When to use passive sentences
I understand that the passive voice in Spanish looks something like this: "La ratón fue comida por el gato" = "The rat was eaten by the cat".
However, I'm not that sure when to use the passive. I've read that the passive should be avoided by either changing the sentence into active (e.g. "El gato comió la ratón") or using the passive se (e.g. "Food is eaten in the cafeteria" = "Comida se come en la cafetería).
However, if the passive is to be avoided, then what's the point of it? Essentially, why does it exist if one shouldn't use it. Or does it have a specific place? While playing Pokémon Esmerelda, the game read "Tailow fue enviado por Nadador Trent" instead of "Nadador Trent envió Tailow". Why was the passive used here instead of the active?
3 Answers
- When there is no subject:
La carta fue mandado a John.
The letter was sent to John. (we don't know who sent to letter)
- When the subject is less important than the object.
"Tailow fue enviado por Nadador Trent" (Tailow is given more emphasis than Trent)
In my opinion, passive vs. active is a question of style/opinion, not actually a "right or wrong" answer. I think passive is often used in a bit more formal usage.
Anyways don't worry about it too much.
Chau
I think the important thing to remember is to use the true passive voice in Spanish only when the doer of the action is mentioned, as in your first example sentence.
El ratón fue comido por el gato. (true passive)
But use the reflexive pronoun se when no doer is mention.
Se comió el ratón. The mouse was eaten.
Passive voice is used when you're not putting particular importance in who did what, but that it was done. In these types of sentences, the doer is introduced after what was done, using the word 'by' - 'por'. In these types of sentences you don't actually have to add the doer, that's what makes it passive. The point is that it was done, not who did it. It's not really a matter of "when" to use it. Just as in English, you can use passive voice or active interchangeably.
El ratón fue comido (passive voice.. no doer.. just what was done and to whom it was done.)
El ratón fue comido por el gato (still the passive voice, but with the doer tagged on with the word 'por' - 'by')
El gato se comió el ratón (active voice, the doer is the subject, and what he did or does comes later)
A lesson on this in our own language:
Actice: Steve loves Sarah/Bill
Passive: Sarah/Bill is loved -o- Sarah/Bill is loved by Steve
You can basically always bypass the passive voice and use the active voice.
Kiwi Girl fue arrestado/Kiwi Girl was arrested = passive (by whom?)
Arrestaron a Kiwi Girl/They arrested Kiwi Girl = active
