Passive Voice: Using

In a normal sentence, the subject does the action. This is the active voice. For example: 'Juan eats the apple.' In the passive voice, the apple becomes the subject. The apple isn't doing anything; it is just sitting there being eaten. We use the verb ser (to be) and a past participle. The past participle acts like an adjective here. It must match the gender and number of the object. If the apple is feminine, the participle ends in 'a'. If there are two apples, it ends in 'as'. Then, we add por to tell us who did it. It is like a grammar traffic light. It tells you where the action is going.

1. 1Start with the thing receiving the action (The Subject).
2. 2Add the verb ser in the correct tense.
3. 3Add the past participle of the main verb.
4. 4Change the participle ending to match the subject (o, a, os, as).
5. 5Add the preposition por (meaning 'by').
6. 6End with the person or thing doing the action (The Agent).
7. 7Example: Las cartas (The letters) + son (are) + escritas (written) + por (by) + María (Maria).

You should use the passive voice in formal situations. It is great for writing essays or reports. Use it when the action is more important than the person. It is common in journalism. 'The bank was robbed' sounds more dramatic than 'Someone robbed the bank.' Use it in historical contexts. 'The city was founded in 1500.' It is also useful when you want to sound objective. It removes the personal 'I' or 'we' from the sentence. Think of it as your 'professional' voice.

Do not use this in casual conversation. If you are ordering food, stay active. Don't say 'The taco is ordered by me.' The waiter might think you are a robot. It sounds very stiff and unnatural in daily life. Spanish speakers prefer the 'Passive Se' or just active sentences. Avoid it when you want to be direct. If you broke a vase, saying 'The vase was broken by me' sounds like you are making excuses. Just say 'I broke it!' It is much more natural. Keep the passive voice for your homework and news reports.

The biggest mistake is forgetting agreement. If the subject is las casas, the participle must be construidas. Many people just leave it as construido. Don't do that! Another mistake is using the wrong preposition. Some learners try to use para instead of por. Remember, por is for the 'doer' of the action. Also, don't confuse ser with estar. In the true passive voice, we always use ser. Using estar describes a state, not an action. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired!

Compare the passive voice with the 'Passive Se'. The 'Passive Se' is much more common in Spain and Latin America. You say Se vende casa (House for sale). You don't mention who is selling it. The ser + por passive is different because it usually names the person. It is also different from the 'Resultant State'. La puerta está abierta (The door is open) uses estar. It describes how the door looks now. La puerta es abierta por el guía (The door is opened by the guide) uses ser. It describes the actual action happening.