"Se puede evitar caramelos" or "Se pueden evitar caramelos"?

Question

Are both forms correct or only one?

Answer 1

Daniel, your interpretation is incorrect.

Both sentences are correct, but when the object is plural, the verb should preferrably used in plural.

Se vende esta mesa.

Se venden estas casas.

Both sentences are impersonal.

anyway, se puede evitar comer caramelos makes more sense in Spanish. Or Se deben evitar los caramelos.

Answer 2

Both are correct but have different meanings.

• "Se puede evitar caramelos" (You can avoid sweets/candies.)

• "Se pueden evitar caramelos." (They/you can avoid sweets/candies.)

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In English I would probably say (You can stay away from sweets.) Where evitar = avoid, but we tend to use the phrase "stay away from".