Passive constructions are those in which a verb's action is performed on the subject, rather than the subject performing the action as in active (normal) constructions. The passive voice is the most common French passive construction, but there are a couple of others to watch out for as well.
Definitions
Passive Voice
- Introduction
Introduction to the French passive voice
Usage
How and when to use the passive voice
Test
Test on the French passive voice
Other French Passive Constructions
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Passive Impersonal
In the passive impersonal construction, a normally non-reflexive verb is used reflexively in order to express the passive nature of the action, as in Ça se voit - That's obvious.
Passive Infinitive
Even though the French infinitive translates as "to + verb," the French sometimes needs to be preceded by a preposition. This is the case with the passive infinitive, which is commonly used with indefinite and negative words.
