Le passif (The passive)

It is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action/ when the subject does not perform the action, but is subjected to

The road is being repaired. (we are interested in the road, not in the people who are doing the repairs.)

The passive is formed with the conjugated verb être + the past participle of the main verb. Être is conjugated into the same tense as that of the active form.

-j'ai été invité(I was invited)
-elle a été renvoyée(she has been dismissed)
-ils seront déçus(they will be disappointed)
-elles ont été vues(they were seen)

Avoidance of the passive

• Use of the pronoun on

  -on m'a volé mon portefeuille(my wallet has been stolen)
  -on construit une nouvelle piscine(a new swimming pool is being built)
  

• Agent becomes subject of the verb

  -la nouvelle va les surprendre(they will be surprised by « the news »)
  -mon correspondent m'a invité(i have been invited by « my penfriend »)
  -mon cadeau te plaît?(are you pleased with « my present? »)
  

• Use of a reflexive verbs=

  Reflexive forms can be created for a large number of verbs, particularly in the third person

  -elle s'appelle Anne(she is called Anne)
  -ton absence va se remarquer(your absence will be noticed)
  -ce plat se mange froid(this dish is eaten cold)
  -cela ne se fait pas ici(that isn't done here)
  

• se faire + infinitve (when the subject is a person)

  -il s'est fait renverser par une voiture(he was run over by a car)
  -je me suis fait voler tout mon argent(I have been robbed of all my money)