SPN2 / Instructor: Gonzalo Díaz-Letelier

Department of Spanish, University of California Riverside

IMPERSONAL PRONOUN (SE, UNO)

En español se/uno usa el pronombre impersonal SE o UNO para referir acciones

que la gente hace en general, como colectivo (la gente, todos, cualquiera;
costumbres y tradiciones, usos comunes, comportamientos adecuados o exigidos
socialmente), no refiriendo a una persona en particular.

In Spanish people/one use the impersonal pronoun SE or UNO to refer actions that
people do generally, as a collective (the people, everyone, anyone; customs and
traditions, common uses, appropriate or socially required behavior), not referring
to a particular person.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FORMULA 1: se usa el pronombre se o uno con un verbo conjugado en tercera

persona singular. Los complementos de tiempo y lugar (“hoy”, “en España”)
generalmente se ponen al comienzo de la oración.

FORMULA 1: the se or uno pronoun is used with a conjugated verb in the third
person singular. Complements of time and place (“today”, “in Spain”) are generally
placed at the beginning of the sentence.

SE/UNO + verb (third person singular)

Por ejemplo:

People in Spain eat paella.

En España se come paella.

People today read less than before.

Hoy se lee menos que antes.
En Chile se saluda con un beso en la mejilla.
In Chile people greet with a kiss in the cheek.

Aquí se habla español.

Here the people speak Spanish.
Here we speak Spanish. (including me in the collective)
Here they speak Spanish. (talking about a collective that is not the mine)

Se estudia para obtener buenas calificaciones.

Uno estudia para obtener buenas calificaciones.
One studies to obtain good grades.

Nunca se sabe qué sucederá después.

You never know what will happen next.
One never knows what will happen next.
(= nobody knows)

Aquí se trabaja desde las cinco.

Here one works from five o’clock.
Here you all work (starting) at five o’clock.

Se dice que este puente no es seguro.

It is said that this bridge is not safe.
People say that this bridge is not safe.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FORMULA 2: cuando el objeto directo del verbo es un sustantivo plural, se usa el

pronombre impersonal se con un verbo conjugado en tercera persona plural.

FORMULA 2: when the direct object of the verb is a plural noun, the se impersonal
pronoun is used with a conjugated verb in the third person plural.

SE + verb (third person plural)

Por ejemplo:

Tacos are eaten here.

Aquí se comen tacos.

Fresh tortillas are prepared at the taqueria.

En la taquería se preparan tortillas frescas.