“Se” y como se usa / The uses of “SE”
Acción reflexiva
Use se with verbs that are used reflexively.
The doer and receiver of the action are the same.
Reflexive pronouns:
Me
Nos
Te
Se
Se
Se and Unplanned / Acto no intencional

Sometimes instead of saying, "I forgot to do the homework!"
we say, _______________________________________

Or instead of saying "I dropped her priceless teapot!“
we say _________________________________________

The difference in the second sentences is an ________________________ on the lack of
intent or responsibility.

We are stressing that this was a totally _______________________________________
that did not involve any deliberate action on our part.

In Spanish we use the pronoun ”se” with certain verbs to convey unintentional events

We conjugate them in the ________________________________________________
since we aren't actually doing the action

Rather, it is something happening to us.

It depends on what has slipped through our fingers or gotten lost on us

We add in an indirect object pronoun to indicate whose mind the idea slipped out of
(or through whose fingers the item or items slipped).
Often used with following verbs:







Quedar- to stay
Quemar- to burn
Perder- to lose
Olvidar- to forget
Caer- to fall (used for drop)
Romper- to break
Acabar- to use up
Examples
1. _____________________________________________________
It slipped my mind (vs. I forgot)
2. _____________________________________________________
It misplaced itself on you (vs. You lost it)
3. _____________________________________________________
It slipped through our fingers. (vs. We dropped it)
4. _____________________________________________________
The keys were left behind in the house (on him or on her)
5. _____________________________________________________
It occurred to them to study for the exam.
6. _____________________________________________________
The plates slipped through my fingers.
7. _____________________________________________________
The tapes broke on us.
8. _____________________________________________________
The book got lost on us.

You can also add your redundant indirect object using the preposition a, for
emphasis or clarification
Example:
9. A mi hermana se le quedaron las llaves en la casa.
My sister's keys were left behind in the house.
10. _____________________________________________________
It occurred to the students to study for the exam.
11. _____________________________________________________
Our book got lost (not yours.)
Reemplaza le o les
“Se” replaces “le” and “les” before the direct object pronouns lo, los, la and las
In a sentence containing both direct and indirect object pronouns, the indirect comes before
the direct.
Direct object pronouns:
me, te, lo, la, nos, los, las
Indirect object pronouns:
me, te, le, nos, les
Impersonal Se
Impersonal expressions don’t really have any specific person in mind when they make
general statements or questions about what “they,” “one,” or “you,” do, but rather people in
general.
There is ________________ nor is there an ____________________________________.
Use to find out how things are done according to custom, rule, or general consensus.
They are helpful for asking for directions, how to say things properly, what the rules are in a
specific place, making general statements, and so on.
Always se + _________________________ singular verb.
Examples
12. __________________ español en Uruguay.
(They speak Spanish in Uruguay.)
13. ¿Cómo __________________al teatro?
(How does one get to the theater?)
14. __________________ “pastel” p-a-s-t-e-l.
(You spell “pastel” p-a-s-t-e-l.)
15. ¿Cómo __________________ “table” en español?
(How do you say “table” in Spanish?)
16. __________________ que va a llover.
(They say it is going to rain.)
Passive Se
Generally, we use the passive voice to indicate what happened to the object without
saying _______________________________________________carried out the action.
The object is acted upon by an outside agent, which is not to be specified.
Construction is se + ___________________________ singular OR plural transitive verb.
Example:
17. __________________ la torta.
(The cake was eaten.)
18. __________________ el libro en español.
(The book is written in Spanish.)
19. __________________ español aquí.
(Spanish is spoken here.)
20. __________________ kayaks aquí.
(Kayaks are rented here.)
21. __________________ carros usados hoy.
(Used cars are being sold today.)
Un Cambio / (Grammatical Reflexives)
Use se with certain ´process´ verbs to show a change in status or in physical or emotional
state.
Graduarse- to graduate
Hacerse- to become
Cancelarse- to cancel