Skip to main content
jeconjugue.fr

Verbs

Grammar

About

Tenses & Moods (15)
Verb Groups (4)
Verb Forms (4)
Grammar Structures (4)
French Grammar

    Tenses & Moods

    15 articles

    Verb Groups

    4 articles

    Verb Forms

    4 articles

    Grammar Structures

    4 articles
Return to "Grammar"

La voix passive au passé
B1
B2
Past Passive Voice

In French, the past passive voice describes actions that were received by the subject in the past, formed with être (Passé composé) + the past participle of the main verb

The past passive voice emphasizes that the action was completed in the past, unlike the present passive voice, which describes actions happening now, habitual actions, or current known states resulting from prior actions.

La pièce a été assemblée (The part was assembled"): what matters is that the action of assembling the part was completed in the past, unlike the present passive voice, which describes ongoing or habitual actions or current states. Who assembled it is less important.

The structure is: subject + être (Passé composé) + past participle of the main verb (+ optional par + agent).

Conjugation in Past Passive Voice

PronounAvoir + ÉtéPassive Voice Example
jeai étéJ’ai été invité. (I was invited.)
tuas étéTu as été invité. (You were invited.)
ila étéIl a été invité. (He was invited.)
ellea étéElle a été invitée. (She was invited.)
nousavons étéNous avons été invités. (We were invited.)
vousavez étéVous avez été invités. (You were invited.)
ilsont étéIls ont été invités. (They were invited.)
ellesont étéElles ont été invitées. (They were invited.)

Formation and Usage

Basic Structure

Formed with être in the Passé composé + past participle of the main > verb.

  • Le projet a été terminé.
    • The project was completed.

Agreement

The past participle of the main verb agrees in gender and number with the > subject.

  • Les factures ont été payées.
    • The invoices were paid.

With Agent

The doer (agent) is introduced by par when specified.

  • Le contrat a été signé par le directeur.
    • The contract was signed by the director.

Exceptions

Verbs without a direct object, like state verbs or those requiring prepositions, cannot be used in the passive voice.

Le technicien téléphone au responsable. (Cannot be passive, this does not exist: Le responsable est téléphoné.)
Il réfléchit au problème. (Cannot be passive, this does not exist: Le problème est réfléchi.)

Examples

  • Le rapport a été soumis hier.
    • The report was submitted yesterday.
  • Les taxes ont été déclarées par les contribuables.
    • The taxes were declared by the taxpayers.
  • La salle a été réservée pour la conférence.
    • The room was reserved for the conference.

Example of Dialogue

Anna: Le dossier a été envoyé aux autorités ?
Was the file sent to the authorities?
Marc: Oui, il a été soumis ce matin.
Yes, it was submitted this morning.
Anna: Et les documents ont été vérifiés avant ?
And the documents were checked beforehand?
Marc: Bien sûr, ils ont été examinés par l’équipe comptable.
Of course, they were reviewed by the accounting team.