The passive (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
The Passive
What is the passive voice?
The passive voice is a grammatical construction that shows an action being performed on the subject, rather than the subject performing the action. In English, we form the passive using "to be" + past participle (e.g., "The car was sold"). Spanish has two main ways to express passive constructions, and understanding both will help you sound more natural when speaking and writing.
Spanish passive constructions work differently from English in some important ways. While English relies heavily on "to be" + past participle, Spanish offers more flexibility with two distinct methods that are used in different contexts.
Method 1: Using ser + past participle
This method works similarly to English passive constructions. You use the appropriate tense of the verb ser (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
Forming past participles
Regular past participles follow a simple pattern:
- -ar verbs: Remove the infinitive ending and add -ado
- -er and -ir verbs: Remove the infinitive ending and add -ido
Key grammar rule: Agreement
The past participle must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. This is crucial for correct Spanish grammar and is one of the most common mistakes learners make when using this construction.
Worked Example: Agreement with Past Participles
-
El coche fue vendido la semana pasada (The car was sold last week)
- coche is masculine singular → vendido (masculine singular)
-
Los ordenadores son apagados al final de la clase (The computers are turned off at the end of the lesson)
- ordenadores is masculine plural → apagados (masculine plural)
-
La habitación fue limpiada esta mañana (The room was cleaned this morning)
- habitación is feminine singular → limpiada (feminine singular)
Method 2: Using the reflexive se
This construction is more commonly used in Spanish than the ser + past participle method. It uses the reflexive pronoun se with the verb in active form, but the meaning is passive. To English speakers, this might seem strange because it appears as if the verb "does itself," but it's perfectly natural in Spanish.
The reflexive se construction can be confusing for English speakers because the verb appears to be "doing itself." Think of it as an impersonal construction where the focus is on the action happening rather than who performs it.
Worked Example: Reflexive Se Construction
- El sitio web se usa principalmente para bajar música (The website is mainly used for downloading music)
- Se publicarán los resultados la semana próxima (The results will be published next week)
- El coche se vendió la semana pasada (The car was sold last week)
Notice how the verb agrees with the subject that follows it, not with se.
Choosing the right tense
To decide which tense to use in passive constructions, look at the English verb "to be":
Tense Selection Guide:
- is/are → present tense
- was/were → preterite tense
- will be → future tense
This pattern applies to both methods of forming the passive in Spanish.
Useful vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ser | to be |
| se | reflexive pronoun (oneself) |
| participio pasado | past participle |
| la voz pasiva | passive voice |
| principalmente | mainly |
| publicar | to publish |
| vender | to sell |
| limpiar | to clean |
| apagar | to turn off |
Translation practice
Practice is essential for mastering these constructions. Try translating these sentences using both methods where possible.
Translation Practice
Spanish to English:
- La novela fue escrita en dos mil diecinueve.
- Los ejercicios se hacen online.
English to Spanish: 3. The results will be published on Friday. 4. Many people are invited to the party.
Answers:
- The novel was written in two thousand and nineteen.
- The exercises are done online.
- Los resultados serán publicados el viernes. / Se publicarán los resultados el viernes.
- Mucha gente es invitada a la fiesta. / Se invita a mucha gente a la fiesta.
Grammar tips
These practical tips will help you use passive constructions more confidently in your Spanish communication.
Key Grammar Points:
- The reflexive se construction is more common in everyday Spanish
- Remember that past participles must agree when used with ser
- With reflexive se, the verb agrees with the subject that follows it
- Both constructions can be used in different tenses - just change the auxiliary verb accordingly
Key Points to Remember:
- Spanish has two main ways to form the passive: ser + past participle and reflexive se
- Past participles of regular verbs end in -ado (for -ar verbs) or -ido (for -er/-ir verbs)
- Past participles must agree in gender and number when used with ser
- The reflexive se construction is more commonly used in spoken Spanish
- Choose your tense by looking at the English "to be" verb: is/are = present, was/were = preterite, will be = future