Impersonal Statements with uno
To make generalizations or talk about people in general, you can use the impersonal pronoun uno. It functions just like the generic "one" or "you" in English (as in, "one breathes" or "you breathe"). Because uno replaces a singular subject, it always takes a third-person singular verb.
| In the coal mine, one breathes black dust. | En la mina de carbón, uno respira polvo negro. |
| One cannot stop coughing in this tunnel. | Uno no puede dejar de toser en este túnel. |
(Note: Female speakers may sometimes use *una when referring specifically to an experience shared by women, but uno is heavily used as the default by everyone.)*
When the generic person is affected by something—such as with verbs like doler (to hurt) or molestar (to bother)—use the third-person indirect object pronoun le. You will frequently see the phrase a uno added to emphasize or clarify exactly who is being affected.
| One's back hurts from removing a lot of stone. | A uno le duele la espalda por sacar mucha piedra. |
| With this grueling work, the sweat bothers one. | Con este trabajo extenuante, el sudor le molesta a uno. |
If you are using a reflexive verb, uno pairs with the third-person reflexive pronoun se.
| One wipes the sweat off with the dirty shirt. | Uno se limpia el sudor con la camisa sucia. |
This also applies when uno is used with accidental or unplanned events, cleanly combining a uno, se, and le in a single phrase:
| In the mine, suddenly one's flashlight goes out. | En la mina, de repente a uno se le apaga la linterna. |