Breakdown of Mis amigos se llevan mal a veces.
el amigo
the friend
mi
my
a veces
sometimes
llevarse mal
to get along badly
Questions & Answers about Mis amigos se llevan mal a veces.
What does the pronoun se do in Mis amigos se llevan mal a veces?
It marks a reciprocal action. With a plural subject, se means “each other,” and with the pronominal verb llevarse (bien/mal) it forms the idiom “to get along (well/badly).” So Mis amigos se llevan mal = “My friends get along badly (with each other).” The se is required for this meaning.
Quick overview (present tense):
- yo: me llevo (bien/mal)
- tú: te llevas
- él/ella/usted: se lleva
- nosotros/as: nos llevamos
- vosotros/as (Spain): os lleváis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes: se llevan
Why is it llevarse and not llevar?
Because llevarse (bien/mal) is a set pronominal expression meaning “to get along (well/badly).” The non‑pronominal llevar means “to carry/bring/wear,” so without se (i.e., llevan mal) you’d get a different or odd meaning.
Do I need con here (e.g., se llevan mal con…)?
Not when the other party is obvious from the subject. With a plural subject like mis amigos, se llevan mal is understood as “with each other.” Use con when you name a specific other person/group:
- Mis amigos se llevan mal con su vecino.
- Ella se lleva mal con él.
Should I add entre ellos or entre sí to make “each other” explicit?
You can, but it’s optional. Mis amigos se llevan mal already implies “with each other.” Add it only for emphasis or to avoid ambiguity:
- Mis amigos se llevan mal entre ellos / entre sí.
Why is it mal and not malo (or malamente)?
Because mal is an adverb modifying the verb se llevan (“they get along badly”). Malo is an adjective and would modify a noun (e.g., un amigo malo). Malamente exists but is stylistically marked and not used here.
Is no se llevan bien the same as se llevan mal?
Practically, yes. Se llevan mal is a bit stronger/more direct than no se llevan bien, but both convey “they don’t get along.” With your adverb:
- A veces se llevan mal.
- A veces no se llevan bien. Both are fine.
Where can I place a veces in the sentence?
All these are natural:
- A veces mis amigos se llevan mal. (common; no comma needed)
- Mis amigos a veces se llevan mal.
- Mis amigos se llevan mal a veces. Position mostly affects rhythm/emphasis, not meaning.
Why llevan and not lleva?
Agreement. Mis amigos is third person plural, so the verb is llevan. For a single friend: Mi amigo se lleva mal… (third person singular, lleva).
Can I use the progressive or other tenses?
- Habitual in the present: (A veces) se llevan mal. (most natural)
- Ongoing/temporary emphasis: Últimamente se están llevando mal (possible, but many speakers still prefer the simple present: Últimamente se llevan mal).
- Past habit/background: De pequeños se llevaban mal a veces.
- Typical tendency: Suelen llevarse mal (you wouldn’t usually add “a veces” to that, since “suelen” already implies frequency).
What’s the difference between se llevan mal and se caen mal?
- Se caen bien/mal = they like/dislike each other (personal impression).
- Se llevan bien/mal = they get along well/badly (how the relationship functions). People can “like” each other but still “not get along,” e.g., Se caen bien, pero trabajando juntos se llevan mal.
Can llevarse also mean “to take away” or “to take with you”?
Yes. Llevarse + direct object = “to take (away) with oneself”:
- Se llevaron el coche. (They took the car away.) That’s a different meaning from llevarse bien/mal (“to get along”).
Any Spain vs. Latin America differences here?
In third person (like your sentence), no difference. In commands, Spain uses vosotros:
- Spain: ¡Llevaos bien! / No os llevéis mal.
- Latin America (ustedes): ¡Llévense bien! / No se lleven mal.
How can I intensify or soften mal?
- Stronger: se llevan fatal, se llevan muy mal, se llevan bastante mal.
- Softer/neutral: se llevan regular, se llevan un poco mal.
Does amigos include women?
Yes. Amigos is the standard generic masculine for mixed groups. If all are women, use amigas. Some opt for explicitly inclusive phrasing like mis amigas y amigos or a neutral collective like mis amistades.
Why not los mis amigos? What about los amigos míos or unos amigos míos?
Spanish doesn’t use an article before the short possessives (mi/mis, tu/tus, su/sus), so say mis amigos, not los mis amigos. For emphasis/contrast you can say los amigos míos (“my friends,” as opposed to other people’s). For “some friends of mine,” use unos amigos míos.
Where does se go with other verb forms (infinitives, gerunds, commands, negation)?
- Before a conjugated verb: No se llevan mal.
- Attached to an infinitive/gerund/affirmative command:
- … pueden llevarse mal.
- … están llevándose mal.
- Spain (vosotros): ¡Llevaos bien! / Negative: No os llevéis mal.
- Latin America (ustedes): ¡Llévense bien! / Negative: No se lleven mal.
When would I use the subjunctive se lleven?
After verbs/expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, etc., in a subordinate clause:
- Espero que mis amigos se lleven bien.
- Ojalá no se lleven mal.
- Es posible que (a veces) no se lleven bien.
What are natural alternatives to a veces?
- De vez en cuando (every now and then)
- En ocasiones
- Ocasionalmente
- Alguna que otra vez All mean “sometimes/occasionally,” with slightly different degrees of formality/register.
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