Table of Contents

• What is the Passive Voice, Anyway?
• The Magic Formula: How to Form the Passive `se`
• When Do We Use the Passive `se`?
  • 1. Signs, Advertisements, and Public Notices
  • 2. Instructions and Recipes
  • 3. General Truths and Statements
• Passive `se` vs. The "True" Passive (`ser` + participle)
• Using the Passive `se` in Different Tenses
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
  • Mistake #1: Verb Agreement
  • Mistake #2: Confusing Passive `se` with Reflexive `se`
• Practice Time!
• You've Mastered the Passive `se`!

Spanish Passive Voice with 'se': The Ultimate B1 Guide

Ever walked down a street in a Spanish-speaking country and seen signs like "Se vende" on a building or "Se alquila" in a window? You've already encountered one of the most common and useful structures in the Spanish language: the passive voice with se.

It might sound a bit technical, but don't worry! This is your go-to guide to understanding and using the passive se like a pro. It's a fantastic tool that will make your Spanish sound more natural and fluent. By the end of this page, you'll be able to spot it, understand it, and even use it yourself.

¡Vamos! Let's dive in.

Spotting the passive 'se' structure in everyday Spanish life

What is the Passive Voice, Anyway?

Before we get to the Spanish specifics, let's have a quick refresher on what the passive voice even is.

In a normal, active sentence, the subject does the action.

• Active: María builds the houses. (Sujeto -> Verbo -> Objeto)

In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action. The focus shifts from who is doing the action to the action itself or the thing being acted upon.

• Passive: The houses are built (by María). (Objeto -> Verbo -> [por Sujeto])

In English, we form the passive voice with "to be" + a past participle (e.g., "is spoken," "were built"). Spanish has a similar structure (ser + participle), but a far more common way to express this idea is with our little friend, se.

The Magic Formula: How to Form the Passive se

This is the easy part. The structure is simple and consistent.

se + verb in 3rd person + subject

The most important rule to remember is that the verb agrees with the subject (the thing receiving the action), not with the person doing the action (who usually isn't mentioned at all!).

This means the verb will either be in the 3rd person singular (él/ella/usted form) or the 3rd person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes form).

Let's look at some examples:

• Singular subject:

  • Se vende la casathe house. (The house is sold / For sale.)
  • Here, la casa is singular, so we use the singular verb form vende.

• Plural subject:

  • Se venden las casasthe houses. (The houses are sold / For sale.)
  • Here, las casas is plural, so we use the plural verb form venden.

This singular/plural agreement is the trickiest part, but once you get it, you've got it. Let's see it side-by-side.

Taking a moment to synthesize the grammar rules

When Do We Use the Passive se?

You'll see this structure everywhere because it's incredibly useful. We use it when the person or people performing the action are unknown, unimportant, or just general "people." The focus is on the action itself.

1. Signs, Advertisements, and Public Notices

This is where you'll see it most often in the wild. It’s the standard way to post signs and classifieds.

• Se alquila piso. (Apartment for rent.)
• Se buscan camareros con experiencia. (Waiters with experience wanted.)
• Se prohíbe fumar. (Smoking is prohibited.)
• Se repara calzado. (Shoes repaired.)

2. Instructions and Recipes

When you're reading a recipe, the instructions are for anyone following them, so the passive se is perfect.

• Primero, se cortan las verduras. (First, the vegetables are cut.)
• Luego, se añade la sal. (Then, salt is added.)
• Se mezcla todo bien. (Everything is mixed well.)

3. General Truths and Statements

This usage is very common and often overlaps with what's called the "impersonal se". It's used to talk about what "one does," "people do," or "they do" in a general sense.

• En México se come mucha comida picante. (In Mexico, a lot of spicy food is eaten. / People eat a lot of spicy food.)
• ¿Cómo se dice 'apple' en español? (How is 'apple' said in Spanish? / How do you say 'apple'?)
• Se habla español en Argentina. (Spanish is spoken in Argentina.)

The passive 'se' is often used when following recipes or instructions

Passive se vs. The "True" Passive (ser + participle)

As we mentioned, Spanish has another way to form the passive voice using the verb ser plus a past participle.

• Passive se: Se vendió la casa. (The house was sold.)
• True Passive: La casa fue vendida por el agente inmobiliario. (The house was sold by the real estate agent.)

So, what's the difference?

The biggest difference is the agent (the person doing the action).

• Use the passive se when the agent is unknown or you don't want to mention them. It's more common in everyday speech.
• Use the ser + participle construction when you want to mention the agent using the preposition por. It's more common in formal writing, like news reports or literature.

Using the Passive se in Different Tenses

The great news is that the formula works across all tenses! You just conjugate the main verb into the 3rd person (singular or plural) of whatever tense you need.

Presente

• Se venden muchos libros aquí. (Many books are sold here.)

Pretérito (Simple Past)

• Se construyó un nuevo hospital el año pasado. (A new hospital was built last year.)
• Se perdieron las llaves. (The keys were lost.)

Imperfecto (Past Continuous/Habitual)

• En esa época, no se usaban los teléfonos móviles. (In that era, mobile phones weren't used.)
• Se creía que la Tierra era plana. (It was believed that the Earth was flat.)

Futuro

• Mañana se anunciarán los resultados. (The results will be announced tomorrow.)

Condicional

• Se necesitaría más dinero para completar el proyecto. (More money would be needed to complete the project.)

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even though the rule is simple, there are a couple of common trip-ups. Let's clear them up.

Mistake #1: Verb Agreement

The number one mistake is forgetting to make the verb plural when the subject is plural. Our brains sometimes want to keep the verb singular because we're thinking of "it" in English.

Remember: tapas is plural, so the verb must be plural: sirven.

Mistake #2: Confusing Passive se with Reflexive se

The pronoun se has many jobs in Spanish! One of its other big roles is for reflexive verbs, where someone does an action to themselves.

• Reflexive: El niño se lava las manos. (The boy washes his own hands.)
• Passive: Se lava la ropa los lunes. (The clothes are washed on Mondays.)

Practice Time!

Let's test your new skills. Choose the correct option for each sentence.

You've Mastered the Passive se!

¡Felicidades! You now have a solid understanding of one of Spanish's most versatile and common structures.

Here are the key takeaways:

• The passive se is used when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
• The formula is se + 3rd person verb + subject.
• The verb must agree with the subject (singular or plural).
• You'll see it everywhere: on signs, in recipes, and in general conversation.

The next time you're reading in Spanish or walking through a city, keep your eyes peeled. You'll start noticing the passive se everywhere, and now you'll know exactly what it means.