Using 'le' vs 'se' pronoun?

Question

I have these two sentences from my book, one is using **le** and another one is using **se**: > Esa camiseta no **le** queda bien a Luisa. > Clara nunca **se** pinta los labios ni los ojos. I believe both **se** and **le** in these sentences refer to the person. Then, why sometimes **le** and sometimes **se** is used? Any help?

Answer 1

"Se" and "le" DO both refer to the person in the sentence, but there is a key difference: the subject of the verb (or of the action).

In the first sentence: Esa camiseta no le queda bien a Luisa, "le" is an indirect object pronoun, indicating that Luisa is the recipient of the action. In other words, the shirt doesn't fit well ON HER. "Esa camiseta" is the subject of the sentence, of "queda." It's the shirt that fits or doesn't fit, not Luisa that doesn't fit. Another example is with the verb GUSTAR. A Luisa no le gusta chocolate would be translated to "Chocolate (the subject) is not pleasing to her (the recipient)."

In the second sentence: Clara nunca se pinta los labios ni los ojos, "se" is a reflexive pronoun, indicating that Clara is (not) doing something to herself (both the agent and the recipient). Clara is the subject of the sentence here, because she is the one not painting (putting makeup on) her own lips. The infinitive form of the verb is pintarse. We use "se" to indicate that a person is receiving the action, but also doing the action (to themselves). Another example is with the verb LAVARSE. Clara se lava por la mañana would be translated to "Clara washes herself in the morning."