Passive Voice

The passive voice in French highlights an action or its recipient rather than the doer, useful for emphasizing results, instructions, or when the agent is unknown or irrelevant.

Formation

The passive voice is formed with the appropriate tense of être plus the past participle of the main verb, which agrees in gender and number with the subject.

French Example	English Example
🌳 Le livre a été posé sur la table par Marie.	The book was placed on the table by Marie.
🌧️ La rue est nettoyée chaque soir.	The street is cleaned every evening.
🕰️ Les invitations avaient été envoyées avant midi.	The invitations had been sent before noon.
💡 La lumière sera allumée à mon arrivée.	The light will be turned on upon my arrival.

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Active to Passive

To turn an active sentence into passive, make the direct object the new subject, add the correct form of être, and use the past participle; the original subject can become an agent introduced by par or be omitted.

French Example	English Example
🍰 Marie a fait un gâteau.	Marie made a cake.
🍰 Un gâteau a été fait par Marie.	A cake was made by Marie.
🥖 Le boulanger prépare le pain.	The baker is preparing the bread.
🥖 Le pain est préparé par le boulanger.	The bread is being prepared by the baker.

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Se Passive

French also uses the se passive (or passive on) for generalizing actions or when the agent doesn't matter; it appears with se plus a verb that agrees with the thing acted upon, or with on plus an active verb.

French Example	English Example
🪟 La fenêtre se lave facilement.	The window cleans itself easily.
🪟 La fenêtre s’est lavée avec un peu de savon.	The window was cleaned with a bit of soap.
🧴 Les bouteilles se remplissent rapidement.	The bottles fill themselves quickly.
🧴 Les bouteilles se sont remplies avant le départ.	The bottles were filled before leaving.

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Differences

Use the standard passive for precise agents and formal contexts, and the se passive for notices, ads, and everyday speech where the agent is irrelevant or implied.

French Example	English Example	Note
🧹 On a nettoyé la cuisine.	We cleaned the kitchen.	Active, agent known.
🧹 La cuisine a été nettoyée (par quelqu’un).	The kitchen was cleaned (by someone).	Passive, agent implied or unknown.
🧼 La cuisine se nettoie en un rien de temps.	The kitchen cleans itself in no time.	Se passive, often used with things or instructions.
🧼 On nettoie la cuisine.	One cleans the kitchen.	Active with indefinite subject.

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Examples

French Example	English Example
📦 Les colis sont emballés par l’équipe.	The packages are wrapped by the team.
🏷️ Les étiquettes se collent seules.	The labels stick on by themselves.
🧺 La commande a été rangée dans des paniers.	The order was placed in baskets.
🚚 Les paniers se chargent rapidement sur le camion.	The baskets load quickly onto the truck.

Summary

The passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the action or recipient; form it with être plus past participle for standard passives, or use se plus a agreeing verb for general, agentless actions.

Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025