Spanish Phrase
Se me corta la señal todo el rato.
Meaning
Literally, 'The signal cuts itself on me all the time.' In everyday English it means 'My signal keeps dropping all the time,' referring to TV, internet, or mobile reception that is constantly interrupted.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to complain about a weak or unstable signal that repeatedly stops working, whether you’re watching a video, on a phone call, or trying to stream music.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Semecortalaseñaltodoelrato
Se + me construction
The combination 'se me' expresses that something happens to the speaker unintentionally; 'se' is a passive/impersonal marker and 'me' is the indirect object pronoun.
Cortar (to cut off)
Used here in the sense of 'to be interrupted' rather than the literal 'to cut'. The verb is conjugated in third‑person singular present because the subject is the signal.
Todo el rato
An idiomatic time expression meaning 'all the time' or 'continuously'. It is informal; 'todo el tiempo' is a more neutral alternative.
Article agreement
The direct object 'la señal' requires the feminine article 'la' to match the noun.
🗨In Conversation
¿Por qué no puedes ver el video?
Why can’t you watch the video?
Se me corta la señal todo el rato.
The signal keeps cutting out all the time.
✕Common Mistakes
Me corta la señal todo el rato.
Missing the impersonal 'se' which is required for this construction.
Se me cortó la señal todo el rato.
Mixes past tense 'cortó' with the present time expression 'todo el rato'; use present 'corta' or change the time phrase to past ('ayer').
Se me corta la señal todo el día.
While not grammatically wrong, 'todo el día' changes the nuance; 'todo el rato' emphasizes continuous interruption, whereas 'todo el día' suggests the whole day period.
↔Alternatives
La señal se interrumpe constantemente.
The signal is constantly interrupted.
Se me pierde la señal frecuentemente.
I keep losing the signal frequently.
La señal se corta continuamente.
The signal cuts out continuously.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking regions, speakers use the 'se me' construction to describe involuntary events that affect them personally (e.g., 'Se me olvidó' – I forgot). While 'todo el rato' is common in casual conversation, in formal writing you might prefer 'todo el tiempo'. Some countries also say 'Se me cae la señal' instead of 'corta', especially when talking about a mobile or Wi‑Fi connection.