La voix passive – Master French passive voice

Key takeaways

• The passive voice (la voix passive) emphasizes the object of an action instead of the subject.
• Formula: être + past participle (+ par + agent).
• Example: Le livre est lu par Marie. → The book is read by Marie.
• The past participle agrees with the subject of the passive sentence.
• Common in formal writing, less used in everyday conversation.

What Is the Passive Voice in French?

The passive voice (la voix passive) is a grammatical construction where the subject receives the action instead of performing it.

Example:

• Active: Marie lit le livre. → Marie reads the book.
• Passive: Le livre est lu par Marie. → The book is read by Marie.

How to Form the Passive Voice in French

Formula: 

subject + être (in tense) + past participle (+ par + agent)

Present tense

• Le film est vu par des millions de personnes. → The film is seen by millions.

Past tense (passé composé)

• La porte a été fermée par le gardien. → The door was closed by the guard.

Future tense

• La vérité sera révélée demain. → The truth will be revealed tomorrow.

Imparfait

• Les lettres étaient écrites par les enfants. → The letters were written by the children.

Agreement of the Past Participle

In passive constructions, the past participle agrees with the subject of the sentence.

• La lettre est écrite. (feminine singular).
• Les lettres sont écrites. (feminine plural).

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Passive vs Active Voice in French

In everyday French, the active voice is more common. The passive often appears in news, literature, or formal contexts.

Alternatives to the Passive Voice

French often prefers active or impersonal constructions:

• On a volé mon sac. (Someone stole my bag) instead of Mon sac a été volé.
• Il faut respecter les règles. (The rules must be respected).

Examples of Passive Voice in French

• Ce tableau a été peint par Monet. → This painting was painted by Monet.
• Les résultats seront annoncés demain. → The results will be announced tomorrow.
• La chanson est chantée par un artiste célèbre. → The song is sung by a famous artist.

Common Mistakes with the Passive

• Forgetting agreement of the past participle.
• Overusing the passive in everyday speech instead of simpler active/impersonal forms.
• Misplacing par (always introduces the agent).

Exercises: Practice the Passive Voice

1. Transform into passive voice

• Les élèves lisent le texte.
• Paul a écrit une lettre.
• On respectera la loi.

2. Translate into French

• The book was written by Victor Hugo.
• The doors are closed by the teacher.
• The truth will be told tomorrow.

3. Correct the mistakes

• ❌ La chanson est chanté par Marie.
• ❌ Les films a été vus par beaucoup de gens.

Answers

1. Le texte est lu par les élèves | Une lettre a été écrite par Paul | La loi sera respectée
2. Le livre a été écrit par Victor Hugo | Les portes sont fermées par le professeur | La vérité sera dite demain
3. La chanson est chantée par Marie | Les films ont été vus par beaucoup de gens

Tips for Mastering the Passive

• Memorize the formula: être + past participle + par.
• Practice agreement with the subject.
• Recognize when alternatives (on, impersonal forms) sound more natural.
• Read news articles in French to see passive structures in context.

For more context, review our French verb tenses overview. To study smarter, check learning French effectively. And if you’re setting learning goals, explore how long it takes to learn French fluently.

Summary

The French passive voice (la voix passive) shifts focus from the subject to the object, formed with être + past participle. It’s common in formal writing but often replaced by active or impersonal forms in speech.

Helpful resources include Lingvist’s explanation of the Passive Voice and Lingoculture’s overview of La Voix Passive. With practice, you’ll recognize and use sentences like La loi sera respectée, Le livre est lu par Marie naturally as you learn French with Promova.