Spanish Phrase
Se te corta un poco.
Meaning
Literally, “It gets cut off a little for you.” In everyday speech it’s used when a broadcast, video, audio, or any stream of information is slightly interrupted or truncated for the listener.
When to use
Use this phrase when you notice a brief glitch in a TV show, a podcast, a video call, or even a written text that seems to have been trimmed. It’s informal and common in casual conversation among friends or colleagues.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Setecortaunpoco
Se (pasiva refleja)
The pronoun 'se' is used to form a reflexive or passive construction, indicating that the action happens without a clear subject.
te (dativo)
The clitic 'te' is the indirect object pronoun meaning 'to you' or 'for you', showing who is affected by the action.
corta (presente de indicativo)
Third‑person singular present of the verb 'cortar' (to cut). In this construction it agrees with the impersonal 'se'.
un poco (adverbio de cantidad)
A small amount; modifies the verb to indicate the cut is slight.
🗨In Conversation
¿Escuchas bien la canción?
Do you hear the song well?
Sí, pero se te corta un poco el sonido cuando llega al coro.
Yes, but the sound cuts out a little when it reaches the chorus.
✕Common Mistakes
Te corta un poco.
Missing the passive 'se' changes the meaning to 'you cut' (as the subject).
Se corta tú un poco.
Pronoun order is wrong; 'tú' cannot replace the clitic 'te' in this construction.
Se te corta mucho.
While grammatically correct, using 'mucho' instead of 'un poco' changes the nuance; learners often over‑use 'mucho' when they mean a slight interruption.
↔Alternatives
Se te interrumpe un poco.
It gets interrupted a little.
Se te corta ligeramente.
It cuts off slightly.
Hay un pequeño corte.
There’s a small cut.
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries the construction 'se te + verb' is very colloquial and conveys a sense of shared experience – the speaker is pointing out a problem that affects the listener directly. It’s perfect for informal settings but would sound odd in a formal report; there you’d say 'hay una ligera interrupción' instead.