B2 · فوق المتوسط فصل 11

Shifting Focus: The Passive Voice

8 القواعد الإجمالية
83 أمثلة
6 دقيقة
القواعد في هذا الفصل تدريب سريع

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of shifting focus to actions and results for sophisticated Portuguese communication.

  • Construct formal sentences using the 'ser' + past participle structure.
  • Identify and use the common 'se' passive found in advertisements and news.
  • Differentiate between passive and impersonal statements to ensure perfect verb agreement.
Shift the spotlight: From who did it to what happened.

ما ستتعلمه

Ready to make your Portuguese sound truly authentic and sophisticated? This chapter is your gateway to mastering the passive voice, a crucial structure that lets you emphasize actions and results over the person performing them. It's how native speakers convey precision and formality, and you'll find it everywhere from news articles to everyday conversation. We'll start with the classic ser + past participle construction, learning how to shift the spotlight to the object of the action, ensuring your participles always agree! Then, you'll discover how to gracefully introduce the 'doer' of the action using por (think pelo/pela) when necessary, all while maintaining the passive emphasis. But the real star of this chapter is the versatile se passive (Voz Passiva Sintética). This is incredibly common in Portuguese, and you'll learn its secrets, especially how the verb must agree in number with the noun being acted upon. Get ready to understand signs like Vendem-se casas (Houses are sold) with perfect clarity. Finally, we'll tackle the subtle but important distinction between the passive se and the impersonal se, so you'll always know when to make your verb plural and when to keep it singular. By the end of this chapter, you won't just be learning rules; you'll be able to express yourself with greater nuance and sound incredibly natural. You'll comfortably read headlines like

A ponte foi construída
(The bridge was built) and understand nuanced impersonal statements. Get ready to elevate your Portuguese to a truly upper-intermediate level!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to transform active sentences into the analytical passive voice with correct participle agreement.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to identify the agent of the action using the correct contractions of 'por'.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to use the 'se' passive (sintética) and ensure the verb agrees with the patient noun.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to distinguish between 'se' as a passive marker and 'se' as an impersonal subject.

دليل الفصل

نظرة عامة

Ready to elevate your Portuguese grammar to a truly B2 level? This chapter unlocks the power of the passive voice, a crucial linguistic tool that allows you to shift emphasis from the doer of an action to the action itself or its recipient. Mastering this structure is key to sounding more authentic and sophisticated, as native speakers frequently employ it in everything from news reports to nuanced daily conversations.
Understanding the Portuguese passive voice is not just about rules; it's about gaining a deeper appreciation for how the language conveys precision and formality.
We'll explore two primary forms of the Voz Passiva in Portuguese. First, the classic analytical passive, built with the verb ser and a past participle, where you'll learn to ensure perfect agreement. Then, we dive into the highly versatile se passive (also known as the Voz Passiva Sintética), which is incredibly common and efficient.
By the end, you'll comfortably read headlines like
A ponte foi construída
(The bridge was built) and understand nuanced impersonal statements, equipping you with essential skills for upper-intermediate Portuguese language learning.

كيف تعمل هذه القاعدة

The Portuguese passive voice fundamentally shifts the spotlight from who performs an action to what is being acted upon. The most straightforward way to form it is using ser + past participle, a rule often referred to as Forming Passive Voice (Ser + Participle). For example, instead of
O João escreveu o livro
(João wrote the book), you'd say
O livro foi escrito pelo João
(The book was written by João).
Crucially, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the new subject: A carta foi escrita (The letter was written - feminine singular), Os documentos foram lidos (The documents were read - masculine plural).
To introduce the original doer of the action, Portuguese uses por or its contractions pelo/pela/pelos/pelas, a concept covered in Passive Voice: Introducing Agents with 'by' (pelo/pela). These contractions combine por with the definite articles. For instance,
A decisão foi tomada pelos diretores
(The decision was made by the directors).
If the agent is indefinite or less important, por alone can be used, but pelo/pela are very common.
The real star for B2 Portuguese learners is the Passive Voice with 'se' (Voz Passiva Sintética). This structure is incredibly prevalent, especially in signs, advertisements, and general statements. It uses the particle se immediately before the verb.
The key here is that the verb *must* agree in number with the noun being acted upon. For example,
Vendem-se casas
(Houses are sold – plural verb for plural 'houses'), and
Aluga-se apartamento
(An apartment is rented – singular verb for singular 'apartment'). This is precisely the 'Se' Passive Voice (Vendem-se casas) you'll see everywhere.
Finally, we address the critical distinction between the passive se and the impersonal se, often referred to as Passive vs. Impersonal 'se' (Partícula Apassivadora e Impessoal). When se is a passive particle (partícula apassivadora), the verb agrees with the direct object, which becomes the grammatical subject (e.g., Comem-se maçãs - Apples are eaten).
When se is an impersonal particle, the verb *always* remains in the third-person singular, making a general statement without a specific subject (e.g.,
Comem-se bem aqui
- One eats well here, or People eat well here). Recognizing this difference is a hallmark of advanced Portuguese grammar.

