EL PRONOMBRE SE

1. Frases Impersonales

2. Acciones accidentales

YOU HAVE SEEN SE…

As a reflexive pronom

Yo me cepillo los dientes

Tú te cepillas los dientes

Él se cepilla los dientes

Nosotros nos cepillamos los dientes

Vosotros os cepilláis los dientes

Ellos se cepillan los dientes

YOU HAVE SEEN SE…

As a indirect object pronoun:

Ana compra flores a su mama

Ana se las compra

Flores: direct object pronoun (las)

A su mama: indirect object pronoun (le)

Ana le las compra= Ana se las compra

CONSTRUCCIONES CON SE

In this unit we will talk about SE in two different

cases:

1. SE used in impersonal phrases

2. SE used in unplanned/accidental events

1. IMPERSONAL PHRASES

se to form statements in which the person performing the action is not

defined. Note that the third person singular verb form is used with singular

nouns and the third person plural form is used with plural nouns.

Se habla español en Costa Rica

Spanish is spoken in Costa Rica

Se puede leer en la sala de espera

You can read in the waiting room

Aquí se venden camisas

Shirt are sold here

You often see the impersonal se in signs,

advertisements, and directions.

Se prohíbe nadar

Se necesitan camareros

Se entra por detrás

EJEMPLOS…

2 . UNPLANNED/ACCIDENTAL EVENTS

Se also describes accidental or unplanned events. In this

construction, the person who performs the action is de-

emphasized, implying that the accident or unplanned event

is not his or her direct responsibility. Note this construction.

Se me cayó el bolígrafo (I dropped the pen by mistake, not

my fault)

Se + indirect object pronoun (me)+ verb (cayó)+ subject

(bolígrafo)

In this type of construction,what would normally be

the direct object of the sentence becomes the

subject, and it agrees with the verb, not with the

indirect object pronoun.

EJEMPLOS…

(a mi) Se me perdieron las llaves (I lost my keys, no my fault)

(a mi) Se me olvidó la tarea en casa (I forgot my homework at home)

(a nosotros) Se nos escapó el tren (we missed the train)

Can you say?…

Yo perdí las llaves

Yo olvidé la tarea en casa

Nosotros perdimos el tren

Yes. But by using SE construction you are emphasizing that what

happened was not your fault and was unplanned.