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What is the Spanish Passive Voice?
The Spanish passive voice (voz pasiva) is used when the focus is on the action or the recipient of the action rather than who performs it. Spanish has two main ways to form the passive voice: the true passive with ser + past participle, and the reflexive passive with se.
The passive voice is less common in Spanish than in English, and Spanish speakers often prefer active constructions or the reflexive passive.
Examples
La carta fue enviada ayer.
The letter was sent yesterday. (true passive)
Se venden casas aquí.
Houses are sold here. (reflexive passive)
El problema fue resuelto.
The problem was solved.
True Passive Voice (ser + past participle)
The true passive voice is formed with ser + past participle. The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.
Formation
Structure: Subject + ser (conjugated) + past participle + (por + agent)
El libro fue escrito por el autor.
The book was written by the author.
Las casas fueron construidas en 2020.
The houses were built in 2020.
La ventana fue rota por el viento.
The window was broken by the wind.
Past Participle Agreement
The past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number:
Past Participle Agreement
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | escrito | written |
| feminine singular | escrita | written |
| masculine plural | escritos | written |
| feminine plural | escritas | written |
Reflexive Passive Voice (se + verb)
The reflexive passive with se is more common in Spanish and is used when the agent is not mentioned or is unimportant.
Formation and Usage
Structure: Se + verb (3rd person singular/plural) + subject
Se habla español aquí.
Spanish is spoken here.
Se venden coches usados.
Used cars are sold.
Se construyó la casa en 1995.
The house was built in 1995.
Singular vs Plural
The verb agrees with the subject in number:
Se vende casa. (singular)
House for sale.
Se venden casas. (plural)
Houses for sale.
When to Use Each Form
Understanding when to use the true passive versus the reflexive passive is important for natural Spanish.
Examples
Use TRUE PASSIVE when the agent is important:
El Quijote fue escrito por Cervantes.
Use REFLEXIVE PASSIVE for general statements:
Se habla inglés en este hotel.
Use REFLEXIVE PASSIVE for signs and notices:
Se prohíbe fumar.