A1 · Principiante Capítulo 20

Focusing on the Action: The Passive Voice

6 Reglas totales
65 ejemplos
6 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Shift your focus from the performer to the action itself to sound more professional in French.

  • Construct passive sentences using the verb 'être'.
  • Apply gender and number agreements to past participles.
  • Master the usage of 'par' and 'de' to identify the agent.
Master the passive: When the action matters most!

Lo que aprenderás

Wow, this chapter is going to make your French sound so much more sophisticated! Did you know that in French, sometimes who did an action isn't as important as the action itself? Exactly! In this chapter, you'll learn how to shift the focus of your sentences from 'who' to 'what' or 'how'. For instance, instead of always saying 'X opened the door,' you'll be able to say 'The door was opened.' This is super useful, especially when you don't know who performed an action, or when the action itself is more significant. First, you'll learn the basic structure of the passive voice using 'être' and a past participle that magically changes to match the subject, just like a chameleon! Then, we'll see how to introduce the 'by whom' with 'par,' and when to use 'de' instead, especially for feelings or states of being. You'll even discover how to form passive sentences without mentioning the agent at all – focusing purely on the result, like 'the work was done.' Finally, we'll dive into compound tenses with 'a été' to express 'it was done' or 'it has been done.' By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to speak much more professionally and flexibly in various situations. For example, when discussing a new product, you can say 'This product was manufactured in Paris,' or when hearing news, 'The news was announced.' This skill will truly help you think and speak French like a native. Don't worry, this is easier than it seems! We'll go step-by-step together, and you'll be forming awesome sentences in no time.

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 passive constructions to emphasize the object.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Welcome to an exciting chapter in your A1 French grammar journey! This section will unlock a powerful way to express yourself: the French passive voice. Often, in everyday conversation and formal writing, we want to highlight the action itself rather than who performed it.
Think about statements like
The news was announced
or
The product was manufactured.
In these sentences, the focus shifts from the 'doer' to the 'done.' Mastering this concept will make your French sound much more natural and sophisticated, allowing you to articulate ideas with greater flexibility and precision.
At the A1 French level, you're building foundational skills, and understanding the passive voice is a significant step towards speaking and understanding French like a native. It's incredibly useful when the agent (the person or thing doing the action) is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context. You'll learn how to construct these sentences using the verb être and a special form of the verb called the past participle, which will magically adapt its ending.
Don't worry, this isn't as complex as it sounds! We’ll break down each step, showing you how to correctly form these sentences and when to use them. By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to confidently shift the focus of your sentences, making your French communication richer and more nuanced.
Get ready to elevate your linguistic skills and truly master this essential aspect of French grammar!

How This Grammar Works

The core of the French passive voice is surprisingly straightforward: you combine the verb être (to be) with a past participle. The structure is subject + form of être + past participle. For example, instead of saying
Someone opens the door
(Quelqu'un ouvre la porte), you can say
La porte est ouverte.
(The door is opened/is open.) Notice how ouverte (opened) agrees with la porte (feminine singular).
This is crucial: the accord du participe passé means the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the passive sentence, just like an adjective!
Let's look at more examples of this matching past participles in passive voice:
* Le livre est lu. (The book is read.) - lu agrees with le livre (masculine singular).
* La lettre est écrite. (The letter is written.) - écrite agrees with la lettre (feminine singular).
* Les maisons sont construites. (The houses are built.) - construites agrees with les maisons (feminine plural).
* Les enfants sont aimés. (The children are loved.) - aimés agrees with les enfants (masculine plural).
When you want to specify who performed the action, you introduce the agent using par (by). This is the French agent: saying 'by'. For instance:
* Le gâteau est mangé par l'enfant. (The cake is eaten by the child.)
* La chanson est chantée par la chorale. (The song is sung by the choir.)
However, for verbs expressing feelings, opinions, or states of being, especially with verbs like aimer (to love), connaître (to know), or estimer (to esteem), you often use de (by/of) instead of par. This is the French passive with 'de':
* Il est aimé de tous. (He is loved by everyone.)
* Elle est connue de beaucoup. (She is known by many.)
Sometimes, the agent is completely irrelevant or unknown, and you can form French passive: actions without the 'who'. In these cases, you simply omit par or de:
* Le travail est fait. (The work is done.)
* Les règles sont établies. (The rules are established.)
Finally, the French compound passive voice: was done, has been done allows you to express past actions. You use the compound past of être (avoir + past participle of être, which is été) followed by the main verb's past participle.
* La porte a été ouverte. (The door was/has been opened.)
* Les lettres ont été écrites. (The letters were/have been written.)
This structure uses a été (was/has been) or ont été (were/have been) to convey actions completed in the past.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: La voiture est lavé.
✓ Correct: La voiture est lavée.
*Explanation:* The past participle lavé (washed) must agree in gender and number with the subject la voiture (feminine singular). Therefore, it should be lavée. Always remember the accord du participe passé!
  1. 1✗ Wrong: Le président est connu par le public.
✓ Correct: Le président est connu de le public. (or connu du public)
*Explanation:* For verbs expressing feelings or states of being like connu (known), aimé (loved), or respecté (respected), de is typically used to introduce the agent, not par. This is a key nuance in the French passive with 'de'.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: La décision a prise.
✓ Correct: La décision a été prise.
*Explanation:* When forming the French compound passive voice (was done, has been done), you need the auxiliary verb être in its compound past form (a été for singular subjects, ont été for plural subjects), followed by the past participle of the main verb. Omitting été makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.

