Impersonal se: se habla español, se dice

English often talks about people in general with you, one, people or they: You can't smoke here. They speak Spanish in Peru. Spanish has a neat way to do this: se + a verb in the third person (the él / ella form).

You already know one example from the classroom: ¿Cómo se dice...? (No entiendo, ¿Puede repetir?, ¿Cómo se dice…?). This se is not reflexive (it doesn't mean himself, as in Reflexive verbs for the daily routine (levantarse)). It just means "no specific person".

Se + verb: what people do

• En Argentina se come mucha carne.In Argentina people eat a lot of meat.
• Se vive muy bien en este pueblo.Life is very good in this town.
• ¿Cómo se escribe tu nombre?How do you spell your name?

With se puede (one can) and se debe (one should) + infinitive:

• ¿Se puede entrar con perros?Are dogs allowed in?

Singular or plural verb

When the verb has a noun after it, the verb agrees with that noun: singular noun, singular verb; plural noun, plural verb.

• En esta tienda se venden periódicos extranjeros.They sell foreign newspapers in this shop.

You see this pattern on signs everywhere: Se alquila (to let), Se vende (for sale), Se prohíbe fumar (no smoking). When the verb agrees with a noun like this, grammarians call it the "passive se", which you will study in The passive: ser + participle and the passive se.

With an infinitive (se puede, se prohíbe + fumar) or no noun at all (se vive bien), the verb stays singular.

Other ways to say "people"

• The third person plural with no subject: Dicen que va a llover (They say it's going to rain).
• Uno: Uno nunca sabe (One never knows). More in Impersonal constructions: se, uno, the third person plural.

• Se dice que este restaurante es el mejor de la zona.They say this restaurant is the best in the area.

Common mistakes

• Se venden un coche → Se vende un coche. One car, singular verb.
• Se vende pisos → Se venden pisos. Plural noun, plural verb (you will see the singular on some signs, but the norm asks for agreement).
• Se puedo aparcar → Se puede aparcar. The verb is always third person.
• Se prohíben fumar → Se prohíbe fumar. An infinitive counts as singular.
• La gente se habla español → Se habla español or La gente habla español. Use one or the other, not both.