1.3-1 In Lección 7 of Descubre, nivel 1 you learned how to use se as the third-person reflexive pronoun (El se despierta. Ellos se visten. Ella se baña.)

1.3-1

In Lección 7 of Descubre, nivel 1 you learned how to use se as the third-person reflexive pronoun (El se despierta. Ellos se visten. Ella se baña.).

Se can also be used to form constructions in which the person performing the action is not expressed or is de-emphasized.

©2014 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

1.3-2

Se + verb In Spanish, verbs that are not reflexive can be

used with se to form statements in which the person performing the action is not defined.

©2014 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

©2014 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. 1.3-3

¡Atención! Note that the third person singular verb form is used with singular nouns and verbs.

The third person plural form is used with plural nouns.

Se prohíbe comer Se celebran fiestas.

Aquí se habla español. Aquí se habla español. =

(Spanish is spoken here.)¿Cómo se apaga la aspiradora? ¿Cómo se apaga la aspiradora? =

(How does one turn off the vacuum?)Se lava ropa aquí. Se lava ropa aquí. = (Clothing is washed here.)

©2010 Teacher’s Discovery

Examples of singular nouns:

Ejemplo: Aquí se reparan carros. Aquí se reparan carros. =

(Cars are repaired here.)

Se venden motos. = (Motorcycles are for sale.)

Se solicitan meseros. = (Wait staffers are wanted.)


Examples of plural nouns:


This “se” construction can be used with all verb tenses.

Ejemplos: Se preparan muchas buenas fiestas en este restaurante.= (In this Se preparan muchas buenas fiestas en este restaurante.= (In this

restaurant, a lot of good parties are prepared.)restaurant, a lot of good parties are prepared.) Se prepararon muchas fiestas en este restaurante ayer. Se prepararon muchas fiestas en este restaurante ayer. =(A lot was of

parties were prepared in this restaurant yesterday.) Se preparaban muchas buenas fiestas en este restaurante en aquel Se preparaban muchas buenas fiestas en este restaurante en aquel

entonces. entonces. = (Back then, a lot of good parties were/used to be prepared in this restaurant (habitual.)


You often see the impersonal se in signs, advertisements, and directions.


Se for unplanned events

Se also describes accidental or unplanned events. In this construction, the person who performs the action is de-emphasized, implying that the accident or unplanned event is not his or her direct responsibility. Note this construction.


In this type of construction, what would normally be the direct object of the sentence becomes the subject, and it agrees with the verb, not with the indirect object pronoun.


These verbs are the ones most frequently used with se to describe unplanned events.


¡Atención! While Spanish has a verb for to fall (caer), there is no direct translation for to drop. Dejar caer (To let fall) or a se construction is often used to mean to drop.


To clarify or emphasize who the person involved in the action is, this construction commonly begins with the preposition a + [noun] or a + [prepositional pronoun].


Completa las oraciones con se + la forma correcta del verbo.

1. ___________ (enseñar) cinco lenguas en esta escuela.

2. __________ (comer) muy bien en Las Delicias.

3. __________ (vender) muchas camisetas allí.

4. __________ (servir) platos exquisitos cada noche.

Completa las oraciones con se y los verbos en pretérito.

1. _________________ (I broke) las gafas.

2. __________ (You [fam., sing.]) dropped) las pastillas.

3. __________ (They lost) la receta.

4. __________ (You [form., sing.] left) aquí la radiografía.

Se enseñanA

BSe me rompieron

Traduce/Translate: 1. Many languages (idiomas) are spoken here. 2.A lot of clothing used to be sold here back then (en aquel entonces). 3.Salsa is danced in Puerto Rico. 4. Dogs are not allowed (permitir) on the beach. 5. Advil is prescribed for headaches.

Use se for unplanned events: 6. Ana forgot the pills.(olvidar) 7.We broke the plate.(romper) 8.They dropped the prescriptions. (caer) 9. Your car got damaged/You damaged your car (dañar). 10. The students forgot their homeworks (olvidar).

Copyright © 2008 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 1.3-14

Documents

1.3-1 In Lección 7 of Descubre, nivel 1 you learned how to use se as the third-person reflexive pronoun (El se despierta. Ellos se visten. Ella se baña.)