Impersonal se vs. passive reflexive se

Question

I am having difficulty understanding the difference in terminology between "impersonal se" and "passive reflexive se" and in particular the difference in their translation into English. ¿Puedes ayudarme?

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Gerald,
Excellent observation! The difference between 'impersonal se' and 'passive reflexive se' lies mainly in how they are used and how they translate into English.
Impersonal Se:
This is used to make general statements where no specific subject is mentioned. It is often translated into English using general expressions like 'one', 'they', 'people', or passive voice constructions.
For example:
Se vive bien en España. → One lives well in Spain. / Life is good in Spain.
Notice that the verb is always in the third person singular form, as there is no specific subject.
Passive Reflexive Se:
The 'passive reflexive se' is used to create a passive voice construction without explicitly stating the agent (the person or thing performing the action). It is used with transitive verbs (verbs that can take a direct object).
For example:
Se venden casas. → Houses are sold.
Here, the verb can be singular or plural, agreeing with the subject ("casas" in this case). It often translates to the English passive voice.
The main difference is that the 'impersonal se' always uses the verb in the third person singular, as there is no specific subject, while the 'passive reflexive se' requires the verb to agree in number with the subject, creating a passive construction without mentioning the agent.
Let me know if this clears things up or if you need more examples!
Un saludo
Silvia

Gerald Roberts · Answer

Explicación extraordinariamente clara. ¡Problema resuelto! ¡Dos mil gracias!