The Passive Voice in Spanish

This section explains the passive voice in Spanish and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.

What is the Passive Voice?

The passive voice is used to emphasise the action or the receiver of the action, rather than the person or thing performing the action. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence becomes the object of the action.

In Spanish, the passive voice is formed by using a form of the verb ser (to be) + the past participle of the main verb. The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.

When is the Passive Voice Used?

The passive voice is typically used when:

• The focus is on the action itself or the recipient of the action, rather than the person performing it.
• The agent (the person or thing performing the action) is unknown or unimportant.

Examples:

• El libro fue escrito por el autor. (The book was written by the author.)
• La carta fue enviada ayer. (The letter was sent yesterday.)

Forming the Passive Voice

The passive voice in Spanish is formed by using the verb ser in the correct tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb, and optionally, the agent introduced by por.

Formula:
[Subject] + [ser] + [past participle] + [por] + [agent]

Example:

• El cuadro fue pintado por Picasso. (The painting was painted by Picasso.)
• Las cartas son enviadas por el cartero. (The letters are sent by the postman.)

Tenses in the Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the verb ser needs to be conjugated in the appropriate tense. The past participle remains unchanged.

For example:

• Present Tense:
  • Las cartas son enviadas por el cartero. (The letters are sent by the postman.)
• Preterite Tense:
  • La película fue dirigida por Spielberg. (The film was directed by Spielberg.)
• Imperfect Tense:
  • El edificio era construido por obreros. (The building was being constructed by workers.)
• Future Tense:
  • La comida será preparada por el chef. (The food will be prepared by the chef.)
• Conditional Tense:
  • El informe sería leído por todos. (The report would be read by everyone.)

The Agent in the Passive Voice

In passive voice constructions, the agent (the person or thing performing the action) is often introduced with por (by). However, the agent can be omitted if it is not important or unknown.

Examples:

• El coche fue reparado. (The car was repaired.) [No agent mentioned]
• La casa fue construida por los arquitectos. (The house was built by the architects.) [Agent included]

Foundation Tier Example

For GCSE Foundation level students, the passive voice often appears in simple tenses like the present and preterite.

• El partido es jugado cada semana. (The match is played every week.)
• La carta fue escrita por mi madre. (The letter was written by my mother.)

Higher Tier Example

At the Higher tier, students are expected to use more complex structures and understand how to use different tenses in the passive voice.

• Los libros serán leídos por los estudiantes antes del examen. (The books will be read by the students before the exam.)
• El informe ha sido entregado a la profesora. (The report has been handed in to the teacher.)

Impersonal Passive Constructions

In Spanish, it is also possible to use an impersonal passive construction. This is commonly seen in the use of se to create a passive-like sentence without explicitly stating the agent.

Formula:
Se + [verb in 3rd person singular/plural]

Examples:

• Se vendieron todas las entradas. (All the tickets were sold.)
• Se construyó un puente. (A bridge was built.)

This construction is especially common in signs, instructions, and general statements.

Summary Table: Passive Voice Formation

Additional Notes on the Passive Voice

• The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence:
  • El cuadro fue pintado. (The painting was painted.) [Singular masculine]
  • Las casas fueron construidas. (The houses were built.) [Plural feminine]
• The agent can sometimes be omitted if it is unimportant or unknown, making the focus entirely on the action.

By mastering the passive voice, you can enhance your ability to describe actions without focusing on the subject. Understanding the various tenses and when to use por to introduce the agent will help you confidently apply this grammar point in both written and spoken Spanish at GCSE level.