Overview
The passive voice in Spanish is used to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action rather than who performs it. It shifts the focus from the subject (the doer) to the object (the receiver). The passive voice is frequently used in formal writing and situations where the actor is unknown or irrelevant.
Forms of Passive Voice
Spanish has two primary forms to express the passive voice: the ser + past participle construction and the se passive. The ser form is more formal and often appears in written texts, while the se passive is common in everyday spoken Spanish.
Passive with Ser
The passive voice with ser is formed by conjugating the verb ser in the tense desired, followed by the past participle of the main verb. The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.
Example:
La carta fue escrita por Juan.
(The letter was written by Juan.)
Passive with Se
The se passive construction uses the pronoun se followed by a verb conjugated in the third person singular or plural, depending on the subject. This form does not specify the agent (doer) of the action and is more common in spoken and informal usage.
Example:
Se venden libros en la tienda.
(Books are sold in the store.)
Passive Voice and Agreement
In both forms of passive voice, verb agreement with the subject is crucial. The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject in the ser passive, and the verb agrees in number with the subject in the se passive.
Usage Notes
The passive voice with ser often includes the agent introduced by por (by). The se passive rarely mentions the agent and focuses on the action and its recipient. Using the se passive can make sentences more concise and neutral in tone.
Ser Passive Conjugations Example (Present and Past)
| Spanish Pronoun | Ser Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Él/Ella/Usted | es | is | La puerta es abierta por el niño. | The door is opened by the boy. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds | son | are | Las cartas son enviadas por correo. | The letters are sent by mail. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | fue | was | El libro fue leído por María. | The book was read by María. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds | fueron | were | Los informes fueron escritos ayer. | The reports were written yesterday. |
