Passive Voice — Reflexive Substitute for the Passive

Passive Voice — Reflexive Substitute for the Passive

When the agent is not expressed, the reflexive construction may be used in place of the true passive. There are two different forms of this construction.

1. When the subject of the English construction is a person, the verb in Spanish is impersonal (se + third person singular verb). The English subject then becomes the direct or indirect object of the verb in the Spanish construction.

Se las veía en todas partes.
They were seen everywhere. (One saw them everywhere).

Se le dirá a ella que no es verdad.
She will be told that it is not true. (They will tell her that it is not true).

2. When the subject of the construction is a thing, it is retained as the subject of the Spanish sentence. The Spanish verb, of course, agrees with the subject in number.

Este libro no se venderá.
This book will not be sold.

Se han construído dos teatros aquí.
Two theatres have been built here.

Notice the inverted word order. The reflexive verb will normally (but not always) precede the subject when it is used passively. See the preceding example.

3. When the subject of a sentence is impersonal or indefinite, the reflexive construction is used. The verb is always in the third person singular. (In English sentences of this type, the subject is an impersonal expression, such as one, you, they, people.)

Se dice que es muy atrevido.
It is said that he is very bold.

Se sabe que no podemos evitarlo.
They know we cannot avoid it.

Se creía que nadie vendría a tiempo.
They thought that nobody would come on time.

Note: The passive is used less frequently in Spanish than in English. The active voice with the verb in the third person plural is a common substitute.

Escriben muchas cartas.
Many letters are written. (Literaly: They write many letters.)

Comen poca carne en esta familia.
Little meat is eaten in this family (Literaly: They eat little meat in this family.