Passive SE
The pronoun Se with any verb in the 3rd pers. sing. or plural may be
used to form the passive voice, as:
- Se ha cerrado el almacén: The warehouse has been closed.
- Se han encaminado las reclamaciones á la Compañía de Seguros[2]: The claims have been referred to the Insurance Company.
Footnote 2: This form is preferable when the "doer" is not mentioned.
Se followed by a verb in the 3rd pers. sing.[3] translates the
English "one," "people," "they" (indefinite), as the French "on" and
the German "man," as:
English "one," "people," "they" (indefinite), as the French "on" and
the German "man," as:
- Se dice que habrá un alza[4] en el mercado: They say, or it is said, that there will be a rise in the market.
- Se cree que no habrá Reforma Arancelaria en Inglaterra: People think, or it is thought, that there will not be Tariff Reform in England.
- En la vejez se goza el fruto de una juventud laboriosa: In old age one enjoys the fruits of active youth or The fruits of active youth are enjoyed in old age.
Footnote 3: Or we can use the 3rd pers. plur. of the verb without the
pronoun.
pronoun.
Footnote 4: Or "una alza" (both used).
As will be seen, this is really a form of the passive voice rendered by
"se," as "se goza" instead of "es gozado." But there are more typical
Examples, as:
"se," as "se goza" instead of "es gozado." But there are more typical
Examples, as:
- Los géneros se han fabricado en Irlanda y se los ha (not han) plegado como lienzos irlandeses: The goods were made in Ireland and they folded them as Irish Linens.
A Conjunctive Reflexive Pronoun, whether direct or indirect object,
always precedes any other conjunctive pronoun, as:
- Yo me lo reservo: I reserve it for myself.
- Nosotros nos lo guardamos: We keep it for ourselves.
- Se me dice: It is said to me (it says itself to me).
- Se les venden las telas: The cloths are sold to them.
- Nosotros nos le confiamos: We entrust ourselves to him.
- Vosotros os les empeñasteis en £1,000: You pledged yourselves to them for £1,000.
Category: General Spanish