الأخطاء الشائعة

  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    A porta foi aberto.
    (The door was opened.)
✓ Correct:
A porta foi aberta.
(The door was opened.)
*Explanation:* The past participle in the analytical passive (ser + participle) must agree in gender and number with the subject. A porta is feminine singular, so the participle must be aberta, not aberto.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: Vende-se casas. (Houses are sold.)
✓ Correct: Vendem-se casas. (Houses are sold.)
*Explanation:* In the se passive (Voz Passiva Sintética), if the item being acted upon (in this case, casas) is plural, the verb must also be plural. Casas is plural, so the verb should be vendem-se, not vende-se.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    A comida foi preparado por mim.
    (The food was prepared by me.)
✓ Correct:
A comida foi preparada por mim.
(The food was prepared by me.)
*Explanation:* Similar to mistake 1, the participle preparado must agree with A comida (feminine singular), becoming preparada.

محادثات حقيقية

A

A

O novo projeto foi aprovado pela diretoria?
(Was the new project approved by the board?)
B

B

Sim, foi aprovado ontem à tarde, depois de muita discussão.
(Yes, it was approved yesterday afternoon, after much discussion.)
A

A

Onde se compram bilhetes para o concerto?
(Where are tickets bought for the concert?)
B

B

Vendem-se bilhetes online ou na bilheteria do teatro.
(Tickets are sold online or at the theater box office.)
A

A

Os erros foram corrigidos no relatório final?
(Were the errors corrected in the final report?)
B

B

Sim, foram todos corrigidos pela equipe de revisão.
(Yes, they were all corrected by the review team.)

أسئلة شائعة

Q

What's the main difference between Voz Passiva Analítica and Voz Passiva Sintética in Portuguese grammar?

The Voz Passiva Analítica uses ser + past participle (e.g.,

O livro foi escrito
), while the Voz Passiva Sintética uses a verb with the particle se (e.g., Escreve-se o livro).

Q

How do I know when to use pelo or por with the agent in the passive voice?

You use pelo/pela/pelos/pelas (contractions of por + definite article) when the agent is specific and defined (e.g., pela equipe). You use por alone when the agent is general, indefinite, or not accompanied by an article (e.g., por sorte).

Q

Can I always use the se passive in Portuguese?

No, the se passive is typically used with transitive verbs that have a direct object. It's less common with verbs that express states or verbs that are inherently intransitive. It's also more common in formal or impersonal contexts.

Q

How can I quickly distinguish between passive se and impersonal se?

If the verb *can* agree in number with the noun that follows it (i.e., if that noun is plural and the verb can also be plural), it's likely a passive se. If the verb *always* stays singular, even with a plural concept, it's an impersonal se. (e.g., Comem-se maçãs vs. Come-se bem aqui).

السياق الثقافي

The Portuguese passive voice, especially the se passive, is incredibly common in everyday life in Portugal and Brazil. You'll see signs like
Aluga-se
(For Rent) or
Proíbem-se cães
(Dogs are forbidden) everywhere. It's a hallmark of formal writing, news articles, and official announcements, lending an air of objectivity and professionalism.
While both forms of the passive exist, the Voz Passiva Sintética (se passive) is often preferred for its conciseness and natural flow, making it essential for any B2 Portuguese speaker aiming for authentic expression.

أمثلة رئيسية (8)

1

O pedido foi cancelado pelo restaurante.

The order was cancelled by the restaurant.

تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)
2

Essas fotos foram tiradas na Bahia.

These photos were taken in Bahia.

تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)
3

A foto foi postada pela Ana no Instagram.

تم نشر الصورة بواسطة آنا على إنستغرام.

فاعل المبني للمجهول (Agente da Passiva)
4

O pedido foi entregue pelo estafeta em 10 minutos.

تم تسليم الطلب بواسطة عامل التوصيل في 10 دقائق.

فاعل المبني للمجهول (Agente da Passiva)
5

Vendem-se carros usados em ótimo estado.

تُباع سيارات مستعملة بحالة ممتازة.

المبني للمجهول بـ 'Se' (Vendem-se casas)
6

Procura-se um designer gráfico para projeto urgente.

مطلوب مصمم جرافيك لمشروع عاجل.

المبني للمجهول بـ 'Se' (Vendem-se casas)
7

Vende-se este apartamento moderno.

هذه الشقة الحديثة معروضة للبيع.

المبني للمجهول مقابل 'se' غير الشخصية (Passive vs. Impersonal 'se')
8

Vendem-se ingressos para o festival.

تُباع تذاكر المهرجان.

