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O que se passa aqui?

O que se passa aqui?
What is going on here?
From Lesson 294:Já agora... (gerir a conversa)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O que se passa aqui?

aqui
here
passar-se
to happen, to be going on

Questions & Answers about O que se passa aqui?

Why use the reflexive verb passar-se here instead of just passar?
The normal verb passar usually means to pass, like passing by a place or passing time. Adding the reflexive pronoun se changes its meaning completely. Passar-se means to happen or to go on. If you dropped the se, the sentence would oddly mean What passes through here?
Could I say O que está a acontecer aqui? instead?
Yes, absolutely! Acontecer is the standard verb for to happen. However, passar-se is incredibly common in everyday Portuguese for asking what is going on or what is unfolding right now, especially if there is a commotion, drama, or something unusual.
Why does the se come before the verb (se passa) instead of attaching to the end (passa-se)?
In European Portuguese, pronouns normally attach to the end of the verb. However, certain words act as magnets and pull the pronoun in front of the verb. Question words like que are strong magnets. Because of the que, the se is pulled to the front, giving us que se passa instead of que passa-se.
Why does the sentence start with O que rather than just Que?
While que on its own translates to what, Portuguese speakers almost always use o que at the start of a question when it stands alone as a pronoun asking what thing. It sounds much more natural and complete than just starting with Que.

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