Portuguese grammar · Intermediate (B1)
The passive and se
The passive with ser (foi construído), estar + participle for results, passive and impersonal se (vende-se), and impersonal eles, você and a gente.
The passive with ser
In a “passive” sentence the subject receives the action: “The bridge was built in 1970.” Portuguese uses + participle, and the participle agrees with the subject like an adjective: , . The person who does the action comes after , which contracts with the article: , .
can be in any tense. The passive is common in the news and in writing; in conversation Brazilians more often use an active sentence or an impersonal subject.
| Tense | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| present | The paper is read by millions of people. | |
| preterite | The bridge was built in 1970. | |
| imperfect | The building was used as a school. | |
| compound perfect | The cycle lane has been used a lot lately. | |
| future | The station will be extended. | |
| + infinitive | The market is going to be renovated. |
- O livro foi escrito por Clarice Lispector.The book was written by Clarice Lispector.
- Os ingressos foram vendidos em uma hora.The tickets were sold in an hour.
Estar + participle: the result
+ participle describes the action; + participle describes the state that results from it: (The shop was closed by the council: the action) but (The shop is closed: the state). Verbs with a short participle use it here: , .
- A porta está aberta.The door is open.
- O trabalho já está feito.The work is already done.
- A conta está paga.The bill has been paid.
Passive se: vende-se
Signs and adverts use after the verb: (For sale), (To let). This is a passive: in careful Portuguese the verb agrees with the thing, so (Houses for sale), . On real signs you'll often see ; it is very common, but formal writing avoids it.
With a preposition the verb stays singular: (Salespeople wanted). In speech the pronoun goes before the verb: , .
- Aluga-se apartamento.Flat to let.
- Vendem-se bicicletas usadas.Second-hand bikes for sale.
- Precisa-se de garçom.Waiter wanted.
- No Brasil se come arroz e feijão quase todo dia.In Brazil people eat rice and beans almost every day.
Impersonal subjects: eles, você, a gente
Brazilian speech has several ways to talk about “people in general” or an unknown “they”. The third-person plural with no subject means “someone” or “they”: (My phone was stolen), (They said it's going to rain).
can mean anyone, like English “you”: . includes the speaker: (We eat late here). In writing, is used instead: .
- Estão construindo um prédio novo na esquina.They're building a new building on the corner.
- Dizem que a comida lá é ótima.They say the food there is great.
- Nessa cidade você anda a pé para todo lado.In this town you walk everywhere.