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 marketOne sells fish in the fish market. You/We sell fish in the fish market.

How do we say “to sell” in Spanish?

VENDER

→ Se vende pescado en la pescadería.

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:__________

ALWAYS THIRD PERSON FOR THE “SE IMPERSONAL”

*Él, ella, usted- duerme *Él, ella, usted- pide

QUIERO QUEREMOS

QUIERES QUEREIS

QUIERE QUIEREN

TO WANT

-DORMIR:

-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”

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.

↑SE BUSCA una persona

SE BUSCA empleado →

Common “SE IMPERSONAL” expressions

Verb?: ALQUILAR: TO RENT“Se alquila” : is for rent, “are renting”

Therefore…”________is for rent ”“We are renting _______ ” “One can rent ___________ here ” etc.

↑SE ALQUILA ESPACIO

¡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 TENER: e → ie

DECIR: e → I PODER: o → ue