Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

(lily) #1
Mira, primero frío la cebolla y luego agrego los champiñones.
Look, first I fry the onion and then I add the mushrooms.

Una vez que recibamos las solicitudes haremos una selección.
Once we receive the applications, we’ll make a selection.

Para abrir la cuenta tiene que rellenar esta solicitud.
To open the account you have to fill in this form.

42.1.2 Impersonal expressions
Impersonal expressions focus on the process itself, that is, on the action or actions to be
carried out, directing attention away from the logical subject who performs the action.
The impersonal expressions used in this context are:

(a)Hay que+ infinitive

 21.7 (p. 102)
(b) Third person plural of verb

 24.4 (p. 114)
(c)Se+ third person verb

 23.8 (p. 111); 23.9 (p. 111); 24.3 (p. 113)
(d)Ser+ past participle

 24.1 (p. 112)


42.1.2.1 Hay que+infinitive/third person plural of verb
Hay que, ‘one has’ or ‘needs to’, ‘you have’ or ‘need to’, like the third person plural of
the verb, are common in colloquial, spoken language but infrequent in writing, except
in a very informal style.


Hay que cortar la fruta en trozos pequeños.
You have to cut the fruit in small pieces.

Para conseguir un buen resultado hay que dejarlo hervir quince
minutos.
To achieve a good result you have to let it boil for fifteen minutes.

Hay que is also found in combination with personal forms, for example the present or
tener que.

Hay que poner en marcha el motor primero, y después hay que/
tienes que pisar/pisas el embrague.
You have to start the engine first, and then you have to press/you press
the clutch.

Una vez que seleccionan los candidatos llaman a una entrevista.
Once they select the candidates they call them for an interview.

Recogen a los pasajeros y después los llevan a los hoteles.
They pick up the passengers and then they take them to the hotels.

DESCRIBING PROCESSES AND RESULTS 42.1

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