Informes y documentación
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Recognize the features of a document-oriented, nominal writing style used in short reports and summaries.
- Use a small set of impersonal formulas with se (such as se adjunta and se recomienda) to describe institutional actions without naming a specific subject.
- Continue using usted and ustedes consistently in a document-based professional context.
- Build longer noun phrases with accurate gender, number, and agreement to describe activities, results, and recommendations.
- Distinguish a small set of consonant sounds — r/rr, b/v, d, g/j, ll/y, and ñ — that most often affect intelligibility for English-speaking learners.
- Understand a short spoken workplace announcement or public message.
- Read and interpret a short activity report written in a nominal, document-oriented style.
- Write a brief summary of activities using appropriate document conventions.
This chapter builds directly on the formal register and consistent usted use established in Chapter 1. It introduces a small number of fixed impersonal expressions with se for describing institutional actions in reports. It does not yet teach the full passive and impersonal se system, which is developed later in this volume. Treat the expressions introduced here as formulaic units for now.
Communication Scenario
Daniela has completed her first month with the organization. Her supervisor, el señor Aguilar, has asked her to prepare a short written summary of the activities her team completed during the month, along with a brief report to share with a partner office. These documents must sound like organized, professional writing rather than a spoken account of her month, and they must state actions and results clearly without dwelling on who personally carried out each task.
- Think about a report, summary, or set of meeting notes you have read or written, in any language. How does that kind of writing sound different from an ordinary conversation about the same events?
- As you move through this chapter, notice how Spanish can describe an action, a result, or a recommendation without repeatedly naming the specific person responsible for it.
Core Vocabulary: El lenguaje del informe
Purpose: to introduce vocabulary needed to describe activities, results, and recommendations in a short professional report or summary.
| Español | Significado | Registro / nota |
|---|---|---|
| el informe | report | Núcleo profesional |
| el resumen | summary | Núcleo profesional |
| el resultado | result, outcome | Núcleo profesional |
| la actividad | activity | Núcleo profesional |
| el objetivo | objective, goal | Núcleo profesional |
| el avance | progress | Núcleo profesional |
| la recomendación | recommendation | Núcleo profesional |
| el anexo | attachment, appendix | Formal/escrito |
| a continuación | below, as follows | Formal/escrito, fórmula fija |
| en resumen | in summary | Formal/escrito, fórmula fija |
| tratarse de | to be about, to concern (impersonal) | Formal/escrito, verbo pronominal léxico |
| constar de | to consist of | Formal/escrito |
Tratarse de is introduced here as a lexical pronominal verb: its se does not mean that a person does something "to themselves." The whole expression simply means "to be about" or "to concern," and it is normally used only in the third person, as in el informe se trata de los avances del mes.
Grammar Focus: Estilo nominal y el se impersonal
Purpose: to develop a document-oriented nominal style within the agreement systems learners already control, and to introduce a small set of fixed impersonal expressions with se used to describe institutional actions in reports.
Reports and summaries typically favor longer, more precise noun phrases over strings of short sentences built around yo or nosotros. This is a matter of style, not new grammar: the same gender, number, and agreement rules learners already know simply apply across longer, more complex noun phrases.
- Durante el mes se completaron tres actividades principales relacionadas con la coordinación de proyectos internacionales. During the month, three main activities related to the coordination of international projects were completed.
- El equipo alcanzó un avance significativo en el objetivo principal del trimestre. The team achieved significant progress on the quarter's main objective.
Notice how each noun phrase above stacks several agreeing elements — article, noun, adjective, and sometimes a prepositional phrase — while every element still agrees in gender and number exactly as in shorter sentences.
Spanish reports commonly describe an institutional action without naming a specific subject, using a small set of fixed expressions built with se. At this stage, learn the following expressions as ready-made formulas rather than analyzing their internal grammar in depth. The full system of passive and impersonal se is developed later in this volume.
- Se adjunta el informe completo. The complete report is attached.
- Se recomienda continuar con la misma estrategia. It is recommended to continue with the same strategy.
- Se solicita una respuesta antes del viernes. A response is requested before Friday.
In each formula, the action is described without stating who specifically attaches, recommends, or requests. This is a natural and very common feature of report writing, not a way of avoiding responsibility.
Even in nominal, document-style writing, direct address to a reader or recipient still uses usted or ustedes under this course's default model.
- Le agradecemos su atención a este informe. We thank you for your attention to this report.
- Quedamos atentos a cualquier comentario que ustedes puedan tener. We remain attentive to any comments you [plural] may have.
Práctica de repaso:
- Reescribe esta oración con un estilo más nominal, apropiado para un informe: "Hicimos tres cosas este mes y todo salió bien."
- Completa la fórmula impersonal: "___ (adjuntar) el informe completo para su revisión."
- Explica en una oración qué significa tratarse de en "Este informe se trata de los avances del proyecto."
Pronunciation Focus: Consonantes clave
Purpose: to introduce a set of consonant contrasts that most often affect intelligibility for English-speaking learners, using vocabulary already active in this chapter and the chapter before it.
