Spanish Grammar: Complements, Periphrasis, and Uses of ‘Se’
Grammatical Complements in Spanish
Agent Complement
In passive constructions, the agent complement designates the entity that performs the action expressed by the verb and is preceded by a preposition (usually por or de).
- Example: “La luna fue observada por los presentes.” (“The moon was observed by those present.”) Here, “por los presentes” is the agent complement.
Circumstantial Complement
The circumstantial complement provides information about the circumstances (spatial coordinates, time, manner, medium, etc.) in which the action expressed by the verb takes place.
- Example: In “Llegó tarde,” (“He arrived late,”) “tarde” is the circumstantial complement of time.
- Example: In “Vive en la ciudad,” (“He lives in the city,”) “en la ciudad” is the circumstantial complement of place.
Direct Object Complement
The direct object complement (or direct object) is attached to a transitive verb to express the object of the verbal action, thus completing the verb’s meaning.
- Example: In “Descubrió la penicilina,” (“He discovered penicillin,”) “la penicilina” is the direct object.
Indirect Object Complement
The indirect object complement (or indirect object) is attached to a verb to express the recipient or beneficiary of the action.
- Example: In “Le di el libro a María,” (“I gave the book to Maria,”) “a María” (or “le”) is the indirect object.
Predicative Complement
The predicative complement is attached to a verb to describe a characteristic of the object or its subject, while also relating to the verb.
- Example: In “Ella va a la escuela feliz,” (“She goes to school happy,”) “feliz” is the predicative complement, describing the subject “ella.”
Prepositional Complement
The prepositional complement (also known as a complement of regimen or complemento de régimen) is a complement whose core is a preposition, required by the verb.
- Example: In “Sueña con la playa,” (“He dreams of the beach,”) “con la playa” is a prepositional complement.
Verbal Periphrasis in Spanish
Verbal periphrasis combines an auxiliary verb with a non-finite verb form (infinitive, gerund, or participle) to express nuances of aspect, modality, or time.
- Periphrasis of Possibility: Indicates an imminent action.
- Inchoative Periphrasis: Indicates the beginning of an action.
- Habitual Periphrasis: Indicates a habitual action.
- Repetitive Periphrasis: Indicates a repeated action.
- Durative Periphrasis: Indicates an action in progress.
- Perfective Periphrasis: Indicates a completed action.
- Resultative Periphrasis: Indicates the outcome of an action.
Uses of the Pronoun “Se” in Spanish
The pronoun “se” has multiple functions and meanings in Spanish grammar.
“Se” as an Allomorph of “Le/Les”
The pronoun se replaces le or les when it precedes another object pronoun (lo, la, los, las).
- Function: Indirect Object.
- Example: “Se lo di.” (I gave it to him/her/them.) This replaces “Le di el libro” (I gave him/her the book) when “el libro” is replaced by “lo.”
Reflexive “Se”
Indicates that the subject performs the action on itself.
- Function: Direct or Indirect Object.
- Examples:
- “La niña se peina.” (The girl combs herself.) — Direct Object.
- “Se lava las manos.” (He washes his hands.) — Indirect Object (“las manos” is the direct object).
Dative of Interest (“Dativo Ético”)
Emphasizes the subject’s involvement in the action, often without changing the verb’s transitivity. This use can also be found with me, te, nos, os.
- Examples:
- “Se comió tres platos.” (He ate three dishes.) — Transitive verb.
- “Se fue.” (He left.) — Intransitive verb.
Reciprocal “Se”
Indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other. This use can also be found with nos, os.
- Function: Direct or Indirect Object.
- Examples:
- “Juan y Pedro se escriben cartas.” (Juan and Pedro write letters to each other.) — Indirect Object.
- “Ellos se abrazaron.” (They hugged each other.) — Direct Object.
Pronominal “Se”
Forms part of a pronominal verb (verbs that always require a reflexive pronoun). This use can also be found with me, te, nos, os.
- Examples:
- “Se arrepintió de lo que había hecho.” (He regretted what he had done.)
- “No se suicida en primavera.” (One does not commit suicide in spring.)
Impersonal “Se”
Indicates an impersonal subject, often translated as “one,” “people,” or “they.”
- Function: Indicator of impersonality.
- Examples:
- With intransitive verbs: “En este restaurante se come muy bien.” (One eats very well in this restaurant.)
- With transitive verbs and a direct object: “Aquí se vende vino.” (Wine is sold here.) The focus is on the action and the object, not the agent. “Vino” is the direct object.
- With transitive verbs and a substantive clause as direct object: “En círculos del gobierno se dice que la gasolina subirá.” (In government circles, it is said that gasoline will go up.) The clause “que la gasolina subirá” functions as the direct object.
Passive Reflexive “Se”
Forms a passive construction where the grammatical subject is the patient of the action. This construction highlights the action or the patient, not the agent.
- Function: Passive indicator.
- Examples:
- “Se venden pisos.” (Flats are sold.) — “Pisos” is the subject.
- “Hoy se dice que subirá la gasolina.” (Today it is said that gasoline will go up.) — The clause “que subirá la gasolina” is the subject.