Pronoun · A2 · Spanish glossary

Se: himself, herself, itself

Pronunciation: seh (stress the capital letters)

Se means “himself, herself, itself” in English.

Quick answer

Meaning: himself, herself, itself; to him/her; one
How to say it: seh
Level: Elementary (A2)

What “se” means and how to use it

Se is a small word with several jobs. It marks reflexive verbs (se lava), replaces “le/les” before lo and la (se lo di), and makes impersonal or passive sentences (se habla español).

A closer look at “se”

The main uses of se

1) Reflexive: Juan se lava (Juan washes himself). 2) Replacing le/les before lo/la: se lo doy (I give it to him). 3) Impersonal: se habla español (Spanish is spoken). 4) Accidental: se me cayó (it fell, and it happened to me).

Se vs. sé

The accent makes a big difference. Sé (with an accent) means “I know,” from saber. Se (without an accent) is a pronoun. In writing, always check the accent.

Examples with audio

Mi hermano se levanta temprano.My brother gets up early.
Se lo di ayer.I gave it to him yesterday.
Aquí se habla español.Spanish is spoken here.

Usage tip

Do not confuse “se” (pronoun) with “sé” (I know, from saber). The accent changes the meaning completely: “sé” means “I know,” and “se” is the pronoun.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “himself, herself, itself” in Spanish?

“himself, herself, itself” in Spanish is “se.” It is pronounced seh, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.

How do you pronounce “se”?

Say seh. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.

Practice “se” for free

Reading helps, but practice makes it stick. Try short exercises with instant feedback.

Practice Spanish for free with Leo Read the lesson: Spanish Reflexive Verbs: Easy Explanation