Learning the french passive voice

All about the french passive voice

1. LEARNING THE FRENCH
PASSIVE VOICE

2. Thislearning guideis divided into different
parts with a quick recap after each topic.
1)WHAT ISTHE PASSIVE VOICE?
2)ENGLISH AND FRENCHPASSIVE
3)HOW TOFORM THE PASSIVE?
4)WAYS TO AVOIDTHE PASSIVE VOICE?
1)WHAT ISTHE PASSIVE VOICE?
2)ENGLISH AND FRENCHPASSIVE
3)HOW TOFORM THE PASSIVE?
4)WAYS TO AVOIDTHE PASSIVE VOICE?

3. M
E
A
N
I
N
G
Passive voice is used to show the subject is the person or thing
that the action happens to.
Example between thepassiveand theactivevoice:
PASSIVE
I(the subject)was promoted(the
passive verb)by my boss(the agent)
ACTIVE
My boss(the subject)promoted
(the passive verb)me(the
agent)
1.WHAT ISTHE PASSIVE VOICE?
M
E
A
N
I
N
G
PASSIVE
I(the subject)was promoted(the
passive verb)by my boss(the agent)
ACTIVE
My boss(the subject)promoted
(the passive verb)me(the
agent)
See the difference?

4. Quick tip:
Q
U
I
C
K
T
I
P
In English, the passive voice is often avoided in writing and
is considered a bad way to write because of the following:
It makes a sentence too wordy and seems to go around in
circles.
Example:The flowers on the table were left by
Michael as a surprise to Jenny.
You could have just said:
Michael left the flowers on the table as a surprise
to Jenny.
It is more direct to the point and less confusing.
It often sounds unclear because people are wired to think
that an action is done by the subject. Twisting it the other
way so that the receiver of the action becomes the subject
would lead to some confusion.
Q
U
I
C
K
T
I
P
In English, the passive voice is often avoided in writing and
is considered a bad way to write because of the following:
It makes a sentence too wordy and seems to go around in
circles.
Example:The flowers on the table were left by
Michael as a surprise to Jenny.
You could have just said:
Michael left the flowers on the table as a surprise
to Jenny.
It is more direct to the point and less confusing.
It often sounds unclear because people are wired to think
that an action is done by the subject. Twisting it the other
way so that the receiver of the action becomes the subject
would lead to some confusion.

5. Quick tip (continued):
Q
U
I
C
K
T
I
P
There are cases however when the passive voice cannot
be avoided, and that is when you do not know who the
doer of the action is.
Example:She was sent a love letter.
Or when you want to put an emphasis on the thing
or person doing the action.
Example:The artwork was painted by a child.
Q
U
I
C
K
T
I
P
There are cases however when the passive voice cannot
be avoided, and that is when you do not know who the
doer of the action is.
Example:She was sent a love letter.
Or when you want to put an emphasis on the thing
or person doing the action.
Example:The artwork was painted by a child.

6. F
R
E
N
C
H
The French passive voice works in the same way as English.
English
To be + the past participle
French
Être+ the past participle
In French, however, the passive is not used as often as we
do in English. It is usually used for formal speech or when
speaking in old school literary tones.
2.ENGLISH AND FRENCHPASSIVE
F
R
E
N
C
H
The French passive voice works in the same way as English.
English
To be + the past participle
French
Être+ the past participle
In French, however, the passive is not used as often as we
do in English. It is usually used for formal speech or when
speaking in old school literary tones.

7. F
R
E
N
C
H
Here is a list of the conjugated forms ofêtrewhich you can
use to change the tense of the passive sentences you are
forming:
PRONOUN PRESENT FUTURE IMPERFECT
je (j') suis serai étais
3.HOW TOFORM THE PASSIVE?
F
R
E
N
C
H
je (j') suis serai étais
tu es seras étais
il est sera était
nous sommes serons étions
vous êtes serez étiez
ils sont seront étaient

8. F
R
E
N
C
H
SUBJUNCTIVE CONDITIONAL SIMPLE PAST IMPERATIVE
sois Serais fus
sois Serais fus sois
soit Serait fut
soyons Serions fûmes soyons
soyez Series fûtes soyez
3.HOW TO FORM THE PASSIVE? (CONTINUED)
F
R
E
N
C
H
Present participle: étant
Past participle: été
soyez Series fûtes soyez
soient Seraient furent

