Voz Pasiva: Formación Básica (be + V3)
enfoque de la oracióny a comunicarte de forma más
natural y efectiva.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The passive voice shifts focus from who did the action to who or what received it using 'be' plus the third verb form.
- Use a form of 'be' (am/is/are/was/were) that matches the tense. Example: 'The cake is made.'
- Always use the Past Participle (V3) of the main verb. Example: 'The letter was written.'
- Add 'by' only if the person doing the action is important. Example: 'It was painted by Picasso.'
Overview
Your account has been logged into from a new device? A esa notificación no le importaba quién inició sesión. Le importaba tu cuenta.Términos y condicionesque nunca lees. La usamos cuando la acción es la estrella del show. A veces no sabemos quién lo hizo.
Se rompió el vasosuena mucho mejor que
Rompí el vaso. Es una habilidad de supervivencia para la gente torpe. Esta regla es un pilar del nivel B1.Mistakes were made en lugar de I messed up.anillo de humor gramatical. Cambia cómo se siente una oración. En una oración activa normal, el sujeto es el héroe.The chef cooked the meal. El chef está haciendo el trabajo. En la voz pasiva, la comida se convierte en el héroe. The meal was cooked by the chef. Ahora, estamos viendo la deliciosa comida primero.Your order has been shipped. ¿Quién lo envió? Probablemente un robot. ¿Te importa?quién innecesario y va directo al qué. Solo no la uses para todo. Si les dices a tus amigos The door was opened by me, podrían pensar que te reemplazó una IA.qué sea mucho más genial que el quién.How This Grammar Works
agente. El agente es la persona o cosa que realiza la acción. En la voz activa, el agente es el sujeto.Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook. Pasiva: Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg. O simplemente: Facebook was founded in 2004. Movimos el enfoque a la plataforma. Para que esto funcione, necesitas dos ingredientes. Primero, necesitas el verbo to be.past participle (la tercera forma del verbo). Piénsalo como una hamburguesa. To be es el pan de abajo.past participle es la carne. No puedes tener una hamburguesa pasiva sin ambos. El verbo to be hace todo el trabajo pesado.past participle se queda igual.to be, ya tienes la mitad del camino hecho. El resto es solo mover palabras de lugar.
Formation Pattern
to be en el mismo tiempo gramatical que el verbo activo original.
by seguido del sujeto original (el agente).
Conjugation Table
| Tense | Form of 'be' + Past Participle | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | am/is/are + verb-3 | The post is liked. |
| Past Simple | was/were + verb-3 | The photo was deleted. |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are being + verb-3 | The app is being updated. |
| Past Continuous | was/were being + verb-3 | The film was being streamed. |
| Present Perfect | have/has been + verb-3 | The email has been sent. |
| Future Simple | will be + verb-3 | The package will be delivered. |
When To Use It
- El autor es desconocido:
My bike was stolen.(No tengo idea de quién se la llevó, pero ahora me toca caminar a casa). - El autor es obvio:
The thief was arrested.(Obviamente, lo hizo la policía. ¿Quién más? ¿Batman?). - La acción es más importante:
The bridge was built in 1890.(Los ingenieros ya murieron, pero el puente sigue ahí). - Para ser educado o vago:
A mistake was made on your bill.(Mucho más amable que decir¡Me cobraste de más, ladrón!
). - Escritura científica o formal:
The chemicals were mixed in a beaker.(No se trata del científico; se trata de la ciencia). - Redes sociales y aplicaciones:
Your story was viewed by 50 people.(El enfoque está en tu fama, no en las personas individuales).
Common Mistakes
- Olvidar el verbo
be: No puedes decirThe cake eaten.Eso suena como un cavernícola hablando. Debe serThe cake WAS eaten. - Usar el participio incorrecto:
The letter was wrotees una pesadilla. Debe serThe letter was WRITTEN.Revisa tu lista de verbos irregulares. Es tu mejor amiga. - Confundir el sujeto y el objeto:
I was bitten by a dogestá bien.A dog was bitten by mesignifica que tienes algunas explicaciones que darle al veterinario. - Usarla demasiado: Si usas la voz pasiva para todo, sonarás como un documento legal.
