The passive voice Share Copied!
Explanation of the use and formation of the passive voice in present, simple past, imperfect past, simple future.
Gramática: La voz pasiva
B1 Spanish Passive voice: all tenses
Level: B1
Module 4: Estilo de vida saludable (Healthy lifestyle)
Lesson 22: Anatomía (Anatomy)
Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes
Audio and video
- We use the passive voice to highlight the action and not the person who performs it. The subject of the sentence receives the action.
- The participle must agree in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the subject of the sentence.
| Tiempo | Formación | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Presente | Ser (presente) + participio | El pulmón es protegido por las costillas y la piel. (The lung is protected by the ribs and the skin.) |
| Pretérito Indefinido | Ser (indefinido) + participio | Mi corazón fue movido rápidamente cuando corrí. (My heart was moved quickly when I ran.) |
| Pretérito Imperfecto | Ser (imperfecto) + participio | Los músculos eran estirados en cada sesión de yoga. (The muscles were stretched in each yoga session.) |
| Futuro Simple | Ser (futuro) + participio | La cintura será movida en la clase de baile mañana. (The waist will be moved in the dance class tomorrow.) |
Exceptions!
- In everyday and impersonal contexts, it is common to use the "pasiva con se". Example: "Los músculos se mueven cuando haces ejercicio."
- In the passive voice, the person who performs the action can be included using the preposition "por". Example: "El cuello será movido por el fisioterapeuta."
Exercise 1: The passive voice
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
es movida, fue doblada, era estirado, es protegido, son estirados, será movida, fue protegido, eran protegidos
Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
fue protegido
was protected
2
era estirado
was stretched
3
fueron movidas
were moved
4
serán doblados
will be bent
