SPN 102:: Uses of SE

Spanish Language Grammar: SE and the Passive Voice

Function: Indicates that an action is performed by some unspecified subject/agent/actor.
Spanish position: Immediately preceding the conjugated verb in the third person only, singular and pluaral.
English equivalents: it, you, we, they, one, anybody, a person, etc.

We use the passive voice to describe an action that is carried but has no specific, identified agent. For example:
“The doors are closed at 5pm” there is no identified subject or agent. Look at these examples:
Active Voice: Nora closes the store at 9pm. Passive Voice: The store is closed at 9pm.
Active Voice: The President delivered a speech. Passive Voice: A speech was delivered.
There are basically two ways to express the passive voice in Spanish:
(1) by using a form of ser and a participle and (2) by using se and a conjugated form of the verb.
Barack es respetado. Se respeta a Barack. (Barack is respected)
Las ideas fueron destruidas. Se destruyeron las ideas. (Ideas were destroyed)

A. Formation of the passive Voice with SE
To use SE as a substitute for the passive voice in Spanish, place SE before the conjugated verb in the third person. If the noun is singular, conjugate the verb in the third person-singular; if the noun is plural or if there is a series of nouns, conjugate the verb in the third-person plural. Examples: Se habla español en Perú=Spanish is spoken in Peru. Se hablan inglés y francés en Montreal=English and French are spoken in Montreal.
Ejercicio 1. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1. Shoes are sold here. 2. Movies are made in Hollywood. 3. Coffee and sugar are cultivated in El Salvador. 4. Piñatas are made in Mexico. 5. Cameras are not permitted in the theater.

B. Using SE to Avoid the Passive
One way to avoid the passive is to use an impersonal subject. For example in “They dance huayno in Peru,”, we don’t know specifically who they are. The subject refers to many people in general, but no one in particular. In English, another common impersonal subject is you as in “You shouldn’t call after 10pm”. Examples:
No se debe mentir = One shouldn’t lie/You shouldn’t lie. ¿Qué se puede hacer? = What’s a person to do? What can you do? Jamas se explicó el suicidio = They never explained the suicide. No one ever explained the murder.
En este club se baila salsa y merengue = In this club, they/people dance salsa and merengue.
Note: Often when the plural is used to express the same idea, the reflexive SE is dropped.
Se me conoce aquí → Me conocen aquí = They know me here. Aquí se produce el major café → Aquí producen el mejor café. Se dice que no se puede fumar en ninguna parte → Dicen que no se puede fumar en ninguna parte = They say/it is said that you cannot smoke anywhere.
Note: When working with a reflexive verb, the reflection is understood through the use of SE. Using SE for unplanned events, it means that the action can be described in the passive voice as in the second example.
Se debe cepillar los dientes cada dia = One should brush his teeth everyday. Se me perdieron las llaves = The keys were lost (by me)/I lost the keys.
Ejercicio 2. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1.You should pay your taxes (impuestos) every April. 2. You can’t be in two places at the same time (al mismo tiempo). 3. It is said that you should do your homework before coming to class. 4. You can take pictures in this area. 5. In order to dance salsa, you need a little bit of grace (una poca de gracia).

C. The Passive Voice with Inanimate Objects
We often speak of actions that take place in which there is no-or at least-no human element involved in the action, for example: “My heater breaks down on me every winter”, or, “The banks opens at 9am”. In these situations, we use the passive voice. The object can either precede or follow the verb. Examples:
Se abre el banco a las nueve. El banco se abre a las diez (The banks opens at 9am). Se estropea (breaks down) mi calefacción cada invierno. Mi calefacción se estropea cada invierno (My heater breaks down on me every winter).
Ejercicio 3. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1.The mall closes at 9pm. 2. What time does the restaurant open? 3. After the holidays, millions of toys break (romperse). 4. The museums close at 6pm sharp (en punto). 5. The sun sets (ponerse) at 5.30pm.