Download Passive Voice

La Voz Pasiva
The passive voice is used when focusing on the person or thing
affected by an action.
The active voice is the most commonly used in ordinary conversation, and it
indicates that the subject performs the action as in the following examples:
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El contador preparó el formulario./ The accountant prepared the form.
Le pagamos al corredor su comisión./ We paid the broker his commission.
The passive voice is not frequently used in ordinary conversation, but it is used
in writing, such as news broadcasting, newspapers, and formal speeches. In a
passive sentence, the subject receives the action as in the following examples:
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El formulario fue preparado por el contador./ The form was prepared by the accountant.
La comisión fue pagada por nosotros./ The commission was paid by us.
HOW TO FORM THE PASSIVE VOICE
To form the passive voice, the verb ser/to be is used. The past participle
functions as an adjective; therefore, it agrees with the gender and number of the
subject it modifies.
SUBJECT + SER + PAST PARTICIPLE + POR ( DE**) + AGENT
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La comida + fue + preparada + por + el cocinero./ The food was prepared by the cook.
Las comidas + fueron + preparadas + por + el cocinero./ The foods were prepared by the
cook.
El oleoducto + será + construido + por + Shell./ The pipeline will be constructed by Shell.
Los oleoductos + serán + construidos + por + Shell./ The pipelines will be constructed by
Shell.
**NOTE: When the superlative is used, the preposition de is used instead of por.
EXAMPLE

Madre Teresa fue la más amada de todos./ Mother Teresa was the most loved by
everyone.
USING THE VERB ESTAR
To describe an action, the verb ser is used in the passive; however, to express
the result of an action, the verb estar is used instead.
EXAMPLES
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El contrato fue escrito en inglés./ The contract was written in English (by someone).
El libro está escrito en inglés./ The book is written in English (published in English).
SE CONSTRUCTION FOR PASSIVE VOICE
Se + verb conjugated in the 3rd person singular or plural construction for
passive voice is much more frequently used in conversations. This construction is
equivalent to the English construction to be + past participle. Usually the verb
precedes the subject.
EXAMPLES
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
Se recaudará el impuesto al tabaco en todos los estados./ Tobacco tax will be collected in
all states.
Se ha aprobado el aumento al impuesto al alcohol./ The increase to the alcohol tax has
been approved.
In Spanish, some sentences conjugated in the third person plural are equivalent
to the passive se construction. Even though the following sentence is in active
voice, ellos/ they implies passive voice. They is used in a general sense.
EXAMPLE

Dicen que lloverá./ They say that it will rain.
Passive Voice
The passive voice is used when focusing on the person or thing affected by an action.
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The Passive is formed: Passive Subject To Be Past Participle
It is often used in business and in other areas where the object of the action is more
important than those who perform the action. For Example: We have produced over
20 different models in the past two years. Changes to: Over 20 different models have
been produced in the past two years.
If the agent (the performer of the action) is important, use "by" For Example: Tim
Wilson wrote "The Flight to Brunnswick" in 1987. Changes to:"The Flight to
Brunnswick" was written in 1987 by Tim Wilson.
Only verbs that take an object can be used in the passive.
The following chart includes sentences changed from the active to the passive in the principal
tenses.
Active
Passive
Time
Reference
They make Fords in
Cologne.
Fords are made in Cologne.
Present
Simple
Susan is cooking dinner.
Dinner is being cooked by
Susan
Present
Continuous
James Joyce wrote
"Dubliners".
"Dubliners" was written by
James Joyces.
Past
Simple
They were painting the
house when I arrived.
The house was being painted
when I arrived.
Past
Continuous
They have produced
over 20 models in the
past two years.
Over 20 models have been
produced in the past two
years.
Present
Perfect
They are going to build a A new factory is going to be
new factory in Portland. built in Portland.
Future
Intention
with Going
to
I will finish it tomorrow.
Future
Simple
It will be finished tomorrow.