Hello, how are you? This is Mirari from MosaLingua.
One of the most difficult things for Spanish students
is the use of the word “se.”
Yes, I know that the word "se" is used... (Sí, sé que la palabra "se" se usa...)
Okay, as you can see I just used it three times in one sentence!
However, each of these "se's” has a different meaning.
In this video I will show you the different uses of "se"
and how you should use it to sound like a native Spanish speaker.
Before I get started, I recommend that you pause this video.
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Done? Great.
The most important difference you must know is that "sé" is not the same as "se."
As you can see, the first one has an accent.
This sign clues you into the fact that it is the first person singular of the verb “saber”
and not the pronoun “se.”
Examples of this use are sentences like:
"Yo sé nadar" (I can swim) or "Yo sé hablar varios idiomas” (I can speak several languages).
"Se" is also used as a personal pronoun.
In a sentence like "Yo doy un beso a María” (I give a kiss to María),
we can replace the complements "a kiss" and "to María"
with a pronoun, so as not to repeat the same information.
We can say "Yo le doy un beso” (I give her a kiss).
In that sentence, the pronoun "le" replaces "to María."
But if we also wanted to replace the word "beso" (kiss) by the pronoun "lo" (it),
we could no longer say "Yo le lo doy," but instead, "Yo se lo doy” (I give it to her).
In this sentence, the pronoun "lo" replaces "beso"
and the pronoun "se" replaces "a María."
Conclusion: we switch out the pronoun "le" with the pronoun "se"
when we replace two pronouns in the same sentence.
Let's have a look at other examples:
“El profesor explica gramática a los alumnos” (The teacher explains grammar to the students).
“El profesor se la explica” (The teacher explains it to them).
Or “Pablo da una carta a su hermana” (Pablo gives a letter to his sister)
“Pablo se la da” (Pablo gives it to her).
The word reflexive means that an action
happens to the same person who performs it.
We can see this in sentences like "Yo me doy una ducha” (I take a shower)
or "Yo me miro en el Espejo” (I look at myself in the mirror),
which means that "I shower myself"
and "I see myself in the mirror,” for example.
When talking about someone else,
we use the pronoun "se."
In other words, we can say "Él se da una ducha” (He takes a shower)
or "Ella se mira en el espejo” (She looks at herself in the mirror).
We also use it when there is a direct object.
Have a look at these sentences:
"Lucía se lava los dientes” (Lucía brushes her teeth)
or “Ramón se corta las uñas” (Ramón cuts his nails).
To use this pronoun, we need
two subjects, he or she.
Both perform the same action, for example "look,"
and the other person receives the action.
Look at these examples: "María y Daniel se miran” (María and Daniel look at each other).
That is, María looks at Daniel and Daniel looks at María.
Or “Mis padres se quieren mucho” (My parents love each other very much),
that is, my mother loves my father very much
and my father loves my mother very much.
We also use a reciprocal pronoun when there is a direct object.
Look at this sentence: "María y Daniel se escriben cartas” (Maria and Daniel write letters to each other).
The action is still reciprocal,
but in this case, we have an object: letters.
In Spanish the use of the passive is not very common,
unlike languages such as English.
However, there is a very common structure
that replaces the use of the passive voice
and, of course, it uses "se".
In this case, the subject does not do the action of the verb. Instead, it receives it
and always in the third person.
Have a look at this sentence:
"Se venden apartamentos en mi ciudad” (Apartments are for sale in my city).
In this case, we know that the sentence is passive
because if we put the word “apartamentos” in the singular, the sentence would be
“Se vende un apartamento en mi ciudad” (An apartment is for sale in my city).
See how the verb changes?
This is perhaps the most authentic use of "se" in Spanish.
We use it when we do not know who is performing an action
or when we are not interested in saying it,
that is, when we are talking about something in a general way.
In other languages like English they use the passive for the same purpose.
In French they use the pronoun "on", etc.
Have a look at these sentences:
"En España se come muy bien” (In Spain you eat very well)
or "En esta escuela se habla con respeto” (In this school people speak respectfully).
Can you see how those are generalizations?
The use of this "se" is for advanced students,
but you should know it.
It is used to intensify
or emphasize an action carried out by a third person,
that is, he or she.
The sentence "Bebió tres copas de vino” (He drank three glasses of wine) is perfect,
but if we say: "Se bebió tres copas de vino,”
we are giving importance to the fact that he drank a lot.
It's the same for sentences like “Sara viene siempre a mi casa” (Sara always comes to my house),
which we can emphasize by saying “Sara se viene siempre a mi casa.”
Finally, we have the pronoun “se” as an intrinsic part of a verb,
meaning that some verbs could not work without it.
It has no particular function. It is just part of the verb.
When we change subjects, this "se" changes as well.
Look at this sentence:
"Álvaro se queja del tráfico en Madrid” (Álvaro complains about traffic in Madrid),
but "Yo me quejo del tráfico en Madrid" (I complain…).
The verb is "quejarse" (to complain).
The verb "quejar" does not exist.
Let's look at another example:
"Celia se siente sola" (Celia feels lonely).
The verb is "sentirse” (to feel).
If the subject was “you,” we would say “Tú te sientes sola” (you feel alone).
Well, those are the main uses of "se."
I hope this video has been helpful.
As you can see, it's not very complicated.
To memorize these uses, you should practice as much as you can.
The next time you hear someone say "se"
or see it written somewhere,
think about which of these 8 uses it corresponds to.
Listening to podcasts or having language exchanges with native speakers
will also help you a lot.
See you in our next video about the Spanish language.
See you next time!