se supone que
/se supone ke/from spelling rules
The English phrase "supposed to" is translated into Spanish as se supone que.
The phrase se supone que is used to express expectations, rules or what is intended to happen, mirroring the English "supposed to".
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means "it is supposed that". It is composed of the reflexive pronoun se, the third-person singular form of the verb *suponer* (to suppose), which is supone and the conjunction que (that).
How does it change in a sentence?
se supone que is an impersonal construction, which means it does not change based on the subject of the following clause. For example, you would use the same form whether the subject is "I" or "they". Regarding the mood of the following clause, you typically use the indicative mood to state a general expectation or rule. However, you can use the subjunctive mood if you are expressing doubt or uncertainty about whether the supposition is true.
How do you pronounce it?
/se supone ke/
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, using se supone que can sound slightly more skeptical or ironic than in English, implying that the expectation is likely not being met.
- The word supone comes from the verb suponer, which literally means 'to put under' or 'to place beneath', reflecting the idea of a foundation for an argument.
- The word que in this phrase descends from the Latin 'quid', which means 'what'. While it serves as a connector here, it shares an ancient root with the English word 'who'.
Examples in context
- No se supone que pase.It's not supposed to happen.This sentence uses se supone que to express what is not supposed to happen.Tatoeba #1683457 by marcelostockle, translation #1682239 by Spamster
- ¿Se supone que eso pasa?Is that supposed to happen?This sentence uses se supone que to ask if something is supposed to happen.Tatoeba #4318006 by pchamorro, translation #3129512 by CK
- ¿Qué se supone que busco?What am I supposed to be looking for?This sentence uses se supone que to ask about the object of a search.Tatoeba #3791532 by Seael, translation #3573797 by CK
- Se suponía que íbamos a salir esta tarde.We were supposed to go out this afternoon.
- 71 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing a movie they both watched.
- MateoSe supone que el final era feliz.The ending was supposed to be happy.
- SofíaNo, fue muy triste para mí.No, it was very sad for me.
- Mateo¿Se supone que terminó así?Was it supposed to end like that?
- SofíaSí, así es la historia.Yes, that is how the story goes.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries que, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
