The Passive Voice

The French passive is formed with être (conjugated in the appropriate tense) + past participle.

Passive = être (conjugated) + past participle.

Voix passive

Le livre est écrit par l'auteur = The book is written by the author

The past participle in a passive sentence agrees in gender and number with the subject.

Past participle agrees with passive subject.

La lettre est écrite / Les livres sont écrits

The agent (the one performing the action) is introduced by par (by) in most passive sentences.

Agent introduced by par (by).

Le gâteau a été mangé par les enfants = The cake was eaten by the children

Some verbs of emotion and state use de instead of par to introduce the agent.

Some verbs use de not par for the agent.

Il est aimé de tous = He is loved by everyone / Elle est entourée de fleurs

The passive can be used in any tense — just change the tense of être.

Change tense of être to change passive tense.

présent: est écrit / passé composé: a été écrit / futur: sera écrit

French often avoids the passive by using on (one/people/we) as an impersonal active subject.

On replaces passive in French more than English.

On parle français ici = French is spoken here (lit. One speaks...)

Reflexive verbs can replace the passive for general or habitual actions.

Reflexive construction replaces passive for habits.

Le vin se boit frais = Wine is drunk chilled / Ça se fait = That is done

The passive is more common in formal writing than in everyday spoken French.

Passive = formal written register mainly.

Cette loi a été votée par le parlement = This law was passed by parliament

Se faire + infinitive expresses an action suffered or experienced by the subject.

Se faire + infinitive = to get something done to you.

Il s'est fait voler son portefeuille = He got his wallet stolen

Se laisser + infinitive expresses allowing something to happen to oneself.

Se laisser + infinitive = to let oneself be/do.

Elle s'est laissé convaincre = She let herself be convinced