Plural subject (passive construction), but with a singular verb - because it includes a "personal a"
I did struggle to understand why "se recordaba" was in the singular in "... solo se recordaba a los difuntos el 1 de noviembre" [= "the deceased were only remembered on November 1st"].
At first, I was tempted to make it plural to agree with "difuntos". As a passive construction, I thought it could be compared with "se venden apartamentos de lujo en la playa" - (given as one of the examples in Forming the Spanish passive with se (la pasiva refleja) ... which is the lesson we get referred to).
Anyway, I was also "scratching my head" regarding the use or non-use of the "personal 'a' " in a passive sentence of this nature - [Compare "Se buscan secretarias con experiencia" in that^ same lesson] ..
I then looked in my grammar book [by Butt and Benjamin], and discovered that this is part of a construction which evolved comparatively recently in the Spanish language - in which the use of the "personal 'a' " makes a singular verb necessary even when the [passive] subject is in the plural.
to summarise some of the info provided in the comments.
am i right to say the below:
Le encantan los documentales de historia, que/lo que/lo cual (yo) encuentro aburrido = I find [the fact] that she loves history documentaries boring.
Le encantan los documentales de historia, que/los que/los cuales (yo) encuentro aburridoS (agreement of the adjective is necessary here) = I find history documentaries boring.
meaning to say, que = lo que = lo cual are interchangeable and replaceable with no change in meaning. same for que = los que = los cuales ?
How to say to have something done with a sentence using the verb in the 3rd person plural
this is the other lesson that uses 3rd person plural verb conjugation.
I find this lesson very similar to the other and I cannot see any differences at all.
for example,
me han robado . this could be for this lesson of being impersonal but this can only be under the other lesson that something negative happened or something was done on me.
Are they actually the same thing?
Couldn´t sueter be a suitable option for jersey?
Also, what is the principal for "de" after parar or dejar in the last sentence, "no parará de reír. " or is this something to memorize.
Would a better translation be "it would be good if the bank gave us the loan" ?
When should you use reflexive verbs?
It seems to me that this "HINT" is misplaced. The question seems clearly to be an if/conditional expression so what exactly is the point of the "wish/intention in the present"??
4 y 6 grados de alcohol shows as "degrees" of alcohol. Are "degrees" and "percent" interchangeable in Spanish? I've never seen it that way in English
I did struggle to understand why "se recordaba" was in the singular in "... solo se recordaba a los difuntos el 1 de noviembre" [= "the deceased were only remembered on November 1st"].
At first, I was tempted to make it plural to agree with "difuntos". As a passive construction, I thought it could be compared with "se venden apartamentos de lujo en la playa" - (given as one of the examples in Forming the Spanish passive with se (la pasiva refleja) ... which is the lesson we get referred to).
Anyway, I was also "scratching my head" regarding the use or non-use of the "personal 'a' " in a passive sentence of this nature - [Compare "Se buscan secretarias con experiencia" in that^ same lesson] ..
I then looked in my grammar book [by Butt and Benjamin], and discovered that this is part of a construction which evolved comparatively recently in the Spanish language - in which the use of the "personal 'a' " makes a singular verb necessary even when the [passive] subject is in the plural.
Quizá Miguel no aprobó.Miguel may not have passed.
No sé qué me pasa; quizás estoy un poco nervioso.I don't know what is wrong with me; I may be a bit nervous.
many thanks julie
Find your Spanish level for FREE
Test your Spanish to the CEFR standard
Find your Spanish level