SE is everywhere!
 

I have taken three college classes of Spnish and I have never quite figured out the correct use of se. I am reading a story in a Mexican newpaper could someone explain why se is used in these sentences?

Se dan pláticas de resucitación cardiopulmonar,
I think this sentence means they are given talks on CPR
but why is the se needed?
Could you just say - Dan pláticas de resucitación cardiopulmonar

El curso se imparte en un lenguaje en donde no se utilizan términos médicos,
I believe this translates to - The course is taught in a language that does't use medical terms

Again if I was writing this myself I don't remember any lesson that taught me to use se in this sentence.
I would of written -El curso imparte en un lenguaje en donde no utilizan términos médicos

link to the article - http://www.frontera.info/EdicionDigi.../GENERAL_6.pdf

Thank you Damon.

ps I hope this question is not too big for one post.

Se is a very popular pronoun, and it has many uses.
In each of the sentences, you're seeing good examples of the impersonal se. This is used when speaking in general, not to anyone in particular. There are other threads that talk more at length about this (search for impersonal se or se impersonal). The English equivalent is 'they teach' or 'one teaches,' so you've got the right idea. You could also substitute 'is taught'.

The first sentence you quoted from the article has a couple of errors in it. :eek: It should read:
Se enseña a cómo inmovilizar una fractura, controlar una hemorragia, y cómo liberar la vía aérea si está obstruida por algo.

There's nothing wrong with the other sentences you pulled from the article.

I agree with Rusty. I didn't answer the question before. Because I didn't know as I would can explain you this topic or your questions.

But anyhow I have other examples for it.

Following I will give you some examples with the word Se.


Se involucra la policia para ver robos a casas.

The involve the police for to sees the steals to homes.

I hope you understand my examples about.;)

The first sentence you quoted from the article has a couple of errors in it. :eek: It should read:
Se enseña a cómo inmovilizar una fractura, controlar una hemorragia, y cómo liberar la vía aérea si está obstruida por algo.



Rusty,

I highlighted <<y cómo liberar la vía aérea si está obstruida por algo >> do you mean .. y como abrir la vía respiratoria (OR) <conducto respiratorio>si está obstruida(o) por algo....

Unless you really are talking about an aerial route....if you are, then please disregard my comment.

But taking it solely from the content of the conversation I would think it would need to be (airway).

:)

Yes, the word is airway. The words used in the article do work for the biological airway, as well as for aerial routes.
I like your translations much better, by the way, and was about to recommend the first one you listed. I opted to leave the original phrase from the article when I found supporting evidence on the Internet that it is valid.

I agree that it is also acceptable for medical purposes, but it has been my experience that vía respiratoria or conducto respiratorio is more widely used.

:)

It is talking about a tracheotomy , right?

Chileno -from what I understand la vía aérea refers to the trachea or windpipe and the article to talking about teaching people to clear the airway if someone is choking i.e. perform the heimlich maneuver

I just looked up the word for windpipe - tráquea?

The article is talking about first aid in general. The sentence in question was giving some examples of what would be taught - immobilizing a fracture, controlling bleeding, and opening up the airway (air passage) if something is lodged in it.

And there are errors in the sentence, as I already indicated. They certainly aren't going to teach how to mobilize a fracture in a first aid class!

what is tracheotomy?

meanwhile, I will check the dictionary.