Spanish distinguishes a single tapped r from a trilled rr: compare pero (but) and perro (dog). The letters b and v represent the same sound in Spanish, so words such as avance and objetivo do not distinguish them the way English does. The letter d often softens between vowels, as in resultado. The letters g before e/i and j share a sound close to English "h," as in objetivo and trabajo. Under the broadly yeísta model used in this course, ll and y normally represent the same sound, as in desarrollo and actividad y resultado. Finally, ñ represents a distinct sound from plain n, as in desempeño.
These contrasts do not require a new pronunciation system; they simply deserve focused attention now that longer, more complex vocabulary is entering the course.
- Read aloud: resultado, avance, objetivo, desempeño, desarrollo. Pay attention to d, b/v, and ñ.
- Practice the contrast between pero and perro in two short sentences of your own.
Model Dialogue: Preparando el informe mensual
Context: Daniela and a colleague, Marisol, review the monthly report before sending it to el señor Aguilar. Relationship: colleague to colleague; setting: professional, document preparation.
Both speakers use the impersonal se formulas naturally when describing what the report does or contains, while still addressing their supervisor with usted in the surrounding professional context.
- Find every use of an impersonal se formula in the dialogue.
- Identify the phrase that uses tratarse de and explain what it means here.
- Rewrite Daniela's third turn using a more conversational, non-report style, as if explaining the same idea to a friend.
Reading Passage: Informe breve de actividades
Informe mensual — Área de proyectos internacionales
Este informe se trata de las actividades realizadas por el equipo de proyectos internacionales durante el mes de marzo. Durante este período se completaron tres actividades principales: la coordinación de una reunión regional, la revisión de dos propuestas de cooperación y la preparación de material informativo para los socios del proyecto. Se alcanzó un avance importante en el objetivo principal del trimestre, aunque todavía queda trabajo pendiente en la segunda propuesta. Se recomienda continuar con la misma estrategia de coordinación durante el próximo mes y se solicita una reunión de seguimiento antes de fin de mes. Se adjunta, a continuación, un resumen de las cifras principales del período.
This report is an adapted textbook composition written for this chapter, not an authentic institutional document.
- Identify each impersonal se formula in the report and state, in your own words, what institutional action each one describes.
- Find the sentence that uses tratarse de and explain its function in the report.
- List the three main activities mentioned in the report.
- In two or three sentences of your own, summarize the report's main recommendation.
- Explain how this report's style differs from the way you might describe the same month's work in an ordinary conversation.
Listening Task
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following three short workplace announcements aloud. As you listen, note the main action described in each one.
| Anuncio | Acción principal |
|---|---|
| "Se recuerda a todo el personal que el informe mensual debe entregarse antes del viernes a las cinco de la tarde." | ______ |
| "Se solicita a los coordinadores de área que revisen sus presupuestos antes de la próxima reunión." | ______ |
| "Se informa que la reunión de seguimiento del proyecto regional se trasladó al próximo lunes." | ______ |
Writing Workshop: Un resumen de actividades
Write a short activity summary (100 to 150 words) describing what a team, class, or project accomplished over a recent period. Use at least two impersonal se formulas from this chapter and maintain a nominal, document-oriented style.
- Indica el tema del informe. Open with a sentence that states what the report is about, optionally using tratarse de.
- Describe las actividades principales. Use longer noun phrases to describe what was done, checking agreement carefully.
- Menciona un resultado o avance. State a result or piece of progress in nominal style.
- Incluye una recomendación. Use se recomienda or a similar formula to state a recommendation.
- Cierra el informe. Use a closing formula such as se adjunta or quedamos atentos a sus comentarios.
Lista de revisión:
- I used at least two impersonal se formulas correctly.
- I used longer, agreement-accurate noun phrases rather than only short conversational sentences.
- I maintained usted/ustedes consistently wherever I addressed a reader directly.
- I included at least one result and one recommendation.
- I checked gender and number agreement across longer noun phrases.
- I checked accents and punctuation throughout.
Speaking Task
Práctica controlada
With a partner, take turns saying aloud three sentences from a report, each using a different impersonal se formula from this chapter.
Tarea comunicativa: Presentar un resumen
In pairs, one person briefly presents the activity summary they wrote in the Writing Workshop while the other listens and asks one follow-up question about a result or recommendation, maintaining a professional register throughout.
Alternativa individual
If you are studying independently: record yourself reading your activity summary aloud, paying attention to the consonant contrasts practiced in this chapter's Pronunciation Focus.
Culture and Communication
Written reports in many Spanish-speaking workplaces and institutions favor a somewhat impersonal, document-oriented tone, describing actions, results, and recommendations rather than centering on who personally performed each task. This tendency varies by institution, sector, and country, and it should not be mistaken for a lack of individual accountability; responsibility is often established elsewhere in the document, such as in a signature line or a named area.
Some organizations prefer a more personal reporting style that names individuals directly, especially in smaller teams or less formal sectors, while larger institutions and government bodies tend toward the impersonal style introduced in this chapter. Learners should adapt to the conventions of their own workplace rather than assuming one single "correct" report style across all Spanish-speaking institutions.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: Writing a report in a purely conversational style: Hicimos muchas cosas este mes y todo salió muy bien.
