10.3: Constructions with se Flashcards
(19 cards)
In English, the __________ voice or __________ subjects (you, they, one) are used where Spanish uses impersonal constructions with se.
passive; indefinite
Verbs that are not reflexive can be used with se to form __________ constructions. These are statements in which the person performing the action is not defined.
impersonal
Traducir.
Se habla español en Costa Rica.
Spanish is spoken in Costa Rica.
Traducir.
Se puede leer en la sala de espera.
You can read in the waiting room.
Traducir.
Se hacen operaciones aquí.
They perform operations here.
Traducir.
Se necesitan medicinas enseguida.
They need medicine right away.
Note that the ________ person singular verb form is used with singular nouns and the ________ person plural form is used with plural nouns.
third; third
You often see the impersonal __ in signs, advertisements, and directions.
se
Se also describes __________ or __________ events. In this construction, the person who performs the action is de-emphasized, implying that the accident or unplanned event is not his or her direct responsibility. Note this construction:
se + [IO pronoun] + [verb (third person sing./plural)] + [subject(s)]
accidental; unplanned
In this construction, where se is used for unplanned events, what would normally be the direct object of the sentence becomes the __________, and it agrees with the verb, not with the indirect object pronoun.
subject
se + [IO pronoun] + [verb] + [subject]
se + [me, te, le] + [quedó, cayó, dañó] + [la receta, la taza, el radio]
se + [nos, os, les] + [rompieron, olvidaron, perdieron] + [las botellas, las pastillas, las llaves]
What verbs are most frequently used with se to describe unplanned events?
caer to fall; to drop dañar to damage; to break down olvidar to forget perder (e:ie) to lose quedar to be left behind romper to break
Traducir.
Se me perdió el teléfono de la farmacia.
I lost the pharmacy’s phone number.
Traducir.
Se nos olvidaron los pasajes.
We forgot the tickets.
While Spanish has a verb for “to fall” (_____), there is no direct translation for “to drop.” ______ _____ (to let fall) or a se construction is often used to mean “to drop.”
caer; dejar caer
Traducir.
El médico dejó caer la aspirina.
The doctor dropped the aspirin.
Traducir.
A mí se me cayeron los cuadernos.
I dropped the notebooks.
True or false: To clarify or emphasize who the person involved in the action is, this construction commonly begins with the preposition a + [noun] or a + [prepositional pronoun].
True
Traducir.
Al paciente se le perdió la receta.
The patient lost his prescription.
Traducir.
A ustedes se les quedaron los libros en casa.
You left the books at home.
