Refining Passive Voice

The passive voice in Portuguese is used to highlight the action itself rather than who is performing it. By using the passive voice, you can appropriately frame information in your communication. In this guide, you will learn how to refine your use of the passive voice in Portuguese.

1. Understanding the Passive Voice

In Portuguese, the passive voice is formed by using the verb "ser" (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb. The verb "ser" agrees with the subject in gender and number.

Example:

• Active voice: "O professor corrigiu os exercícios." (The teacher corrected the exercises.)
• Passive voice: "Os exercícios foram corrigidos pelo professor." (The exercises were corrected by the teacher.)

2. Identifying the Agent

While the agent (the person or thing performing the action) is optional in the passive voice, it can still be included to provide additional information. The agent is introduced by the preposition "por" (by).

Example:

• Passive voice without agent: "A carta foi enviada." (The letter was sent.)
• Passive voice with agent: "A carta foi enviada pelo carteiro." (The letter was sent by the mailman.)

3. Using the Passive Voice for Emphasis

The passive voice is particularly useful when you want to emphasize the action rather than the subject performing the action. It is often used in scientific writing, news articles, or when the subject is unknown or irrelevant.

Example:

• Emphasizing the action: "Realizado um estudo abrangente sobre o tema." (A comprehensive study was conducted on the topic.)
• Emphasizing the subject: "Esse trabalho foi realizado pelos melhores profissionais da área." (This work was carried out by the best professionals in the field.)

4. Avoiding Ambiguity

When using the passive voice, it's important to avoid ambiguity. Make sure the subject of the sentence is clear and unambiguous. If necessary, provide additional context or rephrase the sentence to ensure clarity.

Example:

• Ambiguous: "As encomendas foram entregues rapidamente." (The packages were delivered quickly.)
• Clearer: "As encomendas feitas pela manhã foram entregues rapidamente." (The orders placed in the morning were delivered quickly.)

5. Adjusting Verb Agreement

In the passive voice, the verb "ser" (to be) must agree with the subject in gender and number. Pay attention to noun and pronoun agreement when constructing passive sentences.

Example:

• Singular subject: "A encomenda foi entregue ontem." (The package was delivered yesterday.)
• Plural subject: "As encomendas foram entregues ontem." (The packages were delivered yesterday.)

6. Practice, Practice, Practice!

To refine your use of the passive voice, practice constructing sentences in the passive voice using different verb tenses, subjects, and agents. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with using the passive voice effectively in your communication.

Remember, the goal of the passive voice is to focus on the action rather than who is performing it. Using the passive voice appropriately will enhance your ability to communicate information in a clear and concise manner.