Real Conversations

A

A

Les invitations ont-elles été envoyées ? (Have the invitations been sent?)
B

B

Oui, elles ont été envoyées ce matin. (Yes, they were sent this morning.)
A

A

Par qui ce tableau a-t-il été peint ? (By whom was this painting painted?)
B

B

Il a été peint par un artiste local. (It was painted by a local artist.)
A

A

La porte est-elle fermée ? (Is the door closed?)
B

B

Non, elle est ouverte. (No, it is open/opened.)

Quick FAQ

Q

Why is the passive voice important for A1 French learners?

The passive voice allows you to focus on the action or result, which is crucial for describing events, news, or situations where the 'doer' is unknown or less important. It adds flexibility and sophistication to your French grammar A1 sentences.

Q

How do I know when to use par versus de in French passive voice?

Generally, use par when the agent performs a physical action. Use de with verbs expressing feelings, emotions, or states of being, such as aimer (to love), connaître (to know), respecter (to respect), or accompagner (to accompany).

Q

Can I form passive sentences without mentioning who did the action?

Absolutely! This is very common, especially when the agent is unknown, obvious, or irrelevant. For example,

Le problème est résolu.
(The problem is solved.) This is the French passive: actions without the 'who'.

Q

Does the past participle always agree with the subject in the French passive voice?

Yes, in the passive voice, the past participle always agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence. This is a fundamental rule of accord du participe passé.

Cultural Context

In French, the passive voice is often used in more formal contexts, such as news reports, scientific articles, official announcements, or administrative documents. While it exists in everyday speech, native speakers sometimes opt for more active constructions or the impersonal on (e.g., On a ouvert la porte instead of La porte a été ouverte) in casual conversation. However, understanding and using the passive voice is essential for comprehending French media and for expressing yourself clearly and professionally in various situations.
It's a key part of sounding sophisticated in A1 French.

Ejemplos clave (8)

1

La pizza est préparée par le chef.

La pizza es preparada por el chef.

Voz pasiva en francés: Cómo formarla (La voix passive)
2

Le message est envoyé.

El mensaje es enviado.

Voz pasiva en francés: Cómo formarla (La voix passive)
3

La porte est fermée.

La puerta está cerrada.

Concordancia del participio en voz pasiva (Accord du participe passé)
4

Le message est envoyé.

El mensaje está enviado.

Concordancia del participio en voz pasiva (Accord du participe passé)
5

La pizza est livrée par Uber Eats.

La pizza es entregada por Uber Eats.

El agente en francés: decir 'por' (par)
6

Cette photo est likée par tous mes amis.

Esta foto es gustada por todos mis amigos.

El agente en francés: decir 'por' (par)
7

Cet acteur est aimé de tout le monde.

Este actor es amado por todo el mundo.

Pasiva francesa con 'de' (aimé de, conocido de)
8

La ville est entourée de montagnes.

La ciudad está rodeada de montañas.

Pasiva francesa con 'de' (aimé de, conocido de)

Consejos y trucos (4)

⚠️

La concordancia es clave

¡Siempre mira tu nuevo sujeto! Si es femenino o plural, el final de tu verbo DEBE cambiar. Es el error más común para principiantes. Por ejemplo, no digas
La maison est construit
sino
La maison est construite
.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Voz pasiva en francés: Cómo formarla (La voix passive)
💡

La Regla del Camaleón

Imagina que el participio pasado es un camaleón. Se sienta sobre el sujeto y cambia su color (su terminación) para que coincida con el género y número del sujeto. Por ejemplo, si hablas de 'la voiture' (femenino), dices
La voiture est réparée.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Concordancia del participio en voz pasiva (Accord du participe passé)
⚠️

Evita 'Pour'

¡Cuidado! Nunca uses 'pour' cuando quieres decir 'por' (quién hizo algo). Imagina que tu amigo te dice: 'Ce gâteau est fait pour moi' (Este pastel es para mí). Pero si dice: 'Ce gâteau est fait par moi' (Este pastel lo hice yo). ¡Gran diferencia!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: El agente en francés: decir 'por' (par)
💡

Verbos del Corazón

Si el verbo expresa un sentimiento (amor, odio, respeto), usa de. Es como si fuera un estado permanente de la persona, no una acción puntual. Por ejemplo:
Cet auteur est très estimé de ses lecteurs.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pasiva francesa con 'de' (aimé de, conocido de)

Vocabulario clave (5)

être to be par by fabriqué manufactured aimé loved annoncé announced

Real-World Preview

shopping-bag

At the Paris Boutique

Review Summary

  • Subject + être + past participle
  • Subject + a été + past participle

Errores comunes

You forgot to agree the past participle with the feminine subject 'la pomme'. Always add an 'e' for feminine subjects.

