B1 Spanish GrammarPassive Voice
Learn to form the passive voice in Spanish using ser + past participle and the reflexive passive with se. Understand when Spanish prefers passive constructions and when active voice is more natural. Master agreement rules and agent expressions with por.
1Passive with Ser + Past Participle
The true passive uses ser + past participle. The participle agrees in gender and number with the subject. The agent (doer) is introduced by por. This passive is common in formal writing but less frequent in everyday speech than in English.
Passive Voice Formation
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Juan escribe la carta | La carta es escrita por Juan |
| Preterite | MarÃa vendió la casa | La casa fue vendida por MarÃa |
| Imperfect | Los niños comÃan la pizza | La pizza era comida por los niños |
| Future | El chef preparará la cena | La cena será preparada por el chef |
Examples
El libro fue escrito por Cervantes.
The book was written by Cervantes.
preterite passive with agent
La puerta es abierta a las nueve.
The door is opened at nine.
present passive, habitual action
Las casas serán construidas el próximo año.
The houses will be built next year.
future passive, plural agreement
La decisión fue tomada por el comité.
The decision was made by the committee.
formal register
2Participle Agreement
In passive constructions, the past participle acts like an adjective and must agree with the subject in gender and number. Masculine singular ends in -o, feminine singular in -a, masculine plural in -os, feminine plural in -as.
Participle Agreement Patterns
| Subject | Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| el libro (m.s.) | escrito | El libro fue escrito |
| la carta (f.s.) | escrita | La carta fue escrita |
| los libros (m.pl.) | escritos | Los libros fueron escritos |
| las cartas (f.pl.) | escritas | Las cartas fueron escritas |
Examples
La ventana fue rota por el viento.
The window was broken by the wind.
rota agrees with ventana (f.)
Los documentos fueron firmados ayer.
The documents were signed yesterday.
firmados agrees with documentos (m.pl.)
Las flores serán entregadas mañana.
The flowers will be delivered tomorrow.
entregadas agrees with flores (f.pl.)
El premio fue otorgado al ganador.
The prize was awarded to the winner.
otorgado agrees with premio (m.)
3Reflexive Passive (Pasiva Refleja)
Spanish often prefers the reflexive passive with se + verb in third person. The verb agrees with the grammatical subject. No agent is expressed. This construction is very common in everyday speech, signs, and instructions. It sounds more natural than ser passive.
Se Passive Formation
| English | Se Passive | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish is spoken here | Se habla español | general statement |
| Houses are sold | Se venden casas | sign/advertisement |
| The doors are opened at 8 | Se abren las puertas a las 8 | routine |
| Books were sold | Se vendieron libros | past event |
Examples
Se habla inglés aquÃ.
English is spoken here.
common sign, singular verb
Se necesitan empleados.
Employees needed / are needed.
plural verb agrees with empleados
Aquà se come bien.
One eats well here / You eat well here.
impersonal meaning
Se construyeron tres edificios.
Three buildings were constructed.
preterite se passive
4Ser Passive vs Se Passive
Use ser passive when the agent matters and in formal contexts. Use se passive for general statements, signs, and when the agent is unknown or unimportant. Se passive is far more common in spoken Spanish. Some verbs work better with one form than the other.
Choosing the Right Passive
| Situation | Recommended | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Agent important | ser passive | Fue pintado por Picasso |
| General statement | se passive | Se prohÃbe fumar |
| Signs/instructions | se passive | Se busca cocinero |
| Formal writing | ser passive | La ley fue aprobada |
Examples
La novela fue escrita por GarcÃa Márquez.
The novel was written by GarcÃa Márquez.
ser passive - agent is important
Se alquilan habitaciones.
Rooms for rent.
se passive - common sign
El problema se resolvió rápidamente.
The problem was solved quickly.
se passive - agent unknown
El ladrón fue arrestado por la policÃa.
The thief was arrested by the police.
ser passive - formal news report