Breakdown of Se rumorea que el cantante ocultó la verdad.
el cantante
the singer
la verdad
the truth
que
that / than
se
(impersonal) one / passive marker
Questions & Answers about Se rumorea que el cantante ocultó la verdad.
What exactly is the function of se in se rumorea?
It creates an impersonal expression. Se rumorea translates to "it is rumored" or "people say." We use the impersonal se + the third-person singular verb when the person doing the action isn't specific or important, which is perfect for talking about gossip or rumors.
Since a rumor isn't a proven fact, why doesn't se rumorea que trigger the subjunctive for ocultó?
While rumors naturally contain uncertainty, the phrase se rumorea que acts as a verb of reporting or communication (similar to decir or escuchar). You are simply declaring what is being said, so it takes the indicative mood (ocultó). If the statement were negative (no se rumorea que...), it would then trigger the subjunctive.
Could I use escondió instead of ocultó here?
While both mean "hid", ocultar is the most natural choice for abstract things like information, intentions, feelings, or la verdad (the truth). Esconder is typically used when you are physically hiding objects or people.
In English, we can just say "It is rumored the singer hid the truth." Can we drop que in Spanish?