9. The easy guide on forming the past participle of the verb
whenusingêtre
F
R
E
N
C
H
•If the infinitive ends with an-er, replace the-erwith-é.
Examples:donnerbecomesdonné,tomberbecomestombé
•If the infinitive ends with an-ir, remove the r at the end.
Examples:finirbecomesfini,partirbecomesparti
•If the infinitive ends with a-re, replace the-re with-u.
Examples:attendrebecomesattendu,descendrebecomesdescendu
Irregular verbs in the past participle is the same in perfect tense.
The past participle of the verb followingêtrehas to agree with
thesubjectof the passive verb (not with the agent of the action).
F
R
E
N
C
H
•If the infinitive ends with an-er, replace the-erwith-é.
Examples:donnerbecomesdonné,tomberbecomestombé
•If the infinitive ends with an-ir, remove the r at the end.
Examples:finirbecomesfini,partirbecomesparti
•If the infinitive ends with a-re, replace the-re with-u.
Examples:attendrebecomesattendu,descendrebecomesdescendu
Irregular verbs in the past participle is the same in perfect tense.
The past participle of the verb followingêtrehas to agree with
thesubjectof the passive verb (not with the agent of the action).

10. To make the past participle “agree”, you add the following
endings:
F
R
E
N
C
H
MASCULIN ENDINGS EXAMPLES
Singular - tombé
parti
descendu
Plural -s tombés
partis
descendus
F
R
E
N
C
H
tombés
partis
descendus
FEMININEENDINGS EXAMPLES
Singular -e tombée
partie
descendue
Plural -es tombées
parties
descendues

11. F
R
E
N
C
H
The passive is not widely used in common discussion in
French.So if you find yourself wanting to avoid using the
passive voice, here are ways on how to do it:
1.Usec’est(orit’sin English)
2.Use the indefinite pronoun “on”
3.Use reflexive verbs
4.WAYS TO AVOIDTHE PASSIVE VOICE?
F
R
E
N
C
H
The passive is not widely used in common discussion in
French.So if you find yourself wanting to avoid using the
passive voice, here are ways on how to do it:
1.Usec’est(orit’sin English)
2.Use the indefinite pronoun “on”
3.Use reflexive verbs

12. 1. Use c’est (or it’s in English) F
R
E
N
C
H
Example:
Passive:The artwork was painted by a child.
L’oeuvre d’art a été peintepar a un enfant.
Change it to:
It’s a child who painted the artwork.
C’est un enfant qui a peint l’oeuvre d’art.
4.WAYS TO AVOID THE PASSIVE VOICE?
(CONTINUED)
F
R
E
N
C
H
Example:
Passive:The artwork was painted by a child.
L’oeuvre d’art a été peintepar a un enfant.
Change it to:
It’s a child who painted the artwork.
C’est un enfant qui a peint l’oeuvre d’art.

13. 2. Use the indefinite pronoun ‘on’ F
R
E
N
C
H
Examples:
Onleur a envoyé une lettre.
Someone sent them a letter.
Onm’a dit que tu ne venais.
They told me you weren’t coming.
4.WAYS TO AVOID THE PASSIVE VOICE?
(CONTINUED)
F
R
E
N
C
H
Examples:
Onleur a envoyé une lettre.
Someone sent them a letter.
Onm’a dit que tu ne venais.
They told me you weren’t coming.

14. 3. Use reflexive verbs F
R
E
N
C
H
If you can remember the discussions on previous lessons
on this website, reflexive verbs in French appear with the
pronounseor the shortened forms’before it. These
action words are used when the subject is the same
person as the object. To put it simply, it means “to____
oneself”.
Example:
Les melons se vendent 3 euros la pièce.
Melons aresoldfor 3 euroseach.
4.WAYS TO AVOID THE PASSIVE VOICE?
(CONTINUED)
F
R
E
N
C
H
If you can remember the discussions on previous lessons
on this website, reflexive verbs in French appear with the
pronounseor the shortened forms’before it. These
action words are used when the subject is the same
person as the object. To put it simply, it means “to____
oneself”.
Example:
Les melons se vendent 3 euros la pièce.
Melons aresoldfor 3 euroseach.

15. S
U
M
M
A
R
Y
A quick recap of this topic:
1.In the passive voice, the receiver of the action
becomes the subject, instead of the one doing the
action himself.
2.The passive form of the verbs in French is formed by
usingthe conjugated form of the verbêtre+ the past
participle.
3.The past participle of the verb followingêtrehas to
agree with thesubjectof the passive verb (not with
the agent of the action).
4.The passive voice is not often used in French. To avoid
using it, there are alternative ways such as using the
indefinite pronoun “on”, by usingc’est, or through the
help of reflexive verbs.
S
U
M
M
A
R
Y
A quick recap of this topic:
1.In the passive voice, the receiver of the action
becomes the subject, instead of the one doing the
action himself.
2.The passive form of the verbs in French is formed by
usingthe conjugated form of the verbêtre+ the past
participle.
3.The past participle of the verb followingêtrehas to
agree with thesubjectof the passive verb (not with
the agent of the action).
4.The passive voice is not often used in French. To avoid
using it, there are alternative ways such as using the
indefinite pronoun “on”, by usingc’est, or through the
help of reflexive verbs.

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