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Se sabe que un suplemento nunca reemplaza la cura real.

Se sabe que un suplemento nunca reemplaza la cura real.
It is known that a supplement never replaces the real cure.
From Lesson 470:Formal concessions (si bien)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Se sabe que un suplemento nunca reemplaza la cura real.

Why do we use se sabe instead of translating "It is known" literally as es sabido?
While es sabido que exists and is grammatically correct, Spanish strongly prefers the impersonal se construction (se sabe) to express "it is known," "people know," or "we know" in a general sense. It sounds much more natural and less clunky than the passive voice.
How would I apply this lesson's grammar (si bien) to a statement like this?
You could easily turn this into a concessive clause by adding si bien (even though / while) at the beginning, keeping the indicative mood because it declares a known fact: Si bien se sabe que un suplemento nunca reemplaza la cura real, muchos los toman. (Even though it is known that a supplement never replaces the real cure, many take them).
Why is there no no before reemplaza? Doesn't Spanish require a double negative with nunca?
You only need the double negative if nunca comes after the verb (e.g., no reemplaza nunca). Because nunca is placed directly before the verb in this sentence (nunca reemplaza), the no is dropped.
Is cura always feminine when it means "cure"?
Yes, la cura always means "the cure" (medical or health-related). If you use the masculine form, el cura, it changes the meaning entirely to "the Catholic priest."
Does real in Spanish mean exactly the same as "real" in English here?
Yes, in this context real means "real" or "genuine." However, watch out for the English word "actual" (which also means "real/genuine"). The Spanish word actual is a false friend that means "current" or "present-day," so to say "the actual cure" you still use la cura real or la verdadera cura.

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