Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Se necesita llenar un formulario para cada huésped internacional. - A form must be filled out for each international guest.

Se necesita is an impersonal or passive-reflective construction (often called pasiva con se). It makes the statement general—“A form must be filled out” or “One needs to fill out a form”—without specifying who does it.

What does the se in se necesita indicate?

Here se is the impersonal “se.” It means no particular person performs the action; the requirement applies to anyone involved. It’s equivalent to English “one” or the passive “must be.”

Why is necesita singular and not plural (e.g., se necesitan)?

In these impersonal constructions, the verb agrees with the grammatical subject. Since the subject is the infinitive clause llenar un formulario (or the single action of filling out one form), the verb stays in third-person singular: se necesita.

Why is llenar in the infinitive? Could it be conjugated instead?

After se necesita, we use the infinitive to express what is required: “to fill out.” You could rephrase it with a subjunctive clause—Se necesita que se llene un formulario—but the infinitive version is more concise and very common.

Why is it un formulario instead of el formulario?

Using un (indefinite article) keeps it general: you need to fill out a form, not a specific one already mentioned. El formulario would imply “the particular form we’ve talked about.”

Why does cada require a singular noun? Could I say para huéspedes internacionales?

Cada always pairs with a singular noun: cada huésped means “each guest.” If you drop cada and address the group generally, you can say para huéspedes internacionales (“for international guests”), but then you lose the notion of “each individual.”

How do I form the plural and feminine of huésped internacional?

Huésped is common gender, so the noun itself doesn’t change. You adjust the article and adjective:

Masculine singular: el huésped internacional
Feminine singular: la huésped internacional
Masculine plural: los huéspedes internacionales
Feminine plural: las huéspedes internacionales

How is huésped pronounced and why is there an accent on é?

Pronunciation: roughly “WES-ped.”
The written accent on é indicates stress on that syllable. Without it, the default stress rules would shift the emphasis elsewhere.

Can I use Se requiere or Es necesario instead of Se necesita?

Yes. All three convey a similar idea:

Se requiere llenar un formulario… (slightly more formal)
Se necesita llenar un formulario…
Es necesario llenar un formulario…

Could I rewrite this in active voice, for example Tienes que llenar un formulario para cada huésped internacional?

Absolutely. Tienes que llenar… directly addresses “you” (“you have to fill out…”). The original impersonal se necesita simply avoids specifying who must do it, making it more neutral or formal.