Voz Passiva Sintética

The term "synthetic" basically means "shrunk down" or "combined." Think of it like a .zip file for your sentences. Normally, a passive sentence in English or Portuguese (the Analytic Passive) uses a helper verb like "to be" or ser. For example, "The cakes were eaten" becomes Os bolos foram comidos. That’s fine, but it’s a bit wordy for a high-level writer. The Synthetic Passive cuts out the middleman. You take the main verb, attach the pronoun se, and boom—you’ve got a passive sentence. This little se acts as a passive marker, signaling that the subject is receiving the action, not doing it. It gives your Portuguese a polished, objective "news anchor" vibe that is essential for formal contexts.

1. 1Getting the structure right is like following a simple recipe. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so pay attention!
2. 2Pick a Transitive Direct Verb: This is a verb that doesn't need a preposition (like de or em) to connect to its object. Think comprar (to buy), fazer (to do), or vender (to sell).
3. 3Identify the Subject: This is the thing being acted upon. Is it singular or plural?
4. 4Conjugate the Verb: Use the 3rd person. If the subject is singular, the verb is singular. If the subject is plural, the verb MUST be plural.
5. 5Add the Particle se: Usually attached with a hyphen after the verb (Vende-se).
6. 6Check for "Magnets": If there's a negative word like não or a relative pronoun like que, the se jumps to the front: Não se vendem casas.

You’ll want to pull this tool out of your kit whenever you need to sound professional or impartial. It’s the gold standard for academic essays. If you're describing a laboratory experiment, you wouldn't say "I poured the liquid." You’d say Derramou-se o líquido. It keeps the focus on the science, not the scientist. It’s also perfect for job interviews. If you want to talk about your achievements without sounding like you're bragging too much, you could say Alcançaram-se ótimos resultados (Great results were achieved). It’s a subtle way to be humble while still highlighting the success. Think of it like a grammar cloak of invisibility for the person doing the work.

Don't use this at a Saturday night BBQ with your friends. If you say Bebeu-se muita cerveja (Much beer was drunk) instead of "We drank a lot of beer," your friends might think you've spent way too much time in the library. It's just too stiff for casual conversation. Also, avoid it with verbs that require a preposition. If you want to say "One believes in ghosts," you can't use the synthetic passive because acreditar needs the preposition em. In that case, you'd use a different structure entirely. Stick to direct actions—things you can buy, build, see, or sell—for this passive style.

The "Agreement Trap" is where most people trip up. It’s the classic grammar traffic light. You’ll often see signs saying Aluga-se apartamentos. Since apartamentos is plural, the verb must be plural: Alugam-se apartamentos. Think of the noun as the boss; if the boss is plural, the verb has to do what it says. Another mistake is trying to name the "doer" using por. You cannot say Vendeu-se a casa pelo João. If you want to mention João, you have to use the longer analytic passive: A casa foi vendida pelo João. The synthetic version is strictly for when the actor is a mystery or simply doesn't matter.

It’s easy to confuse this with the "Indeterminate Subject" (Índice de Indeterminação do Sujeito). The secret is the verb type.

• Passive: Compram-se livros (Books are bought). The verb is transitive direct. Livros is the subject.
• Indeterminate: Precisa-se de livros (One needs books). The verb needs a preposition (de). Livros is NOT the subject here, which is why the verb stays singular.

One feels like a statement about the object, while the other feels like an anonymous person is doing something. It’s a subtle distinction, but at the C1 level, it's the difference between a good student and a master.