Spanish Phrase
¿Se nos acabó la pasta de dientes?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the toothpaste has run out for the group they belong to. It conveys a mild surprise or concern that the supply might be depleted.
When to use
Use this question when you notice the toothpaste tube is empty or when you suspect you might need to buy a new one. It works in casual conversation among family members, roommates, or friends sharing a bathroom.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Senosacabólapastadedientes?
Se (impersonal/passive)
In this construction, "se" does not refer to a specific subject; it signals that something happened unexpectedly, similar to English "it" in "It ran out".
Nos (dative pronoun)
"Nos" indicates the people affected by the action – here, "to us".
Acabó (preterite of acabar)
The verb is in the third‑person singular preterite because the implicit subject of "se" is neutral (it).
La pasta de dientes
A common phrase for "toothpaste"; note the gender agreement with the article "la".
🗨In Conversation
¿Se nos acabó la pasta de dientes?
Did we run out of toothpaste?
Sí, ya no queda nada. Tengo que comprar una nueva.
Yes, there's none left. I need to buy a new one.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Se acabó la pasta de dientes?
Do not drop "nos"; without it the sentence loses the sense of "to us" and becomes impersonal.
¿Se nos acaba la pasta de dientes?
The verb must be in preterite (acabó) to talk about a completed past event.
¿Se nos acabó la pasta de diente?
The noun is plural "dientes" because it refers to teeth, not a single tooth.
↔Alternatives
¿Nos quedamos sin pasta de dientes?
Did we run out of toothpaste?
¿Se ha terminado la pasta de dientes?
Has the toothpaste run out?
¿Ya no hay pasta de dientes?
Is there no toothpaste left?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking households, toothpaste is often bought in large family‑size tubes. Asking "¿Se nos acabó la pasta de dientes?" can be a polite way to suggest a joint purchase, especially in shared living situations. Remember that "pasta de dientes" is the standard term; "crema dental" is also used in some regions, particularly in Mexico.