Using Active Voice and the Passive Se

In the active voice, the subject does the work. "I eat the pizza." You are the star of that sentence. In the passive se, the object becomes the star. "The pizza is eaten." We do not care if you ate it or if your neighbor ate it. We just care about the pizza. In Spanish, we put se before the verb. Then we use the third person form of the verb. This can be singular or plural. It depends on what you are talking about. If you are selling one car, the verb is singular. If you are selling five cars, the verb is plural. It is like a mirror. The verb reflects the number of things. This pattern is much more common than the formal passive voice. You will sound much more natural using this. It is like the difference between saying "One must proceed" and "Let's go." One is stiff, the other is cool. Passive se is definitely the cool version. Even native speakers prefer it for daily life.

1. 1Start with the magic word se. This never changes.
2. 2Pick your verb. Use the third person form.
3. 3Look at the thing you are talking about. This is the "receiver" of the action.
4. 4Is it one thing? Use the singular form like vende or habla.
5. 5Is it many things? Use the plural form like venden or hablan.
6. 6Put the thing after the verb.
7. 7Example: Se + vende + la casa (The house is sold).
8. 8Example: Se + venden + las casas (The houses are sold).
9. 9It is like a simple math equation. Se + Verb + Subject.
10. 10Do not add the person doing the action. That ruins the mystery!

Use this when the action is more important than the person. You will see this a lot in restaurants. Se sirve comida mexicana (Mexican food is served). You do not need to know the chef's name. You just want the tacos. Use it for public signs. Se prohíbe fumar (Smoking is prohibited). It sounds official but polite. Use it for general truths. Se dice que... (It is said that...). This is great for sharing gossip or common knowledge. Use it when looking for things. Se busca camarero (Waiter wanted). The restaurant wants any waiter, not a specific one named Pedro. It is also great for instructions. Se baten los huevos (The eggs are beaten). This is how you will read recipes in Spanish. It feels modern and direct. It is like a grammar traffic light. It tells you what is happening without a long story.

Do not use this if you want to emphasize the person. If Juan sold the house, say Juan vendió la casa. Do not use passive se if you are talking about a specific personal action. If you are currently eating an apple, do not say Se come la manzana. That sounds like a scientific observation. Use it for general things, not your specific morning routine. Also, avoid it if the verb is reflexive. If you are washing yourself, that is a different kind of se. Mixing them up is a classic rookie move. Do not worry, you will get the hang of it. Just remember: if there is a specific "who," use active voice. If the "who" is everyone or no one in particular, use passive se.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. The biggest mistake is the number match. People often say Se vende libros. This is wrong. It should be Se venden libros. The verb must match the books because they are the subject. Think of the verb and the noun as best friends. They have to agree on everything. Another mistake is using por to name the person. Do not say Se vende la casa por Juan. That is a mix of two different patterns. It sounds very strange to a Spanish ear. If Juan is that important, just use the active voice. Finally, do not forget the se. Without it, Vende la casa just means "He/She sells the house." The se is the key that unlocks the passive meaning.

In English, we use "They speak Spanish here." In Spanish, you could say Ellos hablan español. But that sounds like a specific group of people is standing there. Passive se sounds much more natural: Se habla español. It means the language is available here. It is like the difference between a specific event and a general rule. There is also the "Impersonal Se." That is for when you mean "One" or "You" in general. Se vive bien aquí (One lives well here). It looks almost the same as passive se. The main difference is that passive se has a clear object that becomes the subject. If you can make the verb plural, it is passive se. If the verb is always singular, it is impersonal. Do not sweat the details too much yet. At A1, just focus on the signs and the menus!