The coffee was drunk by mees técnicamente correcto pero socialmente raro. Solo diI drank the coffee. - Verbos intransitivos: No puedes hacer pasivos verbos como
go,sitodie.I was gone to the storeestá simplemente mal. Estos verbos no tienen un objeto que puedas mover al frente.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Present Perfect o los Adjectives.- Pasiva vs. Activa:
I sent the text(Activa - Yo soy el héroe) vs.The text was sent(Pasiva - El texto es el resultado). - Pasiva vs. Adjetivo:
The door was closedpuede significar dos cosas. Podría ser la acción:Someone closed the door.Or podría ser una descripción:The door was not open.El contexto lo es todo aquí. - Pasiva vs. 'Have something done': Usamos
I had my hair cutcuando le pagamos a alguien por un servicio. Usamos la pasivaMy hair was cutpara simplemente declarar el hecho. - Reporting Verbs: En B1, verás
It is said that...oHe is believed to.... Estas son pasivas avanzadas que se usan para rumores o verdades generales.It is said that the cafe has the best matcha.Esto evita decir *quién* lo dijo. Simplemente suena como unavibra.
Quick FAQ
¿Cada oración necesita una frase con by?
¡Para nada! De hecho, la omitimos como el 80% de las veces. Solo inclúyela si la persona es realmente interesante.
¿Puedo usar la pasiva en tiempo futuro?
Definitivamente. The world will be saved (ojalá que por nosotros, pero a la pasiva no le importa quién).
¿Es la voz pasiva mala escritura?
Tu profesor de inglés podría decir que sí, pero es esencial para el inglés profesional y técnico. Solo no exageres.
¿Cómo sé el participio pasado de un verbo?
Para los verbos regulares, es solo -ed. Para los irregulares como see -> seen o break -> broken, simplemente tienes que memorizarlos. ¡Lo siento!
¿Es más formal?
Sí, por lo general. Crea distancia entre el hablante y la acción.
¿Qué pasa si hay dos objetos?
¡Tú eliges! I gave him a gift puede ser A gift was given to him o He was given a gift. ¡La segunda es muy común en inglés!
2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
is not
|
isn't
|
Singular Present
|
|
are not
|
aren't
|
Plural Present
|
|
was not
|
wasn't
|
Singular Past
|
|
were not
|
weren't
|
Plural Past
|
Passive Voice: Tense Formation
| Tense | Be Form | Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
am / is / are
|
V3
|
The mail is delivered.
|
|
Past Simple
|
was / were
|
V3
|
The mail was delivered.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
am/is/are being
|
V3
|
The mail is being delivered.
|
|
Past Continuous
|
was/were being
|
V3
|
The mail was being delivered.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
have / has been
|
V3
|
The mail has been delivered.
|
|
Future (Will)
|
will be
|
V3
|
The mail will be delivered.
|
|
Modals
|
can/must/should be
|
V3
|
The mail must be delivered.
|
Meanings
A grammatical construction where the subject of the sentence is the person or thing affected by the action, rather than the one performing it.
Focus on the Object
Used when the thing receiving the action is more important than who did it.
“The pyramids were built thousands of years ago.”
“My car is being repaired today.”
Unknown or Obvious Agent
Used when we don't know who did the action, or it is so obvious we don't need to say it.
“My bike was stolen last night!”
“The thief was arrested at the scene.”
Formal/Polite Distance
Used to sound more objective or to avoid blaming someone directly.
“A mistake has been made in your account.”
“Smoking is not permitted in this area.”
Reference Table
| Tiempo Verbal | Forma de `Be` | Ejemplo (Activa) | Ejemplo (Pasiva) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Presente Simple
|
`is / are`
|
He eats an apple.
|
An apple **is eaten**.
|
|
Pasado Simple
|
`was / were`
|
She wrote a letter.
|
A letter **was written**.
|
|
Presente Continuo
|
`is / are being`
|
They are building a house.
|
A house **is being built**.
|
|
Pasado Continuo
|
`was / were being`
|
He was fixing the car.
|
The car **was being fixed**.
|
|
Presente Perfecto
|
`has / have been`
|
She has read the book.
|
The book **has been read**.
|
|
Pasado Perfecto
|
`had been`
|
I had finished the report.
|
The report **had been finished**.
|
|
Futuro Simple
|
`will be`
|
They will announce the news.
|
The news **will be announced**.
|
|
Verbos Modales
|
`modal + be`
|
You must finish the task.
|
The task **must be finished**.
|
Espectro de formalidad
The mobile device was misappropriated. (Reporting a theft)
My phone was stolen. (Reporting a theft)
My phone got nicked. (Reporting a theft)
My blower was jacked. (Reporting a theft)
Voz Pasiva: Lo Básico
Componentes Clave
- `Be` Verb Coincide con el tiempo verbal y el sujeto
- `Past Participle` (V3) Tercera forma del verbo (ej., done, eaten)
Cuándo Usar
- Unknown/Unimportant Doer El agente es desconocido/no importante: The crime was committed.
