Breakdown of Aquí no se pueden observar las membranas de las células.
de
from / of
no
no, not
aquí
here
poder
to be able to / can
se
(impersonal) one / passive marker
observar
to observe
la célula
the cell
la membrana
the membrane
Questions & Answers about Aquí no se pueden observar las membranas de las células.
Why is the verb plural (pueden) when it is followed by the infinitive observar?
This sentence uses the passive reflexive with se. In these constructions, the verb agrees with the thing receiving the action, which acts as the grammatical subject. Here, that subject is the plural noun las membranas. Because we are using a two-verb phrase (poder + infinitive), the conjugated modal verb (pueden) becomes plural to match: se pueden observar las membranas.
Can I attach se to the end of the infinitive instead?
Yes, absolutely! When you have a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive, you can either put the pronoun before the conjugated verb (se pueden observar) or attach it to the end of the infinitive (pueden observarse). Both mean exactly the same thing, though placing se at the front is often more common in everyday speech.
I sometimes hear native speakers use the singular in sentences like this. Is it strictly wrong to say Aquí no se puede observar las membranas?
According to strict grammar rules, yes, it should be plural. When there is a specific plural noun receiving the action, it is a passive sentence and the verb must be plural (pueden). However, in casual speech, you will often hear native speakers use the singular (puede) as an impersonal sentence, meaning 'one cannot observe the membranes.' While common in colloquial Spanish, you should stick to the plural se pueden observar for B2 exams and formal contexts.
Why does Spanish use de las células instead of translating 'cell membranes' directly?
English allows you to stack nouns so that the first one acts like an adjective (like 'cell' in 'cell membranes'). Spanish does not allow this noun-stacking. You generally have to use de to connect them, giving us las membranas de las células (the membranes of the cells). Alternatively, you could use a true adjective and say las membranas celulares.
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