Ch 24 · Lesson 9Spanish · Chapter 24 · Lesson 9 · Grammar primer
The passive with ser
+ past participle (+ + doer): escrita Cervantes. The participle agrees with the subject, and the tense lives on .
The short version
In the
escrita Cervantes.
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The passive is in any tense plus a past participle, and the participle agrees with the subject like an adjective: , escrita, escritas. The doer, if you name one, comes in with .
The Spanish passive is in any tense, plus a past participle that agrees with the subject. Add the doer with :
escrita Cervantes.- The novel was written by Cervantes.construidas 1900.- The houses were built in 1900.
The passive with ser on one screen
| Part | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| carries tense and person | | |
| participle | agrees like an adjective | escrita, escritos |
| + doer | optional | Cervantes |
The doer is often left out:
.- The car was sold.fundada .- The city was founded by the Romans.
On the AQA GCSE the passive with is Higher tier.
The participle agrees with the subject
The participle works like an adjective: it matches the subject in gender and number.
| Subject | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| m. singular | . | The book was written. |
| f. singular | escrita. | The novel was written. |
| m. plural | escritos. | The books were written. |
| f. plural | escritas. | The letters were written. |
Irregular participles agree just the same:
.- The window was opened by the wind.resueltos.- The problems were solved.
A mixed subject takes the masculine plural:
vendidos.- The car and the house were sold.
The tense lives on ser
Only changes for the tense. The participle never does:
| Tense | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| present | . | The museum is visited by thousands of people. |
| preterite | vendida . | The house was sold in May. |
| future | . | The car will be sold tomorrow. |
| perfect | vendida. | The house has been sold. |
In the perfect, never changes; only the last participle agrees:
enviadas.- The letters have been sent.
Going further: Fue cerrada or está cerrada: action or state and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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