My teacher is telling us to use "se" when using verbs even if it's not reflexive. Does this make sense?

Question

For example: Se venden flores aquí. (They sell flowers here.) or Se habla español aquí. (Spanish is spoken here.) or Se prohibe nadar (Swimming is prohibited.) Anyone have an explanation please?

Answer 1

I don't think the difference between the passive voice, the passive se and impersonal se is being contrasted too well in this thread.

Se venden flores aquí.

The impersonal se renders that as:

They sell flowers here or One sells flowers here. The impersonal sentence has a subject. (They/one)

The true passive (Ser+past participle) renders it as:

Fowers are sold here.

Flores son vendidos aquí. (por los mujeres viejas del pueblo)

Flores again is the subject. You can have an optional agent introduced by por.

The passive se in similar to the true passive except the passive se has no subject.

Se venden flores.

Flowers here is a direct object. Notice that it can be replaced by a direct object pronoun.

Se los venden aquí. (They are sold here)

In the true passive the Flowers cannot be replaced by a d.o. pronoun since it is the subject. (You can't say "los son vendidos aquí.")

passive and impersonal se

Answer 2

Yes, this is a very common use of se. It is basically similar to the passive, but more colloquial.

Se venden flores. Flowers are sold here.

Who is doing the selling is not important. In fact, with this use of "se", you can´t even say who is doing the selling.

In English we might say "there are flowers for sale here" or even "you can buy flowers here".

• So saying They sell flowers here. (Ellos venden floras aqui.) would mean the same as saying Flowers are sold here. (Se venden flores.)? - paytonhansen Dec 6, 2009

Answer 3

Hello, you might have already got the help you need, but I have also had trouble with se and have recently found a good sound, simple, and logical answer for much of this mysterious "se". In Spanish, everything needs a destination or an object. So and so did this or that, this or that is going here or there. For instance at work one of my co-workers said about another employee "Se fue" Why "se" fue instead of "él fue" (he left). In Spanish this would be saying "he went...." The question "where?" arises. So "se" let's us know that he just "left" and the destination is not determined. Likewise, if something is being done by nobody in particular as in the English retorical, again se is used to let us know that we are not dealing with any one direct/indirect object. Like the question ¿Como se dice....? (how do you say....?) You are asking how anyone or rather how a word is said in Spanish and not how that second person would say this or that word.

Answer 4

Hi Payton,

Have a look at this thread that discusses the use of pronomial verbs and reflexive pronouns and provides links to relevant reference articles. It should shed some light on the subject. Pronomial verbs/Reflexive Pronouns

Answer 5

There is also a good lesson on Spanishdict.

In English, they and we and you can be impersonally when you are not referring to anyone in particular. In those cases, it would be the same of the impersonal se. But the best way to think of it is the Flower are sold here, or Spanish spoken here.

Answer 6

Se used before the non reflexive verbs is in when it is a statement in the passive voice so, se venden flores aqui means flowers are sold here to display this meaning in non passive voice would be: vendemos flores aqui.