المبني للمجهول مقابل 'se' غير الشخصية (Passive vs. Impersonal 'se')

نصائح وحيل (4)

⚠️

فخ المطابقة

دائمًا تأكد من جنس المبتدأ الجديد. لو كانت الكلمة مؤنثة مثل {a|f} comida (الأكل)، لازم تقول
A comida foi feita
وما ينفع تقول feito. هذا أشهر خطأ يقع فيه طلاب المستوى B2!
A pizza foi feita ontem.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول في البرتغالية: التركيز على الفعل (Voz Passiva)
⚠️

التوافق هو الملك

لا تنسَ أبداً تغيير نهاية اسم المفعول ليناسب المبتدأ! إذا كان المبتدأ as meninas، يجب أن يكون اسم المفعول convidadas وليس convidado.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول: التركيز على الفعل (`Voz Passiva`)
💡

Check Agreement

Always check if your subject is plural or feminine. The participle must match!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)
⚠️

فخ التطابق

تذكر دائماً أن اسم المفعول يتبع المبتدأ 'الجديد' وليس الشخص الذي قام بالفعل. فكر في طلب البيتزا مثلاً:
As pizzas foram feitas pelo chef.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول: تقديم الفاعل باستخدام 'بواسطة' (pelo/pela)

المفردات الرئيسية (6)

construir to build vender to sell anunciar to announce pelo / pela by (contraction of por + o/a) reformar to renovate descobrir to discover

Real-World Preview

newspaper

Reading the News

map-pin

Walking through Lisbon

Review Summary

  • [Subject] + [Ser] + [Past Participle (agrees with subject)]
  • [Passive Sentence] + [por + article] + [Agent]
  • [Verb 3rd person] + [se] + [Subject]
  • [Verb 3rd person singular] + [se] + [Preposition/Adverb]

أخطاء شائعة

In the analytical passive, the past participle acts like an adjective and must agree in gender and number with the subject.

Wrong: As casas foram vendido.
صحيح: As casas foram vendidas.

In the 'se' passive, 'quartos' is the subject. Since 'quartos' is plural, the verb 'alugar' must be plural.

Wrong: Aluga-se quartos.
صحيح: Alugam-se quartos.

To introduce the agent of the passive, use the preposition 'por' (pelo/pela), not 'para'.

Wrong: O livro foi escrito para o autor.
صحيح: O livro foi escrito pelo autor.

القواعد في هذا الفصل (8)

1

المبني للمجهول في البرتغالية: التركيز على الفعل (Voz Passiva)

B2
حوّل تركيزك للمفعول به باستخدام ser مع الـ particípio المناسب عشان تبين إنك محترف ودقيق في كلامك.
O novo iPhone foi lançado ontem.
10 أمثلة
2

المبني للمجهول: التركيز على الفعل (`Voz Passiva`)

B2
المبني للمجهول هو أداتك السحرية للتركيز على «الحدث» بدلاً من «الفاعل» باستخدام ser أو se.
A foto foi postada no Instagram.
10 أمثلة
3

تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)

B2
Use Ser + Participle to emphasize the receiver of an action, ensuring the participle agrees with the new subject.
O pedido foi cancelado pelo restaurante.
10 أمثلة
4

المبني للمجهول: تقديم الفاعل باستخدام 'بواسطة' (pelo/pela)

B2
لتعريف 'من قام بالفعل' في الجملة، استخدم حرف الجر por وادمجها لتصبح pelo أو pela مع مطابقة اسم المفعول للمبتدأ.
O vídeo foi editado pelo editor profissional.
10 أمثلة
5

فاعل المبني للمجهول (Agente da Passiva)

B2
الـ Agente da Passiva هو 'البطل الخفي' اللي عمل الفعل، وبنطلعه للنور باستخدام por عشان نركز على النتيجة.
A foto foi postada pela Ana no Instagram.
10 أمثلة
6

صوت المبني للمجهول مع 'se' (Voz Passiva Sintética)

B2
الفاعل هو المسيطر هنا: إذا كان الاسم جمع، الفعل لازم يكون جمع مثله. تذكر الكلمات المفتاحية: Vende-se للمفرد و Vendem-se للجمع.
Vendem-se pães quentinhos aqui.
12 أمثلة
7

المبني للمجهول بـ 'Se' (Vendem-se casas)

B2
الفعل لازم يتبع الاسم اللي بعده في العدد، سواء كان مفرد أو جمع، استخدم Vende-se للمفرد و Vendem-se للجمع.
Vendem-se carros usados em ótimo estado.
10 أمثلة
8

المبني للمجهول مقابل 'se' غير الشخصية (Passive vs. Impersonal 'se')

B2
استخدم se للمطابقة مع الأسماء في صيغة المبني للمجهول، لكن التزم بالمفرد دايمًا إذا جه وراها حرف جر de أو em.
Vende-se este apartamento moderno.
11 أمثلة

Next Steps

You've just added a major layer of sophistication to your Portuguese. Mastering the passive voice is a huge step toward fluency. Keep practicing those 'se' agreements!

