French - Passive Voice

The passive voice (la voix passive) exists in French just as it does in English, but its usage is a bit different. It's more common in formal, written contexts and less so in everyday conversation.

The Core Concept: Active vs. Passive

First, let's define the difference.

Active Voice: The subject of the sentence performs the action. This is the normal, default sentence structure.
- Le chat (subject) mange (verb) la souris (object).
- (The cat eats the mouse.)
Passive Voice: The subject of the sentence receives the action. The focus shifts from the doer to the receiver of the action.
- La souris (subject) est mangée (verb) par le chat (agent).
- (The mouse is eaten by the cat.)

As you can see, the object of the active sentence (la souris) becomes the subject of the passive sentence.

How to Form the Passive Voice

The formula for creating a passive sentence in French is very consistent.

Formula:

[Subject] + [the verb être conjugated in the desired tense] + [the Past Participle of the main verb] + [par (by)] + [Agent]

The two most important rules to remember are:

The tense of the sentence is determined only by the conjugation of être.
The past participle must agree in gender and number with the new subject. This is a non-negotiable rule.

Let's see how this works across different tenses using the example "The letter is written by the boy" (La lettre est écrite par le garçon).

Tense	How to Form It (using `être`)	Example
Présent	`être` in the present	La lettre est écrite* par le garçon.*
Passé Composé	`être` in the passé composé (`a été`)	La lettre a été écrite* par le garçon.*
Imparfait	`être` in the imperfect	La lettre était écrite* par le garçon.*
Futur Simple	`être` in the future simple	La lettre sera écrite* par le garçon.*
Conditionnel	`être` in the conditional	La lettre serait écrite* par le garçon.*

Crucial Note on Agreement: Notice the past participle écrit changes to écrite because the subject, la lettre, is feminine singular.

Le livre est écrit. (The book is written.)
La lettre est écrite. (The letter is written.)
Les livres sont écrits. (The books are written.)
Les lettres sont écrites. (The letters are written.)

When to Use the Passive Voice

The passive voice is used in French to:

Emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the performer.
When the performer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.

However, it is primarily a feature of formal, written French. You will see it frequently in:

Newspaper articles and headlines (La loi a été votée. - The law was passed.)
Scientific and technical writing
Formal historical accounts

In spoken, everyday French, using the passive voice can sound a bit stiff or overly formal. French speakers have more common, natural-sounding alternatives.

Common Alternatives to the Passive Voice

Because the passive voice is often avoided in conversation, French speakers use these structures instead to express the same idea.

Alternative #1: Using the Pronoun `On` (The Most Common)

This is the most frequent and natural way to express a passive idea. On is an indefinite pronoun that can mean "one," "they," "we," or just a general, unnamed subject. It allows you to keep the sentence in the active voice while still omitting the person who did the action.

Passive: La voiture a été volée. (The car was stolen.)
Active with On: On a volé la voiture. (Someone stole the car.)
Passive: Le dîner est servi à 20h. (Dinner is served at 8 p.m.)
Active with On: On sert le dîner à 20h. (They/We serve dinner at 8 p.m.)

Alternative #2: Using a Reflexive Verb (Pronominal Voice)

This structure is often used for general truths or instructions, especially with inanimate objects, to say how something "is done." It gives a sense of the action happening on its own. The agent (the "by someone" part) is never mentioned.

Structure: se + verb conjugated in the 3rd person (singular or plural).
Le vin rouge se boit à température ambiante. (Red wine is drunk at room temperature. Literally: "Red wine drinks itself...")
Ce mot s'écrit comment ? (How is this word written? / How do you write this word?)
Les croissants se vendent dans une boulangerie. (Croissants are sold in a bakery.)

This is a very common structure that often translates to the passive voice in English.