23.8 The impersonal reflexive
The third person reflexive (se) has the function of denoting an impersonal or indefinite
subject (i.e. corresponding to the English notion ‘someone’, ‘people’). This reflexive
can be used even with intransitive verbs which could never be literally reflexive. The
verb is always in the third person singular.Se suele decir que en España llueve poco.
People often say that it doesn’t rain much in Spain.
O se es bueno, o no se es bueno.
Either people are good, or they’re not.
It is often used as an equivalent for the English passive in this sense:
A continuación se leyó una poesía.
Straight away a poem was read. (somebody read a poem)
Se mató a los soldados.
The soldiers were killed. (somebody killed the soldiers)23.9 The passive reflexive
Very closely associated with the impersonal reflexive (23.8) is the reflexive used with a
passive value. In the third person singular, this construction is indeed often more or less
indistinguishable from the impersonal reflexive; but the passive reflexive is also used in
the plural.
El libro se publicó en 1964.
The book was published in 1964.
Se podían adquirir auténticas obras de Miró.
Genuine Miró works could be acquired.
Se cortan las verduras muy finas. (see 42.1)
The vegetables are cut very finely.
Although with a plural noun both the following constructions are in theory possible:
Se vende naranjas. (impersonal reflexive)
Oranges are sold. (someone is selling oranges)
Se venden naranjas. (passive reflexive)
Oranges are sold.
there is in fact a strong tendency in such a case to use only the passive reflexive (i.e. the
construction with a plural verb). The impersonal reflexive (i.e. the construction with a
singular verb) is, however, still commonly found in many parts of the Spanish-speaking
world.NOTE The passive reflexive cannot always be used as an equivalent of the English passive; see 24.3.^24 (p. 112); 42.1 (p. 247)
The passive reflexive 23.9