Passive sentences are used when you want to focus on the action and not on who is doing it. There are two types of passive sentences in Spanish. The first one includes the verb
Passive Sentences in Spanish
Ser with participles
Juan robó dinero y fue condenado a dos años de cárcel.
Juan stole money and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Esa casa fue construida en 1854. Mis padres la visitaron ayer.
That house was built in 1854. My parents visited it yesterday.
Los efectos especiales de esa película fueron creados por ordenador.
The special effects in that movie were created on a computer.
Esas islas fueron gobernadas por el mismo rey durante más de diez años.
Those islands were ruled by the same king for more than ten years.
Please pay attention that the participle should agree in gender and number with the subject.
These passive sentences in Spanish are not widely used. It is preferred to use an impersonal sentence with the active verb in the
Crearon los efectos especiales de esa película por ordenador.
They created the special effects in that movie on a computer. (literally)
The special effects in that movie were created on a computer.
Juan robó dinero y lo condenaron a dos años de cárcel.
Juan stole money and they sentenced him to two years in prison. (literally)
Juan stole money and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Remember that the
Passive with Se
Another way to make passive sentences in Spanish is by using the pronoun
Let’s see some examples of both passive sentences in Spanish to understand how they are formed. They are synonyms but the one using the pronoun
El alcalde ha comentado que un millón de euros se invertirá en esa calle.
El alcalde ha comentado que un millón de euros será invertido en esa calle.
The mayor has said that 1,000,000 euros will be invested on that street.
There are two things to take into account while using the pronoun
Se lava el pollo y se coloca en una bandeja del horno.
Wash the chicken and place it on a baking tray.
Se cortan las zanahorias y se ponen al lado del pollo. Se añade un poco de sal.
Cut the carrots and put them next to the chicken. Add some salt.
Se cortan dos cebollas pequeñas en mitades y se ponen dentro del pollo.
Cut two small onions into halves and put them inside the chicken.
Se ponen unos dientes de ajo debajo de la piel del pollo.
Put some garlic cloves beneath the skin of the chicken.
Se enciende el horno y se mete la bandeja dentro.
Turn on the oven and put the tray inside.
Exercises
Now it’s time to practice the passive sentences in Spanish with the following exercises.