The Two Passive Voices

Question

What is the difference between the passive voice, "se", and the passive voice that would work like "El coche fue hecho por Volkswagen". Furthermore, how exactly does the passive voice "se" work?

Answer 1

Passive with se is far more common in Spanish, as Jasmine pointed out. It's used it when the focus is on the result (car = made), rather than on the agent (Volkswagen made it).

Activa:

Volkswagen hizo el coche

Pasiva:

El coche fue hecho por Volkswagen

Se passive:

El coche se hizo. (no matter who made it)

In the example you are giving the agent seems important, so using the "passive with se" is not the best option here.

ah I hadn't realised about the focus, but yes, now it makes perfect sense! Gracias cogu :) - billygoat, Dec 17, 2012

Answer 2

Here you are mate, take a look at this:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/173166/impersonal-and-passive#

This is my bible when it comes to se and the impersonal / passive voice

Answer 3

My understanding is that the "se" form passive is much more common than the ser + pp passive form.