Passive Voice — Forming the Passive Voice

Passive Voice — Forming the Passive Voice

Forming the True Passive Voice

The passive voice is formed from the verb to be, used as an auxiliary verb, and the past participle of the main verb. There is a corresponding passive form for all six regular active tenses in English. We use the passive voice whenever the subject of the sentence receives the action; when the subject of the sentence does the acting, we use the active voice.

Active Voice	Passive Voice
He brings the mail	The mail is brought (by him)
He brought the mail	The mail was brought
He will bring the mail	The mail will be brought
He has brought the mail	The mail has been brought
etc.	etc.

The passive voice in Spanish is formed like the passive voice in
English. The verb ser (to be) is used as the auxiliary verb, and
to this auxiliary is added the past participle of the main verb.

El contrabandista fue arrestado por el oficial.
The smuggler was arrested by the officer.

María fue deportada por el servicio de inmigración.
Maria was deported by the Immigration Service.

Note that in the passive voice the past participle must agree with the subject in gender and number. The agent (i.e., the person or thing performing the action) may or may not be expressed; if expressed, it is usually introduced by the preposition por.

El paquete fue entregado ayer.
The package was delivered yesterday.

Los dos paquetes fueron entregados ayer.
The two packages were delivered yesterday.

La carta fue escrita por Juan.
The letter was written by John.

Note: When the action is mental, the agent is introduced by the preposition de.

Somos respetados de todos.
We are respected by all.

Ella es admirada de sus amigas.
She is admired by her friends.