Correction: Use nominal, document-oriented phrasing: Durante el mes se completaron varias actividades con resultados positivos.
Error: Treating tratarse de as an ordinary reflexive verb meaning "to treat oneself": Yo me trato de los proyectos internacionales.
Correction: Use tratarse de only impersonally, about a text or topic: El informe se trata de los proyectos internacionales.
Error: Losing gender or number agreement in longer noun phrases: Se completaron tres actividad importante.
Correction: Keep every element of the noun phrase agreeing: Se completaron tres actividades importantes.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Fórmulas impersonales
1. Escribe dos oraciones de informe usando fórmulas impersonales con se de este capítulo.
Parte B — Estilo nominal
1. Reescribe esta oración conversacional en un estilo nominal apropiado para un informe: "Terminamos el proyecto y quedó muy bien."
Parte C — Tratarse de
1. Escribe una oración que describa el tema de un informe usando tratarse de.
Parte D — Autoevaluación
1. En dos o tres oraciones, describe qué parte del estilo de informe te resulta más natural y cuál todavía requiere más práctica.
Practical Performance Task
Tarea práctica — Capítulo 2
Informe breve de actividades: resumen escrito y presentación oral
Complete the following integrated task:
- Submit your activity summary from the Writing Workshop.
- Answer the five Reading Task questions in writing.
- Complete the Listening Task chart above.
- Deliver your oral presentation from the Speaking Task, either with a partner or using the independent-study alternative.
- Complete the self-assessment question in Chapter Review, Parte D.
Portafolio del capítulo
- Written activity summary.
- Completed reading analysis questions.
- Completed listening chart.
- Notes or a recording from the oral presentation.
- Written self-assessment.
| Criterio | Logrado | En desarrollo |
|---|---|---|
| Uso de fórmulas impersonales | Usa las fórmulas con se con precisión y en contexto apropiado | Evita las fórmulas o las usa de forma incorrecta |
| Estilo nominal | Mantiene un estilo de informe apropiado en frases más extensas | Escribe principalmente en estilo conversacional |
| Concordancia en frases extensas | Mantiene la concordancia de género y número en construcciones nominales más largas | Presenta errores frecuentes de concordancia |
| Vocabulario profesional | Usa vocabulario del capítulo con precisión | Usa vocabulario limitado o impreciso |
| Pronunciación de consonantes clave | Distingue r/rr, b/v, d, g/j, ll/y y ñ con claridad | Presenta confusiones frecuentes entre estos sonidos |
| Interacción oral | Presenta el resumen con claridad y mantiene el registro formal | Pierde el registro formal o responde con poca claridad |
Answer Key
Grammar Focus Practice
- Model answer: Durante el mes se completaron tres actividades principales con resultados positivos.
- Se adjunta el informe completo para su revisión.
- Tratarse de here means "to be about" — the report's topic is the project's progress; no one is literally treating themselves.
Model Dialogue — Practice
1. The impersonal se formulas are "se incluyó," "se recomienda," and "se adjunta." 2. "El informe se trata principalmente de los avances del proyecto de coordinación regional" uses tratarse de to state the report's main topic. 3. Model answer: "Oye, el informe habla sobre todo de cómo va avanzando el proyecto de coordinación regional."
Reading Task — Model Analysis
1. The formulas are "se completaron," "se alcanzó," "se recomienda," "se solicita," and "se adjunta," each describing an institutional action (activities completed, progress achieved, a recommendation made, a meeting requested, and a summary attached) without naming a specific person. 2. "Este informe se trata de las actividades realizadas por el equipo..." states the report's topic using tratarse de. 3. The three main activities are coordinating a regional meeting, reviewing two cooperation proposals, and preparing informational material for project partners. 4. Model answer: The report recommends continuing the same coordination strategy next month and requests a follow-up meeting before the end of the month. 5. Model answer: The report avoids naming specific people and instead describes actions and results in longer, more formal noun phrases, unlike an ordinary spoken account of the same month.
Listening Task
Model answers: Anuncio 1 — el personal debe entregar el informe mensual antes del viernes a las cinco. Anuncio 2 — los coordinadores de área deben revisar sus presupuestos antes de la próxima reunión. Anuncio 3 — la reunión de seguimiento del proyecto regional se trasladó al próximo lunes.
Chapter Review — Parte D (model answer)
Model answer: Learners may note that recognizing impersonal se formulas in reading feels increasingly natural, while producing longer nominal sentences with correct agreement in their own writing still requires conscious attention. Other honest, specific answers are equally acceptable.
Looking Ahead
Lo que ya sabes
This chapter has introduced the nominal, document-oriented style of reports and summaries, along with a small set of impersonal se formulas for describing institutional actions. You have continued using usted and ustedes consistently in a document-based context, and you have practiced the consonant contrasts that most affect intelligibility for English-speaking learners, building directly on the formal register established in Chapter 1.