Active Voice vs Passive Voice in Spanish

When we learn Spanish, one of the things that helps us improve our communication is understanding the difference between active voice and passive voice. Both forms are important and allow us to express the same idea, but from different angles.

Do you want to know how they work? Here we will explain what they are, how they differ, how to use them, and when is it better to use one over the other.

What is active voice?

Active voice is the most common way to construct a sentence. In active voice, the subject of the sentence is the one who performs the action. It is a direct and simple structure that we use in our daily lives to talk about what we do or what someone else does.

Structure:

Subject + Verb + Complement.

Examples of active voice in Spanish:

• Pedro compra un libro. (Pedro buys a book)
• María canta una canción. (Maria sings a song)
• El perro persigue la pelota. (The dog chases the ball)
• Nosotros estudiamos español. (We study Spanish)
• Ellos construyen una casa. (They build a house)

Active voice is clear, easy to understand, and is the most used in everyday texts and conversations.

What is passive voice?

Passive voice, on the other hand, is used when what is important in our sentence is not who performs the action, but on whom or what the action falls. In other words, the subject receives the action, rather than performing it.

Structure:

Subject + auxiliary verb "ser" + past participle + (“por” (by) + agent, if relevant)

Examples of passive voice in Spanish:

• El libro es comprado por Pedro. (The book is bought by Pedro)
• Una canción es cantada por María. (A song is sung by Maria)
• La pelota es perseguida por el perro. (The ball is chased by the dog)
• El español es estudiado por nosotros. (Spanish is studied by us)
• Una casa es construida por ellos. (A house is built by them)

Passive voice tends to place more emphasis on the action or the result of that action.

Differences between active voice and passive voice

Now that you know what active and passive voice are, let's compare their key differences:

Position of the subject

• In active voice, the subject performs the action.
• In passive voice, the subject receives the action.

Examples of the position of the subject in active and passive voice:

Active voice: María preparó la cena. (Maria prepared dinner)

Passive voice: La cena fue preparada por María. (Dinner was prepared by Maria)

Verb "ser"

• In passive voice, the verb "ser" always accompanies the main verb in participle.

Examples of the use of the verb "ser" in passive voice:

Active voice: El chef cocinó el plato especial. (The chef cooked the special dish)

Passive voice: El plato especial fue cocinado por el chef. (The special dish was cooked by the chef)

Emphasis

• Active voice focuses on who performs the action.
• Passive voice focuses on what action is performed and who receives it.

Examples of emphasis in active and passive voice:

Active voice: Mi amigo arregló el coche. (My friend fixed the car)

Passive voice: El coche fue arreglado por mi amigo. (The car was fixed by my friend)

Table of Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

Uses of Active Voice

Active voice is ideal for expressing who performs an action. It is used more in informal conversations and when writing simply. Examples of the use of active voice:

• Megan lava los platos. (Megan washes the dishes)
• El profesor enseña historia. (The teacher teaches history)
• Nosotros pintamos la casa. (We paint the house)
• Los niños brincan la cuerda. (The children jump rope)
• Ella responde las preguntas. (She answers the questions)

Uses of Passive Voice

Passive voice is used less than active voice, but it is useful when we want to highlight the action rather than who performs it. It is commonly used in more formal contexts, such as reports, essays, or research, and in other situations where the subject (who performs the action) is not important or not mentioned. Examples of the use of passive voice:

• La carta fue escrita por Casandra. (The letter was written by Casandra)
• El informe será presentado mañana por el director. (The report will be presented tomorrow by the director)
• La casa fue pintada el año pasado. (The house was painted last year)
• El cortometraje fue premiado en el festival. (The short film was awarded at the festival)
• La fiesta sorpresa fue organizada por sus amigos. (The surprise party was organized by her friends)

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How to transform a sentence from active to passive voice

Changing a sentence from one voice to another may seem complicated at first, but it is actually quite easy! Here is a small guide on how to change a sentence from active voice to passive voice step by step:

Identify the direct complement

The first step is to find the direct complement of the active sentence. This is the element that receives the action of the verb. When we transform to passive voice, this complement will become the new subject of the sentence. Example: 
Active sentence: "El perro come la comida". (The dog eats the food) 
Direct complement: "la comida" (the food, which is what the dog eats). 
In this case, "la comida" will be our new subject in the passive sentence.

