'left' an object behind or 'left' a person (abandoned).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the reflexive pronoun se and the third-person plural preterite of the verb irse, which means to go away or to leave.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the specific phrase Se fueron de pinta is used to mean they left without permission or were 'playing hooky'. In certain slang contexts, particularly in Spain, Se largaron can be used to mean 'they split' or 'they bolted'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the preterite tense, which indicates a completed action in the past. To change the subject from 'they' to 'he' or 'she', you should use the singular form se fue.
How do you pronounce it?
/se fweɾon/
Did you know?
- The reflexive pronoun se in se fueron actually evolved from the Latin word illī, which originally meant 'to them'.
- Because irse is a reflexive verb, using only fueron instead of se fueron would change the meaning from 'they went away' to 'they were' or 'they went' to a specific destination.
- Using the phrase se fueron de pinta in Mexico is a culturally specific way to say someone ditched school or work.
Examples in context
- Se fueron sin mí.They left without me.This sentence shows how to say they left without a specific person.Tatoeba #3717423 by Seael, translation #3444541 by CK
- ¿A qué hora se fueron?They left at what time?This sentence is useful for asking about the time of their departure.Tatoeba #6678988 by UsuarioX, translation #9178429 by carlosalberto
- Se fueron.They left.This sentence is a simple way to state that they left.Tatoeba #1901176 by marcelostockle, translation #2111368 by CK
- Los invitados se fueron después de la fiesta.The guests left after the party.
- Los diplomáticos han partido hacia su país.The diplomats have left for their country.
- Los chicos se fueron del parque a casa.The kids left the park and went home.
- Mis amigos se fueron de aquí hace un rato.My friends left from here a while ago.
- Los estudiantes se fueron de pinta del colegio.The students played hooky from school.
- Después de ver el resultado, los aficionados se largaron del estadio.After seeing the score, the fans split from the stadium.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are looking for their friends at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Viste a tus amigos?Did you see your friends?
- AlejandroNo, creo que se fueron hace poco.No, I think they left a little while ago.
- Lucía¡Qué lástima! Quería hablar con ellos.What a shame! I wanted to talk to them.
- AlejandroLo siento, Lucía, no los vi salir.I'm sorry, Lucía, I didn't see them leave.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
