In the passive voice, the emphasis is placed on the receiver of an action (usually the object), rather than on the agent of the action (usually the subject).
Examples: The car was stolen; He is told; She has been killed
From active to passive voice:
In an active sentence, the subject of the verb is the person/ thing doing the action.
The object is the person/ thing that the verb happens to.
Example:
Élise (subject/agent) vend les fleurs (object).
Elise is selling the flowers.
An active sentence can be turned around to make a passive sentence, where the object becomes the subject of the passive verb.
Example:
Les fleurs (subject) sont vendues (passive verb) par Élise (agent).
The flowers are sold by Elise.
Note that often the agent is not even included in the passive sentence.
Example: Les fleurs sont vendues à 10 euros.
How to structure the passive voice:
In French, the passive voice is formed the same way as in English, where the verb to be is conjugated in the correct tense followed by the past participle.
Example: Elle est choisie - She is chosen
BE CAREFUL!
The past participle must agree with the subject of the passive verb.
The past participle must take:
-e for a feminine subject
-s for a plural subject
-es for a feminine plural subject
Note: When "on" means "we", the past participle can agree with the subject of the sentence.
To know more about "on", you can read this post.
Tenses with the passive:
Passive sentences can be written in any tense.
The tense of the passive is formed by the tense in which être is conjugated.
Examples:
Nous sommes aimés - we are loved (present tense)
Nous allons être aimés - we are going to be loved (near future)
Nous avons été aimés - we have been loved (perfect tense)
Nous étions aimés - we were loved (imperfect tense)
Nous serions aimés - we would be loved (conditional)
Nous serons aimés - we will be loved (future tense)
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Keep on reading to know something slightly more advanced about the passive.
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Instances where you cannot use the passive in French:
In English, an indirect object from an active sentence can be turned into the subject of a passive sentence.
Example:
Active: Elise (subject) gave me (indirect object) the flowers (direct object).
Passive: I (subject) was given (passive verb) the flowers (direct object).
HOWEVER in French, an indirect object can never become the subject of a passive verb.
Instead, you need to use the pronoun "on"
Example: On m'a donné les fleurs.
Recommendation:
For Students of A Level:
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