French grammar · Intermediate (B1)
The passive: être + past participle
How to say what is done to something (la ligne a été inaugurée), in all tenses, and the everyday alternatives with on and se.
How it works
In a passive sentence, the subject doesn't do the action: something is done to it. (active) becomes (passive). The person or thing doing the action comes after (by), or is left out when it isn't important.
The passive is + past participle. The participle agrees with the subject, like an adjective: , , .
In different tenses
Only changes tense. So the passé composé passive has two participles: + the participle of the main verb.
| Tense | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| present | The galette is made with frangipane. | |
| passé composé | The painting has been found. | |
| imparfait | The museum was closed. | |
| futur simple | The road will be closed on Saturday. | |
| plus-que-parfait | The ferry had been cancelled. |
Everyday alternatives: on and se
The passive is common in the news and in writing. In conversation, French often uses instead: (The painting has been found). here means “someone, people”.
To say how something is usually done, French can also use a reflexive verb: (The galette is eaten in January), (It isn't done).
- On a arrêté un homme à Rouen.A man has been arrested in Rouen.
- Ça se mange chaud ou froid.It's eaten hot or cold.
Se faire + infinitive, and verbs that can't be passive
+ infinitive says that something is done to the subject, often something unpleasant: (My account got hacked), . It can also mean getting something done: (to get your money back). never agrees.
Only verbs with a direct object can be passive. With , , or , French uses where English uses a passive: (I was asked for my password).