The passive voice is a grammatical construction that shifts the focus from the subject performing the action to the action itself or the object receiving the action. This construction is used widely in Portuguese, just as it is in English, but it can sometimes pose challenges for English speakers learning Portuguese. This article aims to demystify the passive voice in Portuguese, providing clear explanations, examples, and practical tips for mastering this important aspect of the language.
Understanding the Passive Voice
In English, the passive voice is formed by using a form of the verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, “The book was read by Maria.” In Portuguese, the passive voice is constructed similarly, but with some key differences in verb conjugation and auxiliary verbs.
Forming the Passive Voice in Portuguese
To form the passive voice in Portuguese, you generally use the verb “ser” (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb. Additionally, the preposition “por” (by) is often used to indicate the agent performing the action. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. **Identify the main verb**: Determine the verb that describes the action.
2. **Conjugate the verb “ser”**: Conjugate “ser” in the appropriate tense to match the tense of the main verb in its active form.
3. **Form the past participle**: Convert the main verb into its past participle form.
4. **Include the agent (if necessary)**: Use “por” followed by the agent performing the action, if it is important to specify.
For example, let’s convert the active sentence “Maria lê o livro” (Maria reads the book) into the passive voice:
1. Main verb: “lê” (reads)
2. Conjugate “ser”: “é” (is) for present tense
3. Past participle of “ler” (to read): “lido” (read)
4. Agent: “Maria” (by Maria)
The passive sentence becomes: “O livro é lido por Maria” (The book is read by Maria).
Conjugation of “Ser”
The verb “ser” is irregular and must be conjugated according to the tense required by the sentence. Here are the conjugations for some common tenses:
Present Tense:
– Eu sou (I am)
– Tu és (You are)
– Ele/Ela/Você é (He/She/You are)
– Nós somos (We are)
– Vós sois (You all are)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês são (They/You all are)
Preterite Tense:
– Eu fui (I was)
– Tu foste (You were)
– Ele/Ela/Você foi (He/She/You were)
– Nós fomos (We were)
– Vós fostes (You all were)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês foram (They/You all were)
Imperfect Tense:
– Eu era (I was/used to be)
– Tu eras (You were/used to be)
– Ele/Ela/Você era (He/She/You were/used to be)
– Nós éramos (We were/used to be)
– Vós éreis (You all were/used to be)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês eram (They/You all were/used to be)
Future Tense:
– Eu serei (I will be)
– Tu serás (You will be)
– Ele/Ela/Você será (He/She/You will be)
– Nós seremos (We will be)
– Vós sereis (You all will be)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês serão (They/You all will be)
Conditional Tense:
– Eu seria (I would be)
– Tu serias (You would be)
– Ele/Ela/Você seria (He/She/You would be)
– Nós seríamos (We would be)
– Vós seríeis (You all would be)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês seriam (They/You all would be)
Past Participles
The past participle in Portuguese is generally formed by adding -ado to the stem of -ar verbs and -ido to the stem of -er and -ir verbs. However, there are many irregular past participles in Portuguese that must be memorized. Here are some examples:
– Regular:
– falar (to speak) -> falado (spoken)
– comer (to eat) -> comido (eaten)
– abrir (to open) -> aberto (opened)
– Irregular:
– escrever (to write) -> escrito (written)
– fazer (to do/make) -> feito (done/made)
– ver (to see) -> visto (seen)
Using “Por” to Indicate the Agent
In the passive voice, the agent who performs the action is introduced by the preposition “por.” This is similar to using “by” in English. For example:
– A carta foi escrita por João. (The letter was written by João.)
– A música será tocada por ela. (The music will be played by her.)
It’s important to note that in some cases, the agent may be omitted if it is understood or not important to the context. For example:
– O problema foi resolvido. (The problem was solved.)
Impersonal Passive Voice
Portuguese also uses an impersonal passive construction, often with the pronoun “se.” This construction is used when the agent is unknown or unimportant, and it emphasizes the action itself. It can be compared to the use of “one” or “people” in English.
To form the impersonal passive voice, you use the pronoun “se” followed by the verb in the third person singular or plural, depending on the object. For example:
– Vende-se carro. (Car for sale. / One sells a car.)
– Alugam-se apartamentos. (Apartments for rent. / Apartments are rented.)
Common Pitfalls and Tips
1. Agreement: Ensure that the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence. For example:
– A carta foi escrita. (The letter was written.)
– As cartas foram escritas. (The letters were written.)
2. False Friends: Be aware of false friends—words that look similar in English and Portuguese but have different meanings. For example, the Portuguese word “assistir” means “to watch” rather than “to assist.”
3. Practice: The best way to become comfortable with the passive voice in Portuguese is through practice. Try converting active sentences into passive ones and pay attention to how native speakers use the passive voice in conversation and writing.
Examples and Exercises
Let’s practice with some examples. Convert the following active sentences into the passive voice:
1. Os alunos fizeram a tarefa. (The students did the homework.)
2. A empresa construirá o prédio. (The company will build the building.)
3. Ela leu o livro. (She read the book.)
Answers:
1. A tarefa foi feita pelos alunos. (The homework was done by the students.)
2. O prédio será construído pela empresa. (The building will be built by the company.)
3. O livro foi lido por ela. (The book was read by her.)
Conclusion
Mastering the passive voice in Portuguese requires understanding the conjugation of the verb “ser,” forming past participles, and correctly using the preposition “por” to indicate the agent. Additionally, recognizing the impersonal passive construction with “se” can be extremely useful. With practice and attention to detail, English speakers can become proficient in using the passive voice in Portuguese, adding depth and variety to their language skills. Keep practicing, and soon the passive voice will become a natural part of your Portuguese language toolkit!
