Topics
IntermediatePassive Voice
How the passive voice is formed and used in Spanish, English and Chinese.
Compare languages
English uses 'be + past participle' with an optional by-phrase. Spanish uses 'ser + past participle' and is far less common. Chinese uses 被, 叫, or 让 with the verb unchanged.
Overview
The passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the receiver of an action.
- Spanish: The passive is relatively rare. Spanish speakers prefer the active voice or the impersonal se construction. When used, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
- English: The passive is extremely common — in formal writing, scientific texts, and when the agent is unknown or unimportant.
- Chinese: Uses 被 to mark the passive. Historically carried a negative or adversative tone (something bad happened to the subject), though modern usage is broadening.
Spanish
True passive (ser + past participle)
Formed with ser + past participle. The participle agrees in gender and number:
- La carta fue escrita por María. (The letter was written by María.)
- Las casas fueron vendidas. (The houses were sold.)
- El libro será publicado el mes que viene. (The book will be published next month.)
Important: The participle is an adjective here — it must agree.
Stative passive (estar + past participle)
Estar + participle describes a state or result, not an action:
- La puerta está cerrada. (The door is closed. — state)
- La ventana está rota. (The window is broken. — result)
Distinction:
- La puerta fue cerrada por Juan. (passive action — Juan closed it)
- La puerta está cerrada. (stative result — it’s in a closed state)
Impersonal se (preferred over passive)
Spanish usually avoids the passive. Instead, use se + 3rd person verb:
- Se venden casas. (Houses for sale. / Houses are sold.)
- Se habla español. (Spanish spoken here.)
- Se dice que… (It is said that…)
This is the most natural way to express passive meaning in Spanish.
Reflexive passive
Some verbs use a reflexive form with passive meaning:
- El vino se vende bien. (The wine sells well.)
- La fruta se come fresca. (The fruit is eaten fresh.)
English
Be-passive (standard)
Formed with be + past participle. The agent is optional:
- The letter was written (by John).
- The house is being built.
- The problem has been solved.
Tense in passive
Any tense can be passivized:
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | They make cars here. | Cars are made here. |
| Present continuous | They are building a house. | A house is being built. |
| Past simple | Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. | Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. |
| Present perfect | Someone has stolen my bike. | My bike has been stolen. |
| Future | They will announce it tomorrow. | It will be announced tomorrow. |
| Modals | You can see it from here. | It can be seen from here. |
Get-passive (informal)
Get replaces be in informal contexts, often with adversity:
- I got fired. (I was fired.)
- He got hurt. (He was injured.)
- They got married. (They were married.)
Agent with by
The doer is introduced with by:
- The book was written by J.K. Rowling.
- The window was broken by the wind.
When the agent is unknown or unimportant, omit it:
- My car was stolen. (I don’t know who did it.)
- Spanish is spoken here. (The speakers are irrelevant.)
Why use passive?
- Agent unknown: My bike was stolen.
- Agent obvious/unimportant: The bill was passed. (by Parliament — obvious)
- Focus on object: The window was broken. (not who broke it)
- Formal/scientific style: It was observed that…
Chinese
被-passive
被 marks the passive. The agent (if mentioned) goes between 被 and the verb:
- 他被老师批评了。(He was criticized by the teacher.)
- 我的车被偷了。(My car was stolen.)
Pattern: Subject + 被 + (agent) + verb + 了
Historical adversative tone
Traditionally, 被 implied something bad happened:
- 被打 (be beaten)
- 被骂 (be scolded)
- 被骗 (be deceived)
Modern Chinese broadens this, but 被 still carries a slight passive-of-adversity flavor.
Neutral alternatives
For neutral or positive passives, Chinese often uses active voice or other constructions:
- 由…做 (done by…) — formal, neutral
- 受…欢迎 (welcomed by…)
- Simply omit the agent: 这本书卖完了。(This book is sold out.)
叫 / 让 as colloquial alternatives
叫 and 让 can replace 被 in informal speech:
- 我叫人骗了。(I got scammed by someone.)
- 他让狗咬了。(He got bitten by a dog.)
给 as informal passive
给 in colloquial Northern Chinese:
- 我给骂了。(I got scolded.)
