Impersonal and passive constructions with se

In brief

In Brazilian Portuguese, se can describe an action without naming who does it. With verbs that have no direct object, the verb stays singular: Trabalha-se muito aqui (‘People work hard here’). With a direct object, se can instead express a passive meaning; in standard written Portuguese, the verb agrees with the thing being sold, rented, or offered.

Form

Impersonal: third-person singular verb + se (+ preposition + noun, if needed): Precisa-se de ajuda. Passive: verb agreeing with its direct object + se + object: Vendem-se ingressos.

Usage

• Use these forms in notices, advertisements, and other concise, impersonal statements.
• After a preposition such as de, the following noun does not make the verb plural: Precisa-se de funcionários.
• With a plural direct object, use a plural verb in standard written Portuguese: Alugam-se apartamentos.

Examples

• Precisa-se de funcionários para o turno da manhã. — Staff are needed for the morning shift.
• Vendem-se ingressos na bilheteria. — Tickets are sold at the box office.
• Alugam-se apartamentos neste prédio. — Apartments are available to rent in this building.
• Trabalha-se muito aqui. — People work hard here.

Common mistake

❌ Precisam-se de funcionários.

✅ Precisa-se de funcionários.

Precisar de takes a preposition, so funcionários is not a direct object. In the impersonal se construction, precisar stays singular even when the noun after de is plural.

Remember

After de, keep the verb singular; with a plural direct object, use a plural verb in standard written Portuguese.