Read a Brazilian news article and highlight all 'ser + participle' forms.

Look at online real estate listings (e.g., OLX Portugal) and find examples of 'Vende-se' or 'Aluga-se'.

Continue to: The Basics of the Subjunctive Mood

تدريب سريع (10)

كمل اليافطة لمجموعة بيوت.

___-se casas nesta rua. (Vender)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vendem
بما إن 'casas' جمع ومفيش حرف جر، الفعل 'vender' لازم يكون في صيغة الجمع (Passive 'se').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول مقابل 'se' غير الشخصية (Passive vs. Impersonal 'se')

جد الخطأ في جملة المبني للمجهول المختصرة هذه.

Vende-se casas nesta rua.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vendem-se casas nesta rua.
في المبني للمجهول المختصر، يجب أن يوافق الفعل الاسم. بما أن 'casas' جمع، نستخدم 'Vendem-se'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول: التركيز على الفعل (`Voz Passiva`)

رتب الكلمات لتكوين جملة مبني للمجهول.

Arrange: [pelo] [vencido] [foi] [O] [atleta] [jogo]

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: O jogo foi vencido pelo atleta
الهيكل هو المبتدأ (O jogo) + المساعد (foi) + اسم المفعول (vencido) + الفاعل (pelo atleta).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول: التركيز على الفعل (`Voz Passiva`)

جد الخطأ في الجملة وصححه.

Precisa-se de voluntários com urgência.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Precisa-se de voluntários com urgência.
هذا سؤال مخادع! فعل 'precisar' يتبعه حرف جر 'de'، لذا هذه 'se' غير شخصية والفعل يبقى مفردًا دائمًا. الجملة صحيحة أصلاً.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: صوت المبني للمجهول مع 'se' (Voz Passiva Sintética)

Choose the correct passive sentence.

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: A casa foi vendida pelo dono.
The participle must agree with 'casa' (feminine) and 'por + o' must contract to 'pelo'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)

Find the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Os livros foi lido por eles.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: foi lido
The subject 'livros' is plural, so it should be 'foram lidos'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)

Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'ser' and the participle.

A carta ___ ___ (escrever) ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: foi escrita
The subject 'carta' is feminine singular, so the participle must be 'escrita'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: تكوين المبني للمجهول (Ser + اسم المفعول)

اختر صيغة الفعل الصحيحة لتناسب الاسم.

______-se apartamentos no centro. (Alugar)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Alugam
بما إن 'apartamentos' جمع، لازم الفعل يكون في صيغة الجمع: 'Alugam-se'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المبني للمجهول بـ 'Se' (Vendem-se casas)

جد خطأ التطابق في الجملة التالية.

Find and fix the mistake:

As mensagens foram enviado pelo sistema.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: As mensagens foram enviadas pelo sistema.
اسم المفعول 'enviadas' لازم يطابق المبتدأ المؤنث الجمع 'as mensagens'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: فاعل المبني للمجهول (Agente da Passiva)

رتب الكلمات لتكوين جملة صحيحة.

Arrange these words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Aqui não se falam línguas estrangeiras.
كلمة النفي 'não' تجذب 'se' قبل الفعل. وبما أن 'línguas estrangeiras' جمع، فالفعل هو 'falam'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: صوت المبني للمجهول مع 'se' (Voz Passiva Sintética)

Score: /10

أسئلة شائعة (6)

هو الشخص أو الشيء اللي سوى الفعل أصلاً. في جملة 'الكيكة صُنعت بواسطة ماري'، ماري هي الفاعل. بالبرتغالية نستخدم 'por' لتقديمه:
O bolo foi feito por Mary.
استخدم 'se' (المبني للمجهول التركيبي) في التعميمات أو اللوحات أو لما يكون الفاعل مجهول. أما 'ser' فاستخدمه للأحداث المحددة المكتملة: Vende-se carro مقابل
O carro foi vendido.
المبني للمعلوم يركز على الشخص الذي قام بالحدث، مثل «الولد أكل التفاحة». أما المبني للمجهول فيركز على المستلم، مثل:
A maçã foi comida.
استخدمه عندما يكون الفاعل مجهولاً، أو واضحاً جداً، أو أقل أهمية من النتيجة. هذا شائع جداً في الأخبار واللافتات مثل: Vende-se este carro.
It is possible, but it often sounds too formal or robotic. In Brazil, the 'se' passive is preferred.
Use 'ser' for specific, formal actions. Use 'se' for general, impersonal statements.
الفصل السابق
Connecting Ideas with Relative Clauses
الفصل التالي
The Basics of the Subjunctive Mood
العودة إلى خارطة الطريق