Passive Voice Usage

In Portuguese, the passive voice is used to place emphasis on the object of the action, rather than the subject. It is particularly useful when you want to highlight what has been done or what has happened to someone or something.

Forming the Passive Voice

To form the passive voice in Portuguese, you need to use the verb "ser" (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb. The auxiliary verb "ser" is conjugated according to the tense and the subject.

Here's the general formula:

ser + past participle (main verb)

Let's see some examples:

• Active voice: Eu fiz o trabalho. (I did the work.)

• Passive voice: O trabalho foi feito por mim. (The work was done by me.)

• Active voice: Eles construíram a casa. (They built the house.)

• Passive voice: A casa foi construída por eles. (The house was built by them.)

Note that in the passive voice, the verb agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.

Using the Passive Voice

Here are some situations where it is common to use the passive voice in Portuguese:

1. When the subject is unknown or unimportant:

   • Foi encontrado um tesouro. (A treasure was found.)

2. To focus on the action or the result:

   • A ponte foi inaugurada ontem. (The bridge was inaugurated yesterday.)

3. When describing processes or actions that are typically done by someone or something:

   • O café é servido quente. (Coffee is served hot.)

4. When expressing opinions or observations in a more formal manner:

   • Acredita-se que o mundo é redondo. (It is believed that the world is round.)

Active Voice vs Passive Voice

Knowing when to use the active or passive voice is important in conveying the desired meaning and emphasis in your sentence. Here's a comparison:

Active Voice:

• Emphasizes the subject performing the action.
• "Eu fiz o trabalho." (I did the work.)
• Subject: "eu"
• Verb: "fiz"
• Object: "o trabalho"

Passive Voice:

• Emphasizes the object of the action.
• "O trabalho foi feito por mim." (The work was done by me.)
• Subject: "o trabalho"
• Verb: "foi feito"
• Agent (optional): "por mim"

Tips for Using the Passive Voice

• Use the passive voice when you want to emphasize what has been done or what has happened to someone or something.
• Use appropriate verb tenses and adjust the auxiliary verb "ser" accordingly.
• Remember that the past participle needs to agree in gender and number with the subject.
• Include the agent (the doer of the action) introduced by the preposition "por" when necessary.

Remember that the passive voice is not as commonly used in Portuguese as it is in other languages. Use it sparingly and consider the context and emphasis you want to convey in your sentences.