- Emphasize Action/Receiver Enfatizar la acción/receptor: The monument was built.
- Formality/Objectivity Formalidad/Objetividad: Research was conducted.
Activa a Pasiva
- Object ➡️ Subject El objeto se convierte en sujeto: The ball was hit.
- Active Verb ➡️ be + V3 El verbo activo se convierte en be + V3: They hit the ball.
- (Optional) by Agent (Opcional) por el agente: by the player.
Errores Comunes
- Missing 'Be' Falta 'Be': The email sent. (🚫)
- Wrong 'Be' Form Forma incorrecta de 'Be': The books was read. (🚫)
- Wrong V3 V3 incorrecto: The cake was ate. (🚫)
Voz Activa vs. Voz Pasiva
Formando la Voz Pasiva Básica
¿Quieres enfatizar la acción o el receptor?
Identifica el objeto de la oración activa.
¿Cuál es el tiempo verbal del verbo activo?
¿Cuál es el participio pasado (V3) del verbo principal?
¿Es importante mencionar a quien hace la acción (agente)?
Ejemplos de Tiempos Verbales en Voz Pasiva
Presente
- • is eaten
- • are read
- • is being built
Pasado
- • was written
- • were found
- • was being repaired
Perfecto
- • has been sent
- • have been reviewed
- • had been forgotten
Futuro / Modales
- • will be delivered
- • can be done
- • should be discussed
Ejemplos por nivel
The apple is eaten.
L'apple est mangée.
The letters are sent.
Les lettres sont envoyées.
The car is washed.
La voiture est lavée.
The door is closed.
La porte est fermée.
The cake was made by my mom.
Le gâteau a été fait par ma mère.
The windows were cleaned yesterday.
Les fenêtres ont été nettoyées hier.
Is the homework finished?
Est-ce que les devoirs sont finis ?
The movie was not filmed in London.
Le film n'a pas été tourné à Londres.
The documents were stolen from the office.
Les documents ont été volés au bureau.
Rice is grown in many Asian countries.
Le riz est cultivé dans de nombreux pays asiatiques.
The meeting was cancelled at the last minute.
La réunion a été annulée à la dernière minute.
These smartphones are produced in China.
Ces smartphones sont produits en Chine.
The suspect is being questioned by the police.
Le suspect est en train d'être interrogé par la police.
The project should be completed by Friday.
Le projet devrait être terminé d'ici vendredi.
It was discovered that the data was incorrect.
Il a été découvert que les données étaient incorrectes.
He was given a second chance to explain.
On lui a donné une seconde chance de s'expliquer.
The law is widely believed to be unfair.
On croit généralement que la loi est injuste.
The city was devastated by the earthquake.
La ville a été dévastée par le tremblement de terre.
Having been warned twice, he still entered.
Ayant été averti deux fois, il est quand même entré.
The results are to be published next month.
Les résultats doivent être publiés le mois prochain.
The nuances were lost in translation.
Les nuances se sont perdues dans la traduction.
Provision was made for the refugees.
Des dispositions ont été prises pour les réfugiés.
The decision was arrived at after much deliberation.
La décision a été prise après de longues délibérations.
It is often argued that the system is flawed.
On soutient souvent que le système est défectueux.
Fácil de confundir
Learners confuse 'The door was closed' (someone closed it) with 'The door was closed' (it was not open).
Learners mix up 'is done' and 'has been done'.
Trying to make verbs like 'arrive', 'go', or 'die' passive.
Errores comunes
The cake eaten.
The cake is eaten.
I am eat.
I am eaten.
The car was wash.
The car was washed.
They are make in Italy.
They are made in Italy.
The letter was wrote.
The letter was written.
The windows was cleaned.
The windows were cleaned.
It was happened yesterday.
It happened yesterday.
The work is been done.
The work has been done.
I was borned in 1990.
I was born in 1990.
The house is building.
The house is being built.
He was died in the war.
He died in the war.
Patrones de oraciones
The ___ was ___ by ___.
___ is grown/made/produced in ___.
I was told that ___.
It is said that ___.
Real World Usage
Local man was awarded the medal of honor.
