Plural or Singular for hospital

G. M.C1Kwiziq community member

Plural or Singular for hospital

Hi

For this phrase;

Se necesitan médicos con experiencia en ese hospital.

My instinct would be to translate it as necesitan - the same as English 'they need - but I normally look at Spanish nouns like Hospital & Gente as singular - so I might say "se necesita médicos". What is up with my logic here? Ta

Asked 4 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola G,

The verb is not linked to the word "hospital". It needs agreement with "médicos". When we use the passive "se", we are doing something similar to the formal passive in terms of meaning:

"Doctor are needed" 

"Se necesitan médicos".

If the word was changed to "medicine" in singular, then it will be:

"Medicine is needed."

"Se necesita medicina."

I hope this clarified it.

By the way, "hospital" in Spanish is a singular masculine noun. And we use "la gente" as a singular noun in Spanish, unlike in English: "People are". For example:

"People are nice here."

"La gente es simpática aquí." 

Inma

G. M. asked:

Plural or Singular for hospital

Hi

For this phrase;

Se necesitan médicos con experiencia en ese hospital.

My instinct would be to translate it as necesitan - the same as English 'they need - but I normally look at Spanish nouns like Hospital & Gente as singular - so I might say "se necesita médicos". What is up with my logic here? Ta

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