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THE “SE IMPERSONAL”
WHEN WE DO NOT KNOW/REFERENCE
WHO IS DOING THE ACTION
THE PASSIVE VOICE
When we talk about something being done without
saying WHO does it, this is called the PASSIVE voice
in English.
Examples:
- Italian is spoken in Italy. (could say “One speaks Italian in Italy”)
- Basketball is played with a ball and two baskets. (“One plays
basketball with a ball and two baskets)
•In Spanish, the pronoun SE is used to
express the same idea.
Ej:
Se habla italiano en Italia. → They speak Italian in Italy
OR
Italian is spoken in Italy.
Se juega baloncesto con una pelota y dos canastas. →
You play basketball with a ball and two baskets.
OR Basketball is played with a ball and two baskets.
The following statements in English are
expressed with the impersonal SE in Spanish.
Fish is sold in the fish market.
They sell fish in the fish market
One sells fish in the fish market.
You/We sell fish in the fish market.
→ Se vende pescado
en la pescadería.
How do we say “to sell” in Spanish?
VENDER
CREATING THE “SE IMPERSONAL”
We use the verb in the third person present,
either singular or plural and place a “se” in
front.
FOR REGULARS:
1. Knock off the –AR, –ER or –IR
2. Add an –a(n) for AR verbs and an
-e(n) for –ER/-IR verbs.
3. Then, you add the pronoun “se” in front of
verb to make it “impersonal” (no subject)
SE IMPERSONAL examples…
•
•
•
•
Let’s use HABLAR
Step one: Habl
Step two: Add “a” or “an” (*think gustar)
Let’s say “One speaks English in England.”
Since English is singular we would add “a”
• Se habla ingles en Ingletierra.
• If it is “One speaks BOTH Spanish and
English in the United States of America.”
• Se hablan ingles y español en los EEUU.
SE IMPERSONAL cont…
*Common BOOT stem-changes:
O → UE (dormir, poder)
U → UE (jugar)
E → IE (querer, tener) or
E → I (pedir, decir)
QUERER:__________
TO WANT
QUIERO
QUEREMOS
QUIERES
QUEREIS
QUIERE
QUIEREN
ALWAYS THIRD PERSON FOR THE “SE IMPERSONAL”
-DORMIR: *Él, ella, usted- duerme
*Él, ella, usted- pide
-PEDIR:
Common “SE IMPERSONAL”
expressions
“SE HABLA ESPAÑOL”↘
Verb?
HABLAR: TO SPEAK
“Se habla” : is spoken, speaks
Therefore… “Spanish is spoken here”
“We speak Spanish here”
“One speaks Spanish here” etc.
“You can speak Spanish here”
Common “SE IMPERSONAL”
expressions
↑“SE VENDE POLLO”
“SE VENDE CASA”↑
Verb?
VENDER: TO SELL
“Se vende” : is sold, sells
Therefore… “Chicken is sold here / This house is sold here”
“We sell chicken / this house here” “One sells here”
“Chicken / This house is for sale”
Common “SE IMPERSONAL”
SE BUSCA
empleado →
↑SE BUSCA una persona
Verb?:
BUSCAR: TO SEARCH, TO LOOK FOR
“Se busca” : is wanted, “are looking for”
Therefore…”________is wanted here”
“We are looking for _______ here”
“One looks for __________ here” etc.
Common “SE IMPERSONAL”
expressions
Verb?:
ALQUILAR: TO RENT
↑SE ALQUILA ESPACIO
“Se alquila” : is for rent, “are renting”
Therefore…”________is for rent ”
“We are renting _______ ”
“One can rent ___________ here ” etc.
¡Y AHORA TÚ!
Change each verb to the “SE IMPERSONAL” and
create a complete sentence.
Think in English….”One speaks Italian in Italy”
“One speaks nicely to his boss”
“One eats seafood on the beach” etc.
JUGAR: u → ue
DECIR: e → I
TENER: e → ie
PODER: o → ue