VOICE - VOIX

Voice indicates the relationship between the subject and verb. There are three voices in French:
Active voice: The subject performs the action of the verb. This is the most common, "normal"
voice.
Je lave la voiture. I'm washing the car.
Il a cass les assiettes. He broke the plates.
Elle est prof de franais. She's a French teacher.
Passive voice: The action of the verb is performed on the subject by an agent.
La voiture est lave. The car is (being) washed.
Les assiettes ont t casses par le chien. The plates were broken by the dog.
Toutes les chemises ont t vendues. All of the shirts were sold.
Pronominal (reflexive): The subject performs the action on itself (considerably less common in
English)
Je me lave. I'm washing up.
Il s'est cass la jambe. He broke his leg.
Je n'aime pas me regarder dans la glace. I don't like to look at myself in the mirror.
In the passive voice, the action described by the verb is being done to the subject by an agent,
which is usually introduced by one of two prepositions par or de:
1. When the verb expresses an action, the agent is introduced by the preposition par:
Active voice
David fait le mnage.
[David is doing the housework.]
Lise lit le livre.
[Lise is reading the book.]

Passive voice
Le mnage est fait par David.
[The housework is done by David.]
Le livre est lu par Lise.
[The book is read by Lise.]

2. When the verb expresses a state of being, the agent is often introduced by de, or there may
be no agent:
Active voice
Tout le monde le respecte.
minemment respect.
[Everyone respects him.]

Passive voice
Il est respect de tout le monde. / Il est
[He is respected by everyone.]

The passive voice is formed with the conjugated verb tre + the past participle. The past
participle has to agree with the subject, not the agent, in gender and number, just like tre
verbs in the pass compos:
prsent

Active voice
Anne fait la tarte.
[Anne makes the pie.]

Passive voice
La tarte est faite par Anne.
[The pie is made by Anne.]

pass compos Anne a fait la tarte.

[Anne made the pie.]

La tarte a t faite par Anne.

[The pie was made by Anne. ]

imparfait

Anne faisait la tarte.

[Anne was making the pie.]

La tarte tait faite par Anne.

[The pie was being made by Anne.]

futur

Anne fera la tarte.

[Anne will make the pie.]

La tarte sera faite par Anne.

[The pie will be made by Anne.]

subjonctif
Anne.

Je veux qu'Anne fasse la tarte.

Je veux que la tarte soit faite par

[I want Anne to make the pie.]

[I want the pie to be made by Anne.]

Note that the passive voice always has one more verb than the active voice.

Using the passive voice

The French passive voice may be used for two reasons:
A) To put more emphasis on the person or thing performing the action:
Active:
Un enfant a crit ce livre. - A child wrote this book.
Passive: Ce livre a t crit par un enfant. - This book was written by a child.
B) To focus on an action without identifying the performer:
Jean a crit ce livre. - Jean wrote this book.
vs
Il a t crit en 1927. - It was written in 1927.
Avoiding the passive voice
The French passive voice has a slightly formal or literary tone and is used less frequently than
in English. There are several alternatives to the passive voice (besides the active voice):
A) To focus on the performer, use c'est/ce sont:
Ce livre a t crit par un enfant. > C'est un enfant qui a crit ce livre.
This book was written by a child. > It's a child who wrote this book.
Le record a t battu par une femme. > C'est une femme qui a battu le record.
The record was beaten by a woman. > It's a woman who beat the record.
B) To avoid identifying the performer, there are two options:
1. On (impersonal subject pronoun)
Ce livre a t crit en 1927. > On a crit ce livre en 1927.
This book was written in 1927.
Ils ont t dits de venir midi. > On leur a dit de venir midi.
They were told to come at noon.
2. Se (passive impersonal)
Ce livre est souvent lu. > Ce livre se lit souvent.
This book is often read.
Les mres ne sont pas vendues ici. > Les mres ne se vendent pas ici.
Blackberries aren't sold here.