Trouble translating "realizarse"

Question

Recently in the chat room, someone asked me to translate this Spanish sentence into English: "Se realiza una visita para ejecutar el protocolo." I understood the main gist of the sentence, basically that someone is visiting to execute/carry out the protocol, but I'm having trouble translating the "se realiza" part naturally/smoothly into English. I know that "realizar" means "to perform, to fulifill, to realize (in the sense of accomplishing something). Is "realizarse" just the passive version?

Hmm... I just don't know how to translate it into a smooth, natural sounding construction in English.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Answer 1

Hi, This is a proble I used to have, too. "Se" is a pronoun, in French there is a pronoun which is "on" and is called neutral since in fact no specific person is carrying out the activity.

When translating mostly scientific reports, and work reports, "se" is the correct pronoun in order to write them. Why? Because no specific person is carrying out the activity. This can be translated into English, as you said, with the passive voice, the problem is that in English passive voice can be annoying after a while.

Example: Se propuso el tema ante el comité. The subject was proposed to the comitee.

• Yes... I guess there isn't really a way of translating it to make it sound less awkward? You're right in saying that the passive voice can sound very wordy in English after a while. - Nick-Cortina Sep 4, 2009
• What most scientific translation do is to use the pronoun "you" instead of the passive voice....you should do that (instead of that should be donde hahaha) - Kikin24 Sep 4, 2009

Answer 2

Just an addition to my answer...don't confuse se realiza y realizarse. Realizarse is a reflexive verb...The verb in your question is realizar and not realizarse.

• Well, "realizarse" is actually a pronominal verb, not reflexive. "All reflexive verbs are pronominal, but not all pronominal verbs are reflexive". Kind of like the "all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares" thing. - Nick-Cortina Sep 4, 2009

Answer 3

Hi Nick,

Maybe this will help:

realizarse

Answer 4

If I might make a suggestion: Google "se realiza" and observe how it is used in the numerous titles. I've seen it used a lot synonymous to hacer. ¿Cómo se realiza...? How is it made....? How is it done...? How does one...?

Answer 5

The English is awkward, but "Arrangements were finally completed.....OR it came about that a visit was made in order to ,,,," I assume it is a nuanced way of saying that he visited ==> the visit involved arrangements to be made, and finally the trip took place.

This is in contrast to "he dropped by...."

• I liked your answer "cdowis"; "gfreed´s" is clear, too. I would say that ... A visit was made to implement the protocole. What do you think? - bassagui Sep 4, 2009