Passive
Voice (Voix Passive)
Events may be recounted in the active
or the passive
voice:
-
Active voice:
Alain Resnais a tourné ce
film.
Alain Resnais
made this film.
-
Passive voice:
Ce film a été tourné
par Alain Resnais.
This film
was made by Alain Resnais.
The passive voice is formed by using
the verb être with the past participle of the principal verb.
(The tense of the verb être determines the tense of the verb.)
To indicate an agent (the person who performs the action), the preposition
par
is used:
-
Cette industrie sera bientôt développée
dans le tiers monde.
This industry
will soon be developed in the third world.
-
Désolé, mais cette voiture
a été achetée par un autre client.
Sorry, but
this car has been purchased by another client.
In French the passive voice is used
sparingly. Occasionally, impersonal expressions with on are used
in its stead, as are reflexive expressions:
-
Ici on parle français. French
is spoken here.
-
Ce journal se vend partout. This
newspaper is sold everywhere.
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Zdravko Batzarov