This document discusses three types of passive voice constructions in Spanish: 1) Process passive with "ser" which focuses on the ongoing action and uses "ser" plus the past participle (e.g. "El libro ha sido escrito por el autor"). 2) State passive with "estar" which emphasizes the completed state and uses "estar" plus the past participle (e.g. "El libro está escrito"). 3) Reflexive passive with "se" which is morphological active but has a passive meaning and uses the reflexive form of the verb (e.g. "Se alquilan pisos"). All verb tenses can be

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The Passive Voice in Spanish
Passive voice in Spanish is the relationship between the action of the verb and the subject of that
sentence. If the subject does the action, it’s called “agent” and we need to speak in an active mode.
On the other hand, if the subject doesn’t do but receives that action (then it’s called “patient”), then
we’ll use the passive option. There are different types of constructions. Let’s see them:
Process passive voice in Spanish with the verb “ser”
This kind of passive is also called pasiva propia (actual passive). Using this kind of sentences we
focus on the action, on the process. We answer the question “what is happening?”. It’s formed in this
way:
Verb “ser” + past participle of the main verb.
For example: El libro ha sido escrito por el autor (the book has been written by the author).
Notice that the “agent” of that action is introduced by the preposition “por” (“by” in English). The
patient subject (“el libro”) is the direct object in the equivalent active sentence and the agent (“el
autor”) is actually the subject in the active one.
El autor ha escrito el libro. (The autor has written the book).
All the verbal tenses can be transformed in this way. The only requirement is that the active sentence
must be “transitive” (with a direct object) in order to be changed into passive.
• Present indicative: Yo enseño a los estudiantes = los estudiantes son enseñados por mí.
• Future: Mis padres regalarán un libro a mi hermano = un libro será regalado a mi hermano
por mis padres.
• Preterite: Tú leíste la novela ayer = La novela fue leída por ti ayer.
Now, let’s see another type of these constructions: the state passive.
State passive voice in Spanish with the verb “estar”
When we use this construction, we emphasise the description of the event and its ending. Because of
that, it’s more important the state of the subject. This is how we form it:
Verb “estar” + past participle of the main verb.
For example: El libro está escrito (the book is written).
As you can see, the passive meaning has an impact on the fact that the book is finally written, it’s
finished.
As it happens with the “process passive”, all tenses might be used:
• Present indicative: El ordenador está arreglado.
• Future: La película estará rodada para el año que viene.
• Preterite: La ventana estuvo rota durante tres días.
Finally, let’s see a kind of this voice that uses the pronoun “se”.

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Reflexive passive with the pronoun “se”
This construction is actually an active sentence from a morphological point of view. However, it has a
passive meaning. This variation, uses the reflexive form of a transitive verb in order to talk about an
impersonal action; the agent of the sentence is not known because we are referring to general facts
and it’s also used to give instructions. This is how we form the reflexive passive voice in Spanish:
The pronoun “se” + the main verb in the third singular or plural person.
For example:
• En España se come muy bien = impersonal.
• Se alquilan pisos = the agent it’s not relevant.
• Para hacer una tortilla, se fríen las patatas = it’s an instruction.