no se me

I can't seem to

→ no

phrase Common #5,812

I can't seem to This clitic combination is used with certain verbs to express that something does not come to mind, happen, or come easily to the speaker. Its exact translation depends on the verb: no se me ocurre means “I can't think of” or “it doesn't occur to me,” while no se me da bien means “I'm not good at.”

SP: No se me ocurre ninguna otra solución.

EN: I can't think of any other solution.

Este dolor de cabeza no se me va.

This headache won't go away.

Quizás no se me den los caballos, pero nací para hacer esto.

Maybe I'm not good with horses, but I was born to do this.

— Avatar (2009)

No se me va una.

I don't miss a thing.

— GOAT: Como cabras (2026)

A mí no se me ha perdido.

I haven't lost it.

La fiebre no se me va.

My fever won't go away.

Hace tres días que tengo dolor de cabeza y no se me va.

I've had a headache for three days, and it won't go away.

No te preocupes, no se me va a ir sin una lucha.

Don't worry, I'm not going to leave without a fight.

— Atrápame si puedes (2002)

No se me pudo ocurrir cómo hacerlo.

I couldn't think of how to do it.

No se me cruzó por la cabeza.

It never crossed my mind.

No lo ponga en duda, no se me escapará.

Make no mistake, he won't get away from me.

— Roma. Ciudad abierta (1945)

No se me ocurría nada que decir.

I couldn't think of anything to say.

— El cartero (y Pablo Neruda) (1994)

No se me recuerdo.

I don't remember.

— Relatos salvajes (2014)

Menos mal que no se me ha caído.

Thank goodness I didn’t drop it.

A mí no se me engaña fácilmente.

I’m not easily fooled.

No se me había pasado por la cabeza.

It hadn't crossed my mind.

La verdad no se me ocurren otras ruinas.

To be honest, I can't think of any other ruins.

— Suzume (2022)

No se me permitía decir nada.

I wasn’t allowed to say anything.

No se me quita.

It won't go away.

— The Dreadful (2026)

Es cierto, no se me había ocurrido.

That's right, I hadn't thought of that.

— Deseando amar (2000)

No se me había ocurrido.

It hadn't occurred to me.

— La gran enfermedad del amor (2017)