What Is the Passive Voice in Spanish?
The passive voice (la voz pasiva) shifts focus from who does an action to the action itself or the object receiving it. While English uses the passive voice frequently, Spanish tends to prefer active constructions—but the passive is still essential for:
✔ Formal writing (academic papers, reports)
✔ News headlines (to sound objective)
✔ Situations where the “doer” is unknown or unimportant
In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn:
- The two types of passive voice in Spanish (ser + participle vs. se passive)
- When to use each (with real-life examples + English translations)
- Common mistakes to avoid
- A 15-question quiz (with answers) to test your skills
Let’s dive in!
1. The Classic Passive: Ser + Past Participle
This structure mirrors the English passive voice and is used when the subject receives the action.
Formula:
[Subject] + [conjugated ser] + [past participle] + [por + agent (optional)]
Key Rules:
🔹 The past participle must agree in gender/number with the subject.
🔹 The agent (por + who did the action) is optional.
Examples with English Translations
| Spanish Example | English Translation | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| El informe es revisado por el jefe. | The report is reviewed by the boss. | Formal writing |
| Las ventanas fueron rotas por el viento. | The windows were broken by the wind. | Describing past events |
| La ley será aprobada mañana. | The law will be approved tomorrow. | Future predictions |
| Los premios han sido entregados. | The awards have been handed out. | Present perfect passive |
When to Avoid This Structure
Spanish speakers rarely use ser + participle in casual conversation. Instead, they often:
➡ Use active voice: “El jefe revisa el informe” (The boss reviews the report).
➡ Use the “se” passive (more natural in spoken Spanish).
2. The Se Passive (More Natural in Everyday Spanish)
This structure is far more common in daily speech and avoids specifying who performed the action.
Formula:
Se + [verb in 3rd person singular/plural]
Key Rules:
🔹 The verb must match the subject in number:
- Se vende la casa. (Singular)
- Se venden casas. (Plural)
🔹 No agent (por + doer) is used.
Examples with English Translations
| Spanish Example | English Translation | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Se habla español aquí. | Spanish is spoken here. | General statements |
| Se alquilan bicicletas. | Bicycles are rented. | Signs/ads |
| Se perdieron las llaves. | The keys were lost. | Accidents/unknown doer |
| Se necesita ayuda. | Help is needed. | Requests |
When to Avoid the Se Passive
❌ Don’t use it if you know and want to emphasize who did the action:
- Correct: “El libro fue escrito por García Márquez.” (The book was written by García Márquez.)
- Incorrect: “Se escribió el libro por García Márquez.”
3. Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them
🚫 Mistake: “Se vende los coches.”
✅ Fix: “Se venden los coches.” (Verb must agree with coches.)
🚫 Mistake: “La puerta fue abierta.” (Too literal from English)
✅ More natural: “Alguien abrió la puerta.” (Someone opened the door.)
🚫 Mistake: “Se necesita voluntarios.”
✅ Fix: “Se necesitan voluntarios.” (Voluntarios is plural.)
Passive Voice in Different Tenses
The passive voice adapts to all verb tenses by conjugating ser + the past participle. Here’s the complete breakdown with examples:
1. Present Tense
Formula: ser (present) + participio
- El informe es escrito por el equipo.
(The report is written by the team.) - Las reglas son explicadas.
(The rules are explained.)
2. Preterite (Simple Past)
Formula: ser (preterite) + participio
- La casa fue construida en 2020.
(The house was built in 2020.) - Los documentos fueron firmados.
(The documents were signed.)
3. Imperfect Tense
Formula: ser (imperfect) + participio
- El café era servido aquí.
(Coffee used to be served here.) - Las noticias eran transmitidas a las 8.
(The news was broadcast at 8.)
4. Future Tense
Formula: ser (future) + participio
- El proyecto será evaluado.
(The project will be evaluated.) - Las invitaciones serán enviadas.
(The invitations will be sent.)
5. Compound Tenses
Formula: haber + sido + participio
- Present Perfect: “La ley ha sido aprobada.”
(The law has been approved.) - Pluperfect: “El tesoro había sido escondido.”
(The treasure had been hidden.)
Comparison Table: Active vs. Passive Across Tenses
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Ellos escriben libros. | Los libros son escritos. |
| Preterite | El chef cocinó la cena. | La cena fue cocinada. |
| Future | El equipo terminará el trabajo. | El trabajo será terminado. |
Key Takeaways
- Match participles to the subject’s gender/number (-ado/-idos/-ada/-idas).
- Use ser (not estar) for passive voice.
- Prefer se pasiva for everyday speech (“Se venden libros”).
4. Passive Voice Quiz (15 Questions)
Part 1: Multiple Choice
- “The letter was sent by Ana.”
a) La carta fue enviada por Ana.
b) Se envió la carta por Ana. - “Coffee is grown in Colombia.”
a) El café es cultivado en Colombia.
b) Se cultiva café en Colombia. - “The documents were signed yesterday.”
a) Los documentos fueron firmados ayer.
b) Se firmaron los documentos ayer.
Part 2: Translate into Spanish
- The movie was directed by Pedro Almodóvar.
- Spanish is spoken in many countries.
- The stolen car was found by the police.
Part 3: Correct the Errors
- Se vende manzanas aquí. → __________
- La cena fue preparada por mi madre. (Is this correct?)
- Se necesita trabajadores. → __________
(Answers at the end!)
Quiz Answers
Part 1:
- a) (Ser + participle for known agent)
- b) (Se passive is more natural)
- Both (a is formal; b is conversational)
Part 2:
- La película fue dirigida por Pedro Almodóvar.
- Se habla español en muchos países.
- El coche robado fue encontrado por la policía.
Part 3:
- Se venden manzanas aquí.
- Yes, but “Mi madre preparó la cena” is more common.
- Se necesitan trabajadores.
Final Tips for Mastering the Passive Voice
🔹 Prefer the se passive in spoken Spanish.
🔹 Use ser + participle for formal writing or emphasis on the action.
🔹 Always check verb agreement (singular/plural).
Need more practice? Try rewriting active sentences as passive ones! For example:
- Active: “El chef cocinó la cena.” → Passive: “La cena fue cocinada por el chef.”
