Phrase · 💞 Feelings and moods
No sé por qué, pero ese tipo me cae mal.
I don’t know why, but I don’t like that guy.
B1talking about relationshipscolloquialAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Noadverbnotsé1verbI knowsaber · present · 1st sing.por1prepositionwhy (for)qué1pronounwhy (what),peroconjunctionbutesedeterminerthatmasc. · sing.tipo2nounguymasc. · sing.me3object pronoun(to) me1st sing. · indirect objectcae3verbstrikes (falls)caer · present · 3rd sing.mal3adverbbadly.
- sé → qué: saber + indirect question
- ese → tipo: m. sg.
- tipo → cae: ese tipo → cae (3rd sg.)
- me → cae: me → caer
- cae → mal: caer mal
Word for word: “I don’t know why, but that guy falls badly on me.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1No sé por qué: an indirect question; por qué keeps its accent. Reported speech I and indirect questions →
- 2tipo = guy (colloquial, slightly negative here).
- 3caer mal / bien works like gustar: the person you (dis)like is the subject. Verbs like gustar II: doler, parecer, quedar, importar, molestar, faltar →
Variations
- No sé por qué, pero ese señor me cae mal.
- No sé por qué, pero ese tipo no me cae bien.