Understanding Passive Voice
* Passive voice focuses on the action being done, rather than the person or thing doing it. For example: "The door was opened." (Passive: Action emphasized) vs. "John opened the door." (Active: Person performing the action emphasized)
* Passive voice is formed with the verb "ser" (to be) and the past participle of the main verb.
Endings for the Past Participle
The key to forming the passive voice lies in knowing the endings of the past participle:
| Verb Ending | Past Participle Ending | Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ar | -ado/-ada | Abierto (opened) | Opened |
| -er | -ido/-ida | Comido (eaten) | Eaten |
| -ir | -ido/-ida | Escrito (written) | Written |
Example Conjugations
* Present Tense:
* "ser" (to be) conjugated in the present tense + past participle
* Example: "La puerta es abierta por Juan" (The door is opened by John)
* Past Tense:
* "ser" (to be) conjugated in the past tense + past participle
* Example: "El libro fue leído por María" (The book was read by Maria)
* Future Tense:
* "ser" (to be) conjugated in the future tense + past participle
* Example: "La casa será pintada el próximo mes" (The house will be painted next month)
Key Points
* Agreement: The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
* Prepositional Phrase: The agent (who or what performs the action) is usually introduced by the preposition "por" (by).
* Not Always Used: Passive voice is less common in Spanish than in English.
Let me know if you'd like more examples or have any other questions!