B2 adjective Neutral

passive

/ˈpæs.ɪv/

Describing someone who allows things to happen or accepts what others do without resistance or participation. It is also used in grammar to describe a sentence structure where the subject is the recipient of the action rather than the performer.

Ejemplos

3 de 5
1

He has a very passive personality and rarely voices his own opinions in a group.

He has a very submissive personality and rarely shares his own ideas in a group.

2

The board of directors criticized the CEO's passive approach to the declining market shares.

The board criticized the CEO's lack of action regarding the dropping market shares.

3

You shouldn't be so passive; if you want the promotion, you need to ask for it.

You shouldn't be so inactive; if you want the job level up, you must ask.

Familia de palabras

Sustantivo
passivity
Adverbio
passively
Adjetivo
passive
Relacionado
passiveness
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Truco para recordar

Think of a 'passenger' in a car. A passenger is passive because they aren't the one driving or making decisions about where to turn.

Quiz rápido

The investor preferred _____ income from rental properties over the stress of day-trading stocks.

¡Correcto!

La respuesta correcta es: passive

Ejemplos

1

He has a very passive personality and rarely voices his own opinions in a group.

everyday

He has a very submissive personality and rarely shares his own ideas in a group.

2

The board of directors criticized the CEO's passive approach to the declining market shares.

formal

The board criticized the CEO's lack of action regarding the dropping market shares.

3

You shouldn't be so passive; if you want the promotion, you need to ask for it.

informal

You shouldn't be so inactive; if you want the job level up, you must ask.

4

In academic writing, the passive voice is frequently employed to emphasize the results rather than the researcher.

academic

In scholarly writing, the passive grammatical structure is often used to focus on results instead of the person.

5

Generating passive income through investments is a key strategy for long-term financial stability.

business

Creating income without active daily work through investments is important for financial health.

Familia de palabras

Sustantivo
passivity
Adverbio
passively
Adjetivo
passive
Relacionado
passiveness

Colocaciones comunes

passive income money earned with little to no ongoing effort
passive smoking the inhalation of smoke from others' cigarettes
passive voice a grammatical construction where the subject is acted upon
passive resistance non-violent opposition to authority
passive role a position in which one does not take initiative

Frases Comunes

passive-aggressive

displaying negative feelings indirectly rather than openly

passive spectator

someone who watches without getting involved

passive participation

being present without contributing actively

Se confunde a menudo con

passive vs patient

Patient means waiting calmly for something, while passive means failing to act when action is needed.

passive vs apathetic

Apathetic implies a lack of interest or emotion, whereas passive describes a lack of action regardless of feeling.

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Notas de uso

The word 'passive' often carries a slightly negative connotation when describing character, implying a lack of energy or leadership. However, in technical fields like finance (passive income) or grammar (passive voice), it is a neutral, descriptive term.

⚠️

Errores comunes

Learners often use the passive voice too much in English essays; while not grammatically 'wrong,' it can make writing feel heavy or indirect compared to the active voice.

💡

Truco para recordar

Think of a 'passenger' in a car. A passenger is passive because they aren't the one driving or making decisions about where to turn.

📖

Origen de la palabra

Derived from the Latin 'passivus', meaning 'capable of feeling or suffering', from 'pati' (to suffer/endure).

Patrones gramaticales

Used as an attributive adjective (e.g., 'a passive role') Used as a predicative adjective after 'to be' (e.g., 'He is passive') Functions as a technical noun-modifier in 'passive voice'
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Contexto cultural

In many Western corporate cultures, being 'passive' is often viewed negatively as a lack of initiative, whereas 'proactive' behavior is highly rewarded.

Quiz rápido

The investor preferred _____ income from rental properties over the stress of day-trading stocks.

¡Correcto!

La respuesta correcta es: passive

Palabras relacionadas

to

A1

Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.

and

A1

A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.

a

A1

A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.

that

A1

This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.

I

A1

The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.

for

A1

Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.

not

A1

A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.

with

A1

A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.

he

A1

A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.

you

A1

Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.

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