Impersonal se describes an action without saying who performs it.
The idea
Use se with a third-person singular verb: se vive bien, se trabaja mucho. This construction has no grammatical subject.
Examples
- En este pueblo se vive bien.People live well in this town.
- En verano se trabaja temprano.In summer people work early.
- Aquí se habla de arte.People talk about art here.
- En esa oficina se entra por turno.At that office people enter by turn.
- Se vende un libro usado.A used book is for sale.
- En la feria se venden libros.Books are sold at the fair.
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Watch out
Do not confuse it with passive se: in se venden libros, libros is a plural grammatical subject and the verb agrees with it.
Try it yourself
Choose the impersonal singular form. En este pueblo se ___ bien. (vive / viven)
Show answer or example answer
vive
Vive is singular in the impersonal construction.
Choose the passive form matching libros. En la feria se ___ libros. (venden / vende)
Show answer or example answer
venden
Venden agrees with the plural passive subject libros.
Choose the impersonal singular form. Aquí se ___ mucho. (trabaja / trabajan)
Show answer or example answer
trabaja
Trabaja is singular in the impersonal construction.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Spanish sentences where available. We keep your score.
Choose the impersonal singular form. En este pueblo se ___ bien. (vive / viven)
Choose the passive form matching libros. En la feria se ___ libros. (venden / vende)
Choose the impersonal singular form. Aquí se ___ mucho. (trabaja / trabajan)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe how people live in a town and contrast it with a sign saying that books are sold.