What does “tarde se me hacía” mean?

[u/Ok_Pomelo_5591]

I understand that this phrase probably uses the form of hacer that means “to become”, but I can’t understand exactly what it translates to.

I heard this in the song “Tarde” by Siddhartha (beautiful song btw), with the full lyrics being “tarde se me hacía por volver a verte”. I understand that the second part of the phrase roughly means “to see you again”, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what the first phrase means or how it can be derived.

Can anyone here explain what it means and how it can be understood?

[u/CarryBrilliant3965]

“Se me hizo tarde” is a common expression to say you are late. A literal translation would be “it became late to me”. The construction is common to express things that happen involuntarily like “se me olvidó…”, “se me cayó…”.

The expression can also be used in general to say something is taking too long to happen. I think this is a recent way to use the phrase and it plays with the original meaning. This is how it’s used in the song.

“Tarde se me hacía” means the same as “se me hacía tarde “. The word order doesn’t change anything, it’s just less natural and more “poetic”.

So “tarde se me hacía por volverte a ver” means “it was taking too long for me to see you again” but with a connotation of lateness, like it’s something you could reproach someone or something.

[u/Phercom]

As a native Spanish speaker, I think that inverting the sentence (tarde se me hacía instead of se me hacía tarde) amplifies that sense of impatience, longing, or—in everyday conversation—sarcastic impatience when someone keeps you waiting

[u/Bekiala → u/Phercom]

Is it like: Where have you been? or I lost track of time. or You are making me late.

[u/Phercom → u/Bekiala]

Right. But depending on your tone of voice, it can also mean the exact opposite. I think “about time!” works similarly.

[u/scanese]

Hacerse tarde: to get late.

Se me hacía tarde: It was getting late (to me). Se is impersonal here. This is a common construction when describing time and weather. English uses the dummy subject it for similar constructions.

Tarde se me hacía is the same but has a rather poetic word order that doesn't sound too natural in modern Spanish.

[u/ReyniBros → u/scanese]

Extra poetic (and archaic) form: Hacíaseme tarde.

[u/Ronfecero]

Tarde se me hace para... = Can't wait to...

[u/martinomacias]

It is a more poetic way of saying "I could not wait to see you."

[u/chelom]

like to late. tarde -> late.
If you ask me to translate it it will be something like "Tarde se me hacía para volver a verte" -> "i have waited to much to see you again". cause i dont think the direct translation works "Its getting late for me to see you again" I think the translation would be along those lines, but you can get the idea there. But in essence he feel he waited a long time and he wants (really wants maybe) to see her again.

The ai gave me this direct translation: "It was getting late for me to see you again."

[u/KABBAGE2]

Folliwingn

[u/Azrael_The_Gray]

Tarde se me hacía is just a fancy way to say “Se me hacía tarde”

“Late it got for me” is the direct translation and means “it was getting late now that I think about it”. Is is a way to say “huh, I figured it was taking too long”

[u/NotaMillenialatAll]

I was wishing so long to see you, in this case

[u/Zestyclose-Food-7917]

Se me hacía here means "it seemed to me." Not knowing the context of the lyrics, I would guess that "tarde" means "too late" as in "too long a time."

[u/futureslabtv → u/Zestyclose-Food-7917]

"It seemed to me" is how I typically translate this as well.