The solution was heated to 100 degrees.
All dishes are served with a side salad.
The suspect was seen fleeing the bank.
Made in Vietnam.
Your post was liked by 50 people.
Identificando la Voz Pasiva
The email was sent.
No Olvides el 'Be'
The mistake was corrected.
Cuándo Usar 'By'
The book was written by a famous author.
Pasiva en Contextos Formales
The research was conducted thoroughly.
Revisa tu V3
The song was sung beautifully.
Smart Tips
Use the passive voice to avoid using 'I' too much. It makes your writing sound more objective.
Use the passive voice to focus on the mistake rather than the person.
Use the present simple passive to describe steps that always happen.
Check if the verb before it is 'be + V3'. If it is, you are looking at a passive sentence.
Pronunciación
Weak form of 'was'
In the passive voice, 'was' is usually unstressed and sounds like /wəz/.
Linking 'is' and 'are'
When 'is' or 'are' precedes a vowel-starting V3, they link together.
Focus Intonation
The WINDOW was broken (not the door).
Stress the subject to emphasize which object received the action.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
BE + V3 = Passive for me!
Asociación visual
Imagine a robot (the 'be' verb) holding a finished trophy (the V3/Past Participle). The robot doesn't do the work; it just shows the result.
Rhyme
When the doer is a mystery, use 'be' and 'V3' for history.
Story
A thief stole a diamond. The police don't know who he is. They tell the news: 'The diamond was stolen!' They focus on the diamond because the thief is a ghost.
Word Web
Desafío
Look around your room. Find 5 objects and describe them using the passive voice (e.g., 'The bed is made', 'The light is turned off').
Notas culturales
The 'get-passive' (e.g., 'I got sacked') is very common in informal British English to describe negative events.
In English-speaking universities, the passive voice was traditionally required for science reports to sound objective, though this is slowly changing.
Governments often use the passive to avoid taking direct responsibility for mistakes.
The English passive voice evolved from Old English, which used the verbs 'weorthan' (to become) and 'beon' (to be) with a past participle.
Inicios de conversación
Tell me about a famous building in your city. When was it built?
Have you ever had something stolen? What was taken?
What are some traditional dishes in your country? How are they made?
If you could change one law, which one would be changed?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
The new library ___ opened next month.
Find and fix the mistake:
The concert cancelled because of the rain.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesThe mail ___ (deliver) every morning at 9 AM.
Find and fix the mistake:
The book was wrote by a famous author.
The windows ___ (clean) last week.
The food ___.
You can use the passive voice with the verb 'to go'.
A: Where is your car? B: It ___ (repair) at the garage right now.
Identify the passive construction.
Active: 'Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.'
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesMany photos ___ uploaded to social media daily.
The project deadline been extended.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Das Haus wurde letztes Jahr verkauft.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct form:
The new software update has ___ by millions of users.
The decision takes by the committee.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Neue Regeln werden eingeführt.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the verbs with their V3 form:
Score: /12
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Only use `by` when the person or thing doing the action is important or necessary to understand the sentence. If the doer is unknown or obvious, leave it out.
No. Only 'transitive' verbs (verbs that take an object, like 'eat', 'buy', 'fix') can be passive. 'Intransitive' verbs like 'sleep', 'arrive', or 'die' cannot.
Not at all! While some teachers prefer the active voice for being direct, the passive is essential for scientific, legal, and formal contexts.
`Is made` is for general facts or routines (Present Simple), while `was made` is for a specific completed action in the past (Past Simple).
Move the 'be' verb to the front of the sentence. For example: 'Was the letter sent?'
Because the event (the action) is usually more important than the specific person who did it, or the doer is unknown.
Yes, in informal speech. 'I got fired' is a common way to say 'I was fired'.
It can be! If it means 'Someone closed the door,' it is passive. If it just describes the door, 'closed' is an adjective.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
La pasiva con 'ser' or 'se' pasiva
English uses the passive much more frequently than Spanish in everyday speech.
La voix passive
French past participles must agree in gender and number with the subject, unlike English.
Passiv (werden/sein)
German uses 'werden' (to become) for the active process of the passive.
受動態 (judōtai)
Japanese can use the passive with intransitive verbs, which is impossible in English.
المبني للمجهول (al-mabni lil-majhul)
Arabic passive is formed by changing the verb itself, not by adding a helper verb.
被动句 (bèidòng jù)
In Chinese, the passive often implies a negative or unfortunate event.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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