The Passive Voice: "Se" Flashcards
How is the Passive Se formed?
se + third person (singular/plural) verb + (singular/plural) noun
Se vende queso.
Cheese sold here.
Se compran muebles usados.
Used furniture bought here.
What is the Passive Se used for? (3)
– to talk about something that happened to an object without saying who or what carried out the action
– Wanted / For Sale ads
– Instructions
What are the two rules of Passive Se?
– Only transitive verbs (verbs that require a direct object) are used in passive se constructions
– Mostly used to talk about inanimate (non-living) nouns. Not common to refer to people using the passive se
How does Impersonal Se differ to Passive Se? (2)
– Impersonal Se expressions reference people in general and are used in statements or questions about what they, one or you do
– they are never plural, only used with se + a third person singular verb
Cheese sold here.
Se vende queso.
Used furniture bought here.
Se compran muebles usados.
The potatoes and onions are cut into pieces.
Se cortan las papas y las cebollas en pedazos.
The ingredients are mixed for 5 minutes.
Se mezclan los ingredientes por 5 minutos.
Drinks will be served in the garden.
Se servirán bebidas en el jardín.
What time do the shops open?
¿A qué hora se abren las tiendas?
The houses are painted blue.
Las casas se pintan de azul.
The potatoes and onions are cut
Se cortan las papas y las cebollas.
Kayaks for rent here.
Se alquilan kayaks aquí.
The book is written in Spanish
Se escribe el libro en español.
Ice cream is served here
Se sirve el helado aquí.
