All things “se”: Guide on How to Use It Properly
Se in Spanish is a very popular topic that many people want clarification on and So What I’m going to do it combine all the post I’ve made about the different uses of se and compile it in to one large post by copy and pasting my previous post from years past. I’ll also provide the individual links for each section.
Passive “Se”
Original link to: Passive “Se”
I got a question a few days ago about how to use/better understand the passive se in Spanish but accidentally deleted it.
The first thing you should know about it is that it can be translated a few different ways:
1. You (generalization, no one specifically) do something.
2. To be + past participle
3. One (generally) does something.
4. We do something
5. They (without specifying who “they” is) do something.
(These below are some of the most commonly used ones in Spanish)
Ex.
Se puede comer en las calles - You/one can eat in the street.
Se necesita un pastel para la fiesta - A cake is needed for the party. / We need a cake for the party.
Se habla español en Colombia. - Spanish is spoken in Colombia./They speak Spanish in Colombia.
¿Cómo se dice…? - How do you say…?/ How does one say…?
Whenever you see se puede, translate it as “you can/you are able to” or “one can/one is able to”.
Se habla will almost be translated as “(Language) is spoken”. It’s most commonly used in that form.
Se dice will almost always be “you say”. In other cases, it can be “it is said.
Se busca means to be wanted
Se vende can mean to be "for sale”
NOTE: The passive se also works in the plural form. The singular form is followed by “que” or and infinitive verb like shown in the examples above.
The pluralized form of the passive se is used to STRICTLY show what is being done or and SOMETIMES what “they do” The form where it shows what is being done is the most common translation. Here are some examples:
Ex.
Se comen (las) manzanas por la mañana. - Apples are eaten in the morning.
Se hacen muchas cosas. - Many things are done.
Se compran tornillos en la ferretería. - Screws are bought in the hardware store.
¿Sabes donde se hablan 3 idiomas? - Do you know where they speak 3 languages/Do you know where 3 languages are spoken?
One last part I want to mention is how the passive se is used for accidental occurrences. It’s formed by using the 3rd-person-singular or plural passive se with indirect object pronouns. The indirect object pronoun will determine essentially “who” did the action in English. In Spanish, however", it shows what was done by whom. it’s formation will be (se + I.O. conj. verb with plurality agreement). Here’s some examples:
Se me olvidó el libro en casa. - I forgot the book at home.
Se me olvidaron los libros en casa. - I forgot the books at home.
Se me cae el tenedor. - I drop the fork (accidentally)
Se me caen los tenedores. - I drop the forks (accidentally)
Se me despistó el niño. - I lost sight of the child.
Se me despistaron los niños. - I lost sight of the children.
Se me fue. - I lost it. (in thinking process)
Se me escapa. - It escapes me (a thought or thing)
Just use caution when using the passive se with “escapar” and “ir”. In the cases, it can be translated as “those things did that thing to me.
When trying to figure out which way of translating would be best, just go through the different forms and ask yourself which one makes the most sense. Sometimes a few different ways make sense.
Link below ↓
HERE IS ALSO A LINK to a post that @spanishskulduggery made a while back that is helpful on the Impersonal se topic. Click that link! If you don’t already follow spanishskulduggery, go do so! You won’t be disappointed
“Se” as an Indirect Object Pronoun
Original Link to: SPANISH: DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS
So a few days ago, I received an ask a few days ago for tips on remembering direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish.
For starts, both the indirect obj. pronouns and are the same EXCEPT in the 3rd-person singular and plural (usted/él/ella & ustedes/ellos/ellas). This makes it easier to remember which one to use in each case.
Direct Object Pronouns
me - me te - you lo/la -you formal./it nos - us os - you pl. los/las - you plural/them
My German teacher in high school made was the one who made it clear to me the difference between D.O. and I.O. pronouns since the book definition was too wordy and confusing
For D.O. Pronouns, think of it as WHAT you are doing.
It’s WHAT: -you eat -you do -you smell -you hug -you see -you kiss -you play -etc.
Ex.
Te amo — I love you ( you’re WHAT I love)
Los ves — You see them (they’re WHAT you see)
Lo comen — They eat it (it’s WHAT they eat)
Indirect Object Pronouns
me - me te - you le -you formal./him/her nos - us os - you pl. les - you plural/them
For this, think of it as TO WHAT/FOR WHAT you doing something.
Ex.
Le doy una manzana — I give her an apple (TO WHOM I give the apple)
Nos hacen un favor — they do us a favor (TO/FOR whom they do a favor)
Les escribimos una carta — We write them a letter (TO/FOR whom we write a letter)
NOTE: Whenever you must use both indirect and direct objects in the same sentence with the same conjugated verb (ex. te lo doy — I give it to you), you MUST put it in the order of I.O. + D.O. + conjugated verb).
Be careful when using these because when in conjunction like the example given above, le and les get changed to se
Ex.
Se lo traes — I bring it to him
Se los muestro — I show them to them
Se lo leo — I read it to him
I hope this was able to help you better understand how/when to use them.
“Sé” with an Accent Mark
When we have sé with it an accent mark, it can mean 1 of 2 things:
First person singular conjugation of saber Yo lo sé - I know
The informal singular command of saber ¡Sé tú mismo! - Be yourself!