No verb change
Chinese verbs do not change form in the passive:
- 打 (hit) → 被打 (be hit) — same verb
Comparison at a glance
| Feature | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard passive | ser + participle | be + past participle | 被 + agent + verb |
| Participle agreement | Yes (gender/number) | No | No (verb unchanged) |
| Agent marker | por | by | 被 (agent between 被 and verb) |
| Frequency | Rare (prefer se or active) | Very common | Moderate (adversative) |
| Stative passive | estar + participle | be + participle (ambiguous) | 在 / 着 |
| Informal passive | No equivalent | get-passive | 叫 / 让 / 给 |
| Impersonal | se + 3rd person | It is + past participle | 有人… (someone…) |
Examples
In Context
| Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| La carta fue escrita por María. | The letter was written by Mary. | 信被玛丽写了。 |
| Se habla español. (impersonal se) | Spanish is spoken here. | 这里说西班牙语。(active, more natural) |
| Me robaron la bicicleta. (active: “They stole my bike from me”) | My bike was stolen. | 我的车被偷了。 |
Common mistakes
-
English speakers learning Spanish: Overusing passive: La decisión fue tomada → Se tomó la decisión (impersonal se is more natural)
-
English speakers learning Spanish: Forgetting agreement: La carta fue escrito → La carta fue escrita
-
English speakers learning Chinese: Using 被 for everything: 这本书被写了 → 这本书是作者写的 (active is more natural for neutral statements)
-
Chinese speakers learning English: Omitting ‘be’: The letter written by him → The letter was written by him
Related topics
- Verb Tenses: How different tenses are passivized
- Word Order: How passive shifts object to subject position
- Prepositions: How por, by, and 被 introduce agents
- Articles: How definiteness interacts with passive subjects
Examples
Basic passive
ser + past participle (agrees in gender/number)
Agent mentioned
por + agent
Passive frequency
Rare (prefer active)
Stative passive
estar + past participle (state)
Impersonal passive
se + 3rd person verb
Get-passive (informal)
No equivalent
Examples
Basic passive
be + past participle
Agent mentioned
by + agent
Passive frequency
Very common
Stative passive
be + past participle (ambiguous)
Impersonal passive
It is + past participle that...
Get-passive (informal)
get + past participle
Examples
Basic passive
被 + agent + verb
Agent mentioned
被 + agent + verb
Passive frequency
Moderate (被 marks adversity)
Stative passive
在 / 着 (state markers)
Impersonal passive
有人... (someone...)
Get-passive (informal)
给 + agent + verb
Comparison at a glance
| Grammar concepts | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic passive | ser + past participle (agrees in gender/number) | be + past participle | 被 + agent + verb |
| Agent mentioned | por + agent | by + agent | 被 + agent + verb |
| Passive frequency | Rare (prefer active) | Very common | Moderate (被 marks adversity) |
| Stative passive | estar + past participle (state) | be + past participle (ambiguous) | 在 / 着 (state markers) |
| Impersonal passive | se + 3rd person verb | It is + past participle that... | 有人... (someone...) |
| Get-passive (informal) | No equivalent | get + past participle | 给 + agent + verb |
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Side-by-side comparison
| Grammar concepts | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic passive | ser + past participle (agrees in gender/number) | be + past participle | 被 + agent + verb |
| Agent mentioned | por + agent | by + agent | 被 + agent + verb |
| Passive frequency | Rare (prefer active) | Very common | Moderate (被 marks adversity) |
| Stative passive | estar + past participle (state) | be + past participle (ambiguous) | 在 / 着 (state markers) |
| Impersonal passive | se + 3rd person verb | It is + past participle that... | 有人... (someone...) |
| Get-passive (informal) | No equivalent | get + past participle | 给 + agent + verb |
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Examples in context
Basic passive
Spanish
ser + past participle (agrees in gender/number)
English
be + past participle
Chinese
被 + agent + verb
Agent mentioned
Spanish
por + agent
English
by + agent
Chinese
被 + agent + verb
Passive frequency
Spanish
Rare (prefer active)
English
Very common
Chinese
Moderate (被 marks adversity)
Stative passive
Spanish
estar + past participle (state)
English
be + past participle (ambiguous)
Chinese
在 / 着 (state markers)
Impersonal passive
Spanish
se + 3rd person verb
English
It is + past participle that...
Chinese
有人... (someone...)
Get-passive (informal)
Spanish
No equivalent
English
get + past participle
Chinese
给 + agent + verb
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Key Takeaways
Spanish: The passive is relatively rare. Spanish speakers prefer the active voice or the impersonal se construction. When used, the past participle a.
English: The passive is extremely common — in formal writing, scientific texts, and when the agent is unknown or unimportant.
Chinese: Uses 被 to mark the passive. Historically carried a negative or adversative tone (something bad happened to the subject), though modern us. Chinese uses 被, 叫, or 让
Key concepts compared: Basic passive, Agent mentioned, Passive frequency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Chinese 被 (bèi) passive historically associated with adversity, and how does this affect modern usage?
How does Spanish 'ser + past participle' agreement create a complexity that English and Chinese lack?
Why do Spanish speakers avoid the passive voice even when English speakers would use it naturally?
References
- Nueva gramática de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, 2010
- The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language — Huddleston & Pullum, Cambridge University Press, 2002
- A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Chinese Language — Li & Thompson, 1981
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Last updated: June 4, 2026