The main rule
Se + verb in the third person says what people do or what is done, with nobody named. With no noun, the verb is singular: Aquí se come bien. With a noun, the noun is the subject and the verb agrees with it: Se vende una casa, Se venden casas. The noun usually comes after the verb, and se always comes right before it.
Impersonal se: no noun
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Aquí se vive bien. | People live well here. |
| Se trabaja mucho en esta empresa. | People work hard at this company. |
| Se dice que va a nevar. | They say it is going to snow. |
| Antes se viajaba menos. | People used to travel less. |
Passive se: the verb agrees with the noun
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| Se vende casa. | Se venden casas. |
| Se alquila habitación. | Se alquilan habitaciones. |
| Se necesita camarero. | Se necesitan camareros. |
| Se habla inglés. | Se hablan tres idiomas. |
Se + puede, debe, prohíbe + infinitive
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Se puede aparcar aquí. | You can park here. |
| No se puede fumar. | Smoking is not allowed. |
| Se debe llegar pronto. | You must arrive early. |
| Se prohíbe fumar. | Smoking is forbidden. |
| Se necesita reservar. | You need to book. |
The infinitive counts as a single thing, so the verb in front of it stays singular, like se puede and se prohíbe.
How it differs from English
English has several ways to say this: "people say", "they sell", "you can", "one must", "is sold". Spanish uses se for all of them. The English sign "Houses for sale" has no verb at all, while the Spanish sign needs one, and se must stay in front of it. Without se, Aquí habla inglés means that a particular person speaks English here, not that English is spoken. Agreement is the other surprise. The Spanish noun usually comes after the verb, so it is easy to forget it and leave the verb singular. Check the noun: if it is plural, the verb is plural.
Examples
- En este pueblo se vive sin prisas. Life in this village is unhurried.
- Se alquilan habitaciones cerca de la universidad. Rooms for rent near the university.
- Se aceptan tarjetas de crédito. Credit cards accepted.
- En Suiza se hablan cuatro idiomas. Four languages are spoken in Switzerland.
- Se busca camarero para el verano. Waiter wanted for the summer.
- Se dice que este restaurante es el mejor de la ciudad. They say this restaurant is the best in town.
- Primero se mezcla la harina con el agua. First you mix the flour with the water.
- Después se añaden dos huevos. Then you add two eggs.
- Las casas de este barrio se venden muy rápido. The houses in this neighbourhood sell very fast.
Signs and adverts
Shop windows, adverts and public notices use se because they address nobody in particular: Se vende coche, Se alquila apartamento, Se admiten perros, Se necesitan voluntarios, No se permite fumar. Spain also says piso for a flat; in Latin America you will see departamento or apartamento. Recipes and instructions work the same way: Se pelan las zanahorias, Se hierve el agua.
Putting the noun first
When you want to talk about the thing, put it first with an article. The verb still agrees: La casa se vende, Las casas se venden rápido, El inglés se habla en todas partes. Signs keep se first, but in conversation the noun often leads.
Other ways to be impersonal
Se is not the only way. The bare third person plural works when "they" means nobody in particular: Dicen que va a llover, Aquí venden fruta fresca. And uno works for "you, one": Uno vive mejor aquí. All three are correct; se is the standard choice for signs and general rules.
Reflexive verbs
A reflexive verb already has its se, so it cannot take a second one. Use uno or la gente: Uno se levanta temprano, La gente se levanta temprano, never se se levanta.
Common mistakes
Se vende casas.Se venden casas. Heard often in speech, but standard Spanish agrees with the noun.Se hablan inglés.Se habla inglés. Singular noun, singular verb.Aquí se viven bien.Aquí se vive bien. No noun, so the verb is singular.Se dicen que va a nevar.Se dice que va a nevar. After se, a que-clause takes the singular.Se prohíben fumar.Se prohíbe fumar. An infinitive is one thing, so the verb is singular.Puede se aparcar aquí.Se puede aparcar aquí. Se goes before puede or on the end of the infinitive (puede aparcarse), never between them.Se se levanta temprano.Uno se levanta temprano. A reflexive verb cannot take a second se.
Frequently asked questions
Is it se vende casas or se venden casas?
Standard Spanish says se venden casas: the verb agrees with the plural noun. Se vende casas is common in speech, but you should avoid it in writing and exams.
How do you say "English is spoken here" in Spanish?
Aquí se habla inglés. With a plural noun, the verb changes too: Aquí se hablan dos idiomas.
What does se mean in se dice que?
It makes the sentence impersonal: se dice que means "they say that" or "it is said that". The verb stays singular because no noun is the subject.
Can I say dicen que instead of se dice que?
Yes. Dicen que and se dice que are both correct. The second sounds a little more general, and it is the one you will see in news reports and notices.
Where does se go with puede or debe?
Before the first verb: Se puede entrar, No se debe correr. The infinitive that follows stays unchanged.