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The passive voice is the language's way of giving greater importance to an objective fact and not to who performs the action, which can eventually even be omitted. For example: The award was awarded by the jury.
The most common sentence structure in colloquial Spanish is the subject-predicate in the active voice, which describes someone or something (the subject) that performs some action or has a certain characteristic (the predicate). For example: The jury awarded the award.
See also:
- Active voice and passive voice
- Active prayers
Structure of passive and active sentences
- Passive voice. Patient subject + verb be + participle + agent complement.
For example: The clothes are washed by Juana.
- Active voice. Active subject + verb + direct object.
For example: Juana washes the clothes.
It is important to note that there are no language conditions that force you to choose the active or passive form. The only cause that determines the use of one or the other voice is the intention of the speaker.
Types of passive sentences
Passive sentences may or may not include the agent complement, sometimes it is not even possible to identify a specific agent. This defines two categories within passive sentences: passive personal and passive impersonal.
- Personal liabilities. There is an agent plugin, which can be named or omitted. For example: These shoes were designed by Pedro.
- Impersonal passives: There is no specific agent that performs the action. For example: These shoes were made in China.
Examples of passive sentences
Examples of passive sentences are given below and their active-voice equivalents in parentheses.
- Everything you see here was built by my grandfather. (My grandfather built everything you see here)
- This bill will be sent by our president to Congress. (Our president will send this bill to Congress)
- The table linen has been specially brought from Belgium. (They brought the table linen especially from Belgium)
- All the money was deposited on the agreed day. (They deposited all the money on the agreed day)
- The cat is fed, bathed and walked by my wife. (My wife feeds, bathes and walks the cat)
- The game will be reported by the best journalists on the channel. (The best journalists of the channel will relate the game)
- The car had to be repaired by my most trusted mechanic. (My most trusted mechanic had to repair the car)
- Tons of garbage are wasted daily in our city. (Tons of garbage are wasted daily in our city)
- The first pizza with pineapple was invented here. (Here the first pizza with pineapple was invented)
- The entire schedule was delivered by the teachers in a timely manner. (The teachers delivered the entire schedule in a timely manner)
- The next installments will be paid around the fifteenth. (TOthe next installments will start around the fifteenth)
- The queen's clothes have been made by a fashion designer. (A fashion designer made the queen's clothes)
- This apartment is sold at a ridiculous figure. (They sell this apartment at a ridiculous amount)
- The mechanic was educated at the university. (They instructed the mechanic in college)
- The game has been invented by the Mayans. (The Mayans invented the game)
- The monument was built in honor of the national idol. (They built the monument in honor of the national idol)
- Inflation in July was exceeded by inflation in August. (August's inflation exceeded July's inflation)
- The ceasefire was declared by the two nations at the same time. (They declared a ceasefire for the two nations at the same time)
- The shirts are delivered every day, clean and ironed. (They deliver clean and ironed shirts every day)
- The most powerful computer was built with the latest technology. (They built the most powerful computer with cutting-edge technology)
- That mug was made in 1932. (They made that mug in 1932)
- The most expensive piano in the world was bought in Australia. (They bought the most expensive piano in the world in Australia)
- The newspaper was denounced for slander and insults. (They denounced for slander and insults to the newspaper)
- The French team was defeated in the quarterfinals. (They defeated the French team in the quarterfinals)
- The treasure has been found by the dog. (The dog found the treasure)
- Some words have been extracted from the book. (They extracted some words from the book)
- The goal was scored by our best player. (Our best player scored the goal)
- Forty million dollars were awarded to the winner of the lottery. (They gave forty million dollars to the winner of the lottery)
- The gift to my mother was bought on the same day as her birthday. (They bought my mother's gift on the same day as her birthday)
- Two kilos of narcotics have been seized by the police today. (The police seized two kilos of narcotics)
- More examples: Passive voice
