Ejercicio 14-5 (Passive voice with "se")

[laepelba]

Another translation exercise. This time I only have a question about one sentence:

English: You can do everything in this marvelous city!
The book's translation: ¡Se puede hacer de todo en esta ciudad maravillosa!
My question: Why "de"? I don't know that I've ever seen "hacer de". What exactly does that imply?

Thank you for any way you can help me understand this use of "de"!!

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Another translation exercise. This time I only have a question about one sentence:

English: You can do everything in this marvelous city!
The book's translation: ¡Se puede hacer de todo en esta ciudad maravillosa!
My question: Why "de"? I don't know that I've ever seen "hacer de". What exactly does that imply?

Thank you for any way you can help me understand this use of "de"!!

The wordreference.com entry for "todo" (pronoun) includes the expression "de todo" = "everything/anything". The specific example "come de todo" = "he/she eats anything".

So:

1. "se puede hacer todo" = "one can do everything (all of it)", where "todo" may refer to a definite set of things mentioned previously.

2. "se puede hacer de todo" = "one can do everything (anything)", where "de todo" has a generic meaning rather than a definite/specific meaning.

[aleCcowaN]

En la ciudad pude hacer todo (I did everything I expected, planned or needed)
En la ciudad pude hacer de todo (I was able to do an assortment of activities, as there were/are lots available for me/everybody to choose)

Se come todo (She eats everything you place on a dish in front of her)
Come de todo (She have no special requirements about food -she likes everything, she's not allergic, ...-)

[laepelba]

Extremely helpful!! Thank you!!!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Another translation exercise. This time I only have a question about one sentence:

English: You can do everything in this marvelous city!
The book's translation: ¡Se puede hacer de todo en esta ciudad maravillosa!
My question: Why "de"? I don't know that I've ever seen "hacer de". What exactly does that imply?

Thank you for any way you can help me understand this use of "de"!!

If you are studying that "se" part, I think this is not the correct translation.

Compare these:

You can do everything in this city. (Tú) puedes hacer (de) todo en esta maravillosa ciudad.

Everything can be done in this marvelous city. = Se puede hacer (de) todo en esta maravillosa ciudad.