diz-se que/acredita-se que

Impersonal Expressions with Se

Level 4

Use diz-se que or acredita-se que to report general knowledge, rumors, or institutional beliefs. It makes the statement impersonal and objective.

How It Works

In formal Portuguese, especially in journalism and academic writing, the particle se is used to create impersonal statements. This construction often functions as a partícula apassivadora (passive particle), turning the sentence into a passive structure.

1. Function:
It allows the speaker to distance themselves from the information. Instead of saying 'People say' (Dizem que), which sounds like hearsay, Diz-se que sounds like a documented or widely accepted fact.

2. Clitic Placement and the 'No-Start' Rule:

  • The No-Start Rule: In formal Portuguese (both Brazil and Portugal), a sentence cannot begin with an unstressed object pronoun. This is why we say Diz-se que and never Se diz que at the start of a formal sentence, utilizing enclisis.
  • Regional Preferences: In European Portuguese, the pronoun usually follows the verb: Acredita-se que. In Brazilian Portuguese, while proclisis is preferred in speech (Se acredita que), formal writing adheres to the 'No-Start' rule.
  • Attractor Words: Certain words like 'não', 'nunca', or 'que' act as magnets. These obligatory proclisis triggers force the pronoun to move before the verb (e.g., Não se diz).
  • In the future tense, mesoclisis is used in very formal contexts: Dir-se-á que... (It will be said that...).

3. Subject Agreement:
A common point of confusion is whether to pluralize the verb. Because the subject is the entire 'que' clause (a 'clausal subject'), the verb must remain singular, even if the nouns inside that clause are plural. For example: Diz-se que os preços subiram (It is said that prices rose).

Examples (5)

  1. Diz-se que o novo restaurante no centro é excelente.

    It is said that the new restaurant downtown is excellent.

    Word by Word: Says-itself that the new restaurant in-the center is excellent.

    A neutral way to report a general opinion about a place.

  2. Acredita-se que a economia recuperará no próximo trimestre.

    It is believed that the economy will recover in the next quarter.

    Word by Word: Believes-itself that the economy will-recover in-the next quarter.

    Uses 'acreditar' to express a collective hypothesis or conviction.

  3. Sabe-se que a água é essencial para a vida.

    It is known that water is essential for life.

    Word by Word: Knows-itself that the water is essential for the life.

    Uses 'saber' to state a widely accepted objective truth.

  4. Dir-se-á que não fizemos o suficiente, mas tentámos tudo.

    It will be said that we didn't do enough, but we tried everything.

    Word by Word: Say-itself-will that not we-did the enough, but we-tried everything.

    An example of mesoclisis used in a formal future context.

  5. Não se acredita que ele seja culpado.

    It is not believed that he is guilty.

    Word by Word: Not itself believes that he be guilty.

    Notice how the negation triggers proclisis and the subjuntivo (seja) because it expresses doubt.

Common Mistakes

  • Pluralizing the verb to match the noun inside the 'que' clause.

    Dizem-se que as leis vão mudar.
    Diz-se que as leis vão mudar.

    The verb must stay singular because the subject is the entire clause starting with 'que', not the plural noun 'leis'.

  • Confusing 'Diz-se que' with 'Dizem que'.

    Diz-se que... (in a casual conversation with friends)
    Dizem que... (in a casual conversation with friends)

    While 'Diz-se que' is grammatically correct, it is very formal. In casual speech, use the 3rd person plural 'Dizem que' (They say that).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

diz-se que/acredita-se queLevel 4Impersonal Expressions with Se

Learn This First

To learn 'diz-se que' and 'acredita-se que', you need to understand how the pronoun 'se' functions to create impersonal or passive meanings. You also need to be comfortable using the conjunction 'que' to connect these introductory phrases to the rest of your sentence.

Words in This Pattern