Question 1

Why is the verb plural (sancionan) if the sentence starts with se?

Accepted Answer

This sentence uses the passive reflexive (pasiva refleja). In this structure, the thing receiving the action is grammatically the subject of the sentence. Because los malos comportamientos (the bad behaviors) is plural, the verb must match it and be plural (sancionan).

Question 2

Could this sentence be interpreted as the impersonal "One penalizes bad behaviors"?

Accepted Answer

Not grammatically, though the real-world meaning is similar. If you were using the impersonal se (meaning "one" or "people in general"), the verb would have to be singular. However, when acting on a non-human plural noun like los comportamientos, standard Spanish requires the passive reflexive, forcing the verb to be plural.

Question 3

Why is the adjective malos placed before comportamientos instead of after?

Accepted Answer

While adjectives usually go after the noun to distinguish one thing from another, placing them before the noun adds emphasis, subjectivity, or describes an inherent quality. Here, los malos comportamientos emphasizes a negative judgment of the actions as a whole concept, rather than clinically sorting "bad behaviors" from "good behaviors."

Question 4

Would it be wrong to use the normal passive voice here, like Los malos comportamientos son sancionados?

Accepted Answer

It is not grammatically wrong, but it sounds very rigid, journalistic, or overly formal. The se passive (pasiva refleja) is by far the most natural and common way to express the passive voice in everyday Spanish when the agent (the person doing the penalizing) is not mentioned.

Se sancionan los malos comportamientos en el tren.

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