se
/se/
In Spanish, se.
se can serve as a reflexive pronoun, direct or indirect object pronoun or indicate an impersonal action.
Meaning: compass point (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/se/
Did you know?
- Spanish uses a special 'accidental se' to cleverly shift blame from a person to an object. For example, instead of saying 'I broke the glass', one might say 'the glass broke itself' to imply it was an accident.
- One version of se actually evolved from the Old Spanish word ge, which originally came from the Latin illī.
- Beyond personal pronouns, se can create the 'impersonal se', which allows a speaker to describe an action without ever identifying who is performing it.
Examples in context
- Ella les exigía a las empleadas que la llamaran señora.She required the employees to call her "Señora".This sentence shows the use of the word se in a context regarding social titles.Tatoeba #1660672 by hayastan, translation #1725651 by kerbear407
- Debes admitir que no sientes ningún momento per se aislado del movimiento.You must admit that you don't feel any time per se isolated from the movement.This sentence illustrates a context where se is used within a Latin phrase.Tatoeba #10575911 by carlosalberto, translation #10575906 by carlosalberto
- En portugués, un buen ejemplo de palabras homónimas son las palabras "sessão", "seção" y "cessão".A good example of homonyms in Portuguese are the words "sessão", "seção" and "cessão".This sentence uses the letters to demonstrate homonyms in a different language.Tatoeba #1388555 by alexmarcelo, translation #10073852 by DJ_Saidez
- Se habla español aquí.Spanish is spoken here.
- Se prohíbe el uso de cámaras.The use of cameras is prohibited.
- Tú te duermes tarde todos los días.You go to sleep late every day.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are looking at a map during a hike.
- DanielNo sé hacia qué se orienta el mapa.I don't know which way the map is oriented.
- ElenaMira la brújula para encontrar el se.Look at the compass to find the southeast.
- DanielTienes razón, el se está por allá.You're right, the southeast is over there.
- ElenaEntonces caminemos hacia el se ahora.Then let's walk toward the southeast now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry se, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
