Es necesario que llegues temprano.
English: It is necessary that you arrive early.
- Language
- Spanish
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Conectores discursivos y expresiones impersonales
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Impersonal expressions in Spanish are phrases that do not refer to a specific person. They are used to make general statements, opinions, or talk about facts in a neutral way.
When to use it
Use impersonal expressions in Spanish to give opinions, make recommendations, express necessity, or talk about general truths without mentioning who does the action.
Key forms
- "Es + adjetivo + que + subjuntivo" (e.g. Es importante que estudies)
- "Es + sustantivo + que + subjuntivo" (e.g. Es una lástima que no vengas)
- "Se + verbo" (e.g. Se dice que...)
Examples
Se piensa que el clima cambiará.
English: It is thought that the weather will change.
Es probable que llueva mañana.
English: It is likely that it will rain tomorrow.
No es cierto que tengan razón.
English: It is not certain that they are right.
Se vive bien en esta ciudad.
English: One lives well in this city.
Tips
- After many impersonal expressions with 'que', use the subjunctive mood.
- Impersonal expressions with 'se' are always in the third person.
- Do not use a specific subject (yo, tú, él, etc.) with impersonal expressions.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some expressions like 'es verdad que' or 'es obvio que' use the indicative mood, not the subjunctive.