Position of Pronouns
2
votes
When "se" is present, it comes before the other object pronouns. It denotes: (a) an impersonal action, and (b) a personal object. My question applies to the "impersonal action".
The example given is:
Se dice. = It is said. (Question: Why does this not translate to "It says."?) Se la trató bien. = She was treated well. (What is the "la" doing in this sentence?)
1360 views
updated Aug 12, 2011
posted by sherrera
1 Answer
2
votes
The impersonal se; se dice literally means that one or someone says.
The passive se; Se la trató bien literally means someone treated her well.
La (her) is the direct object of the verb
updated Aug 12, 2011
posted by SpanishPal
"Se la trató bien" is not passive, but impersonal. It has no subject. - lazarus1907, Aug 12, 2011
"Se dice que vienen" is passive, not impersonal. "Que vienen" is the subject. - lazarus1907, Aug 12, 2011
You are calling impersonal those sentences without a specific agent, but the common terminology uses a grammatical criterion: impersonal sentences have no subject. - lazarus1907, Aug 12, 2011
I'm not expert like you, Laz, but that's what I learned from the video lessons. - SpanishPal, Aug 12, 2011