Conjugate the verb "ser"

Now, we need to use the verb "ser" in the tense corresponding to the active sentence. This is important because we want to maintain the same verb tense for the sentence to make sense. Example: 
Since the sentence "El perro come la comida" is in the present, we will use "es" for the passive voice. 
If the sentence were in the past, "El perro comió la comida" (The dog ate the food), we would have used "fue." 
If the sentence were in the future, “El perro comerá la comida” (The dog will eat the food), we would have used “será.”

Add the participle of the main verb

The next step is to take the main verb of the active sentence and convert it to its participle form. This form varies depending on whether it is a regular or irregular verb. Example: 
The verb "comer"  becomes "comida" (eaten).

Now we are ready to assemble the sentence.

Include the agent complement

Finally, if necessary, we can add the agent complement, which is the one who performs the action. This complement is introduced with the word "por." However, it is not always necessary to include it; sometimes, the emphasis is on the action itself and not on who performs it. Example: 
The complete sentence in passive voice in this case would be: "La comida es comida por el perro." (The food is eaten by the dog).

Examples of active voice transformed into passive voice: 

1. Active: El carpintero construyó la mesa. (The carpenter built the table) 
   Passive: La mesa fue construida por el carpintero. (The table was built by the carpenter) 
2. Active: Los alumnos leyeron el libro. (The students read the book) 
   Passive: El libro fue leído por los alumnos. (The book was read by the students) 
3. Active: María pintó el cuadro. (Maria painted the painting) 
   Passive: El cuadro fue pintado por María. (The painting was painted by Maria) 
4. Active: El mecánico reparó el coche. (The mechanic repaired the car) 
   Passive: El coche fue reparado por el mecánico. (The car was repaired by the mechanic) 
5. Active: Juan compró la casa. (Juan bought the house) 
   Passive: La casa fue comprada por Juan. (The house was bought by Juan)

Common mistakes when using passive voice

Sometimes we can make mistakes while learning to use passive voice. Here we will review some common errors and how to avoid them.

Confusion with reflexive passive voice

Sometimes, we can mix passive voice with reflexive passive. This happens when we use "se" incorrectly. 
Incorrect: El coche se fue reparado. (The car was gone repaired) 
Correct: El coche fue reparado. (The car was repaired)

Unnecessary use of passive voice

There are occasions when using passive voice is not necessary and can make the sentence sound more confusing. 
Incorrect: El regalo fue comprado por mí. (The gift was bought by me) 
Correct: Yo compré el regalo. (I bought the gift)

Errors with the participle

Another common mistake is related to the use of the participle. Make sure it agrees in gender and number with the subject. 
Incorrect: "La comida fue cocinado por el chef." (The food was cooked by the chef) 
Correct: "La comida fue cocinada por el chef." (The food was cooked by the chef)

Omission of the verb "ser"

It may happen that we accidentally omit the verb "ser," but it is important to include it to avoid leaving the sentence incomplete. 
Incorrect: La puerta cerrada por Myriam. (The door closed by Myriam) 
Correct: La puerta fue cerrada por Myriam. (The door was closed by Myriam)

Excessive use of passive voice in informal texts

Using passive voice in informal contexts can sound strange and unnatural. Using active voice in those contexts makes communication smoother. 
Incorrect: El libro fue leído por Pedro. (The book was read by Pedro) (in a simple conversation). 
Correct: Pedro leyó el libro. (Pedro read the book)

Summary

Understanding the difference between active voice and passive voice is key to expressing yourself clearly and precisely in Spanish.

Active voice is the most commonly used in everyday language because it is direct and emphasizes who performs the action. On the other hand, passive voice is useful when we want to highlight the action or the receiver of the action, which is why it is more commonly used in formal or scientific contexts.

Mastering both forms of speaking is important for choosing the appropriate structure depending on what you want to emphasize. Constant practice through exercises in the Promova app will help you use them correctly in various situations, allowing you to communicate more effectively.