Confusion about "me faltaras"

Mary Jane H.C1Kwiziq community member

Confusion about "me faltaras"

There is a beautiful song, "Yolanda," by the Cuban singer/songwriter Pablo Milanés. The construction of one sentence using faltar confounds me: "Si me faltaras no voy a morirme." Why is faltar conjugated in second person singular? I'm having trouble fitting this usage in with any of the lesson examples. What am I missing? Thank you!

https://www.musica.com/letras.asp?letra=125255

Asked 3 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola Mary Jane

I know the song very well, one of my favourites...

When Pablo Milanés says  "Si me faltaras no voy a morirme." he means "If you are not around/If I am without you, I am not going to die"

The way the verb faltar works here is:

  • The person who is missing/not around is the subject of the sentence
  • Faltar is the verb that is conjugated agreeing with the person missing/not around (in this case it'd be Yolanda)
  • Then the person who is "lacking" (in this case Pablo Milanés) is reflected in the indirect object pronoun: me 

Si me faltaras (If I am without you)

Si Yolanda me faltara (If I am without Yolanda)

Si mi madre me faltara (If I am without my mum)

Si mis hijos me faltaran (If I am without my sons)

So, you can see that the verb is agreeing always with the person/s not around.

This is the same as with the verb gustar. 

I hope this clarified your doubt.

Inma

Mary Jane H.C1Kwiziq community member

Thank you, Inma. I think with a little work, I can wrap my head around this. Obviously it confuses me like "gustar" congugated in any person other than third confuses me! Here's a token of my appreciation, another beautiful Pablo Milanés song with "faltar." https://youtu.be/53Ko0ZUjovE

Clara M.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

¡Qué canción tan bonita!

Gracias por compartir Mary Jane :)

John O.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Thanks Mary Jane and Inma. This is a "huge" subject to take in (for me anyway) but it has been a gap in my knowledge that needed filling. I loved that second song "Si ella me faltara alguna vea." Pablo Milanes is new to me. John

Confusion about "me faltaras"

There is a beautiful song, "Yolanda," by the Cuban singer/songwriter Pablo Milanés. The construction of one sentence using faltar confounds me: "Si me faltaras no voy a morirme." Why is faltar conjugated in second person singular? I'm having trouble fitting this usage in with any of the lesson examples. What am I missing? Thank you!

https://www.musica.com/letras.asp?letra=125255

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