Wrong: La pomme est mangé.
Correcto: La pomme est mangée.

With mental states or knowledge verbs like 'connaître', we use 'de' instead of 'par'.

Wrong: Il est connu par tout le monde.
Correcto: Il est connu de tout le monde.

Actually, this is correct! Ensure you aren't using 'de' here; 'par' is correct for physical actions.

Wrong: Le livre est écrit par lui.
Correcto: Le livre est écrit par lui.

Next Steps

You have completed the chapter! Your ability to shift focus in sentences is a sign of true fluency. Keep practicing these structures in your daily writing.

Watch a French news clip and count the passive structures you hear.

Continue to: Conditions and Delegating Actions

Práctica rápida (10)

Encuentra el error en la oración.

Find and fix the mistake:

La maison est entourée par des arbres.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: La maison est entourée d'arbres.
'Entouré' es un estado de estar rodeado, que prefiere 'de'. 'De' + 'des' se convierte en 'de' (o 'd'' antes de una vocal).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pasiva francesa con 'de' (aimé de, conocido de)

Encuentra la concordancia correcta para el sujeto femenino.

Find and fix the mistake:

La voiture est ___ (réparer).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: réparée
'Voiture' es femenino singular, así que el participio pasado necesita una '-e' extra.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Voz pasiva en francés: Cómo formarla (La voix passive)

Completa el espacio con 'de' o 'par'. Recuerda: ¡los sentimientos usan 'de'!

Ce chanteur est adoré ___ ses fans.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: de
Adorar a alguien es un sentimiento/estado, por eso usamos 'de' para el agente.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pasiva francesa con 'de' (aimé de, conocido de)

Rellena con la forma correcta de 'être'.

Les e-mails ___ envoyés ce matin.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sont
'E-mails' es plural, así que usamos la tercera persona del plural de 'être': 'sont'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Voz pasiva en francés: Cómo formarla (La voix passive)

Rellena el espacio en blanco con la preposición correcta.

Le livre est écrit ___ Victor Hugo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: par
'Par' es la preposición estándar usada para introducir al autor o creador de algo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: El agente en francés: decir 'por' (par)

Encuentra y corrige el error de concordancia.

Find and fix the mistake:

Les pizzas ont été mangé par les invités.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pizzas ont été mangées par les invités.
'Pizzas' es femenino y plural, así que 'mangé' necesita una 'e' y una 's' para convertirse en 'mangées'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Voz pasiva en tiempos compuestos: Fue hecho, Ha sido hecho (Voix passive)

Completa el espacio en blanco con la forma correcta de 'terminer' (terminar)

{La|f} leçon est ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: terminée
Como 'la leçon' es femenino singular, debes añadir una '-e' al participio pasado.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Concordancia del participio en voz pasiva (Accord du participe passé)

Completa el espacio en blanco con la forma correcta de 'être'.

La pizza ___ préparée.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: est
Como 'La pizza' es singular, usamos 'est'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pasiva en francés: Acciones sin el 'quién' (Passif sans complément d'agent)

Completa la palabra que falta para 'Ellas fueron invitadas'.

Elles ont ___ invitées.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: été
En la voz pasiva compuesta, siempre necesitas el participio pasado de 'être', que es 'été'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Voz pasiva en tiempos compuestos: Fue hecho, Ha sido hecho (Voix passive)

Corrige el error de concordancia.

Find and fix the mistake:

Les voitures sont vendu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les voitures sont vendues.
'Voitures' es femenino plural, así que añadimos -es a 'vendu'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pasiva en francés: Acciones sin el 'quién' (Passif sans complément d'agent)

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

Es una forma de hablar donde el objeto de una acción se convierte en el sujeto. Por ejemplo, 'La pizza es comida' en lugar de 'Yo como la pizza'.
La pizza est mangée
.
Usa el sujeto + el verbo 'être' + el participio pasado. Si quieres decir quién lo hizo, añade 'par' al final. Por ejemplo:
Le gâteau est préparé par ma mère
.
En la voz pasiva, el verbo actúa como un adjetivo que describe al sujeto. Como los adjetivos franceses deben concordar con el género del sustantivo, 'fermée' describe a 'la porte' (femenino).
¡Sí! Cualquier verbo usado en voz pasiva sigue esta regla. Incluso verbos irregulares como 'écrire' (écrite) o 'faire' (faite) deben concordar.
¡No! Es un error muy común. Después de 'par', siempre debes usar un pronombre tónico como 'moi'. Por ejemplo: 'C'est fait par moi'.
¡Sorpresa, no! 'Par' se queda exactamente igual. 'C'est écrit par Anne' está correcto tal cual.
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