Passive se
Se + a verb that agrees with the noun gives a passive meaning: Véndese piso (flat for sale), Alúganse cuartos (rooms for rent).
How It Works
The pattern
se + third-person verb + noun, with agreement: Necesítase camareiro (waiter needed), Necesítanse camareiros (waiters needed).
Where you meet it
- Signs and adverts: Véndese, Alúgase, Non se admiten cans.
- Recipes and instructions: Cócense as patacas vinte minutos.
- General facts: Estas cancións coñécense en todo o país.
About agreement. You will also hear the singular with a plural noun (Véndese pisos). Galician grammars describe that as a separate impersonal construction; the agreeing form is the usual choice, especially in writing.
Where se goes. The usual pronoun rules apply: Aquí fálase galego, but Non se venden entradas (see pronouns after negatives).
No agent. This construction does not say who does the action. To name the doer, use the active (O banco vende os pisos) or ser + participle (Os pisos son vendidos polo banco).
Compare: impersonal se has no noun to agree with (Aquí vívese ben), and a porta abriuse describes something that happens by itself.
Examples (6)
- Véndese piso con vistas ao mar.
Flat for sale with sea views.
Word by Word: Sells-itself flat with views to-the sea.
Singular noun (piso), singular verb.
- Alúganse cuartos para estudantes.
Rooms for rent for students.
Plural noun (cuartos), plural verb.
- Nesta tenda fálase galego.
Galician is spoken in this shop.
Galego is the thing spoken, so the verb is singular.
- Cócense as patacas vinte minutos.
Boil the potatoes for twenty minutes.
A typical recipe instruction; the verb agrees with patacas.
- Estas cancións coñécense en todo o país.
These songs are known all over the country.
Coñécense agrees with cancións.
- Non se admiten cans.
No dogs allowed.
After non, se goes before the verb; admiten agrees with cans.
Common Mistakes
Putting se before the verb in a plain statement.
Aquí se fala galego.Aquí fálase galego.In a plain statement, se is attached after the verb.
Attaching se after the verb after non.
Non véndense entradas na porta.Non se venden entradas na porta.Non pulls the pronoun in front of the verb.
Adding the doer with por.
Os pisos véndense polo banco.O banco vende os pisos.The passive with se does not name the doer. Use an active sentence or ser + participle instead.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Passive se makes the affected noun the subject of the clause.
Related Patterns
- ser + ParticipleThe Passive with Ser
The passive with ser, used when you need to name the doer.
Level 4 - Things That Happen by Themselves
Se for events that happen by themselves, not done by anyone.
Level 4 - Impersonal They
Another way to avoid naming who does something.
Level 3 - Pronouns After the Verb
Why se attaches after the verb in plain statements.
Level 2 - Pronouns Before the Verb After Negatives
Why se comes before the verb after non.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Passive se in Bubblegum
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