Ocurrirse

Ocurrirse is a Spanish pronominal verb used to express that something comes to one’s mind spontaneously or that a thought, idea, plan, or solution occurs to someone. It is commonly used with the reflexive se and an indirect object pronoun that indicates who experiences the idea: me, te, le, nos, os, les. Typical constructions are se me ocurrió and ¿Qué se te ocurrió?

Grammatical note: Ocurrirse derives from ocurrir (to happen). When used in the se form, it behaves as a pronominal verb and can be conjugated in all tenses: me ocurre, te ocurre, se ocurrió, nos ocurrió, os ocurría, se ocurrirá, me ocurra, etc. The se introduces the experiencer, often with the indirect object pronoun clarifying who has the idea (e.g., “se me,” “se te,” “se nos”). The thing that occurred to the person can be stated with a direct object: “se me ocurrió la solución,” or left implied.

Usage and nuance: Ocurrirse conveys a sense of suddenness or spontaneity, typically about ideas, solutions, plans, or remarks. Examples: “Se me ocurrió una solución.” “¿Qué se te ocurrió hacer esta noche?” “Se nos ocurrió invitar a todos.” The construction can emphasize different persons: “A mí se me ocurrió” or “A Juan se le ocurrió la idea.” Negative forms are common: “No se me ocurrió nada.”

Variants and objects: When both indirect and direct objects are present, pronouns can be combined (for example, “Se me la ocurrió” to mean “the idea occurred to me”). The expression is distinct from ocurrir (to happen), which lacks the experiencer se and does not convey that a thought or idea appeared to someone.

Overall, ocurrirse is a useful, everyday way to express ideas forming in one’s mind.