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Normally the passive can use auxiliary 'ser' or the 'se' form if no agent is mentioned... |
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Se usa el auxiliar 'be' por 'ser'. Existe solamente esta forma. La forma 'se' pasiva también se traduce por 'be' + participio pasado. |
| The letter was written |
La carta fue escrita / Se escribió la carta |
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| The problems were solved |
Los problemas fueron solucionados / Se solucionaron los problemas |
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The problem with the 'se' form is that there is ambiguity; did someone solve the problems or did they solve themselves...If we mention the agent, use 'ser'... |
El agent se introduce por 'by'... |
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The letter was written by Juan |
La carta fue escrita por Juan |
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Do not use the 'ser' form if there is an indirect object... |
El inglés permite la pasiva incluso cuando hay dos objetos: directo y indirecto... |
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| She was given some flowers / Some flowers were given to her. |
Le dieron flores |
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| He was given an apple / An apple was given to him |
Le dio una manzana |
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Do not use 'ser' in expressions with no article... |
Fíjate cómo se traducen las siguientes frases... |
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| Apples are sold here |
Se venden manzanas aquí |
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| For sale |
Se vende |
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| Usually 'ser' for actions... |
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| He was criticised by his people. |
Fue criticado por su pueblo (or) Su pueblo le criticó |
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| They were arrested |
Fueron detenidos |
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| Usually 'estar' for states. |
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| They were under arrest. |
Estaban detenidos |
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| Instructions (recipes etc). |
Instrucciones (recetas etc). |
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| The clams are boiled |
Se cuecen las almejas |
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| The potatoes are peeled |
Se pelan las patatas |
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| The tubes are inserted first |
Se insertan los tubos primero |
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| Note verb agreement here. |
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| It is said that |
Se dice que |
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| It was believed that |
Se creía que |
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| It is known that |
Se sabe que |
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| That's just not done |
Eso no se hace |
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| Strange things can be seen |
Se pueden ver cosas raras |
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| These subjects must be studied |
Se tienen que estudiar estos temas |
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Though 'se' can also have the meaning of the impersonal pronoun 'one', which becomes the subject. Compare... |
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Strange things can be seen |
Se puede ver cosas raras |
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| More uses of 'se puede'... |
Traducciones de 'se puede'... |
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| May I come in? |
¿Se puede entrar? |
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| May I try? |
¿Se puede (probar)? |
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| It can't be done |
No se puede hacer |
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| You shouldn't do that |
Eso no se puede/debe hacer |
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| You can do lots of things in Ibiza. |
Se puede / se pueden hacer muchas cosas en Ibiza |