

voz pasiva/passive voice...

Discussion in 'Spanish-English Grammar / Gramática Español-Inglés' started by Masood, Jul 27, 2006.

  1. Masood Senior Member

    Leicester, England
    British English
    Como nunca he estudiado la gramática en inglés (ni mucho menos en español), no entiendo 'la voz pasiva' (passive voice). Me preguntaba si alguien podría explicarme (preferentemente en inglés, pero es cosa vuestra) qué es la voz pasiva. Os lo pregunto porque acabo de mirar la traducción de 'to be taken aback' en WR y era una nota que decía: "Recuerda que aback solo aparece en la expresión to be taken aback y solo en la voz pasiva.".
    Si podríais proveerme unos ejemplos de la voz pasiva en español o inglés lo agradecería mucho.
  2. Keikikoka Senior Member

    North Carolina
    English, USA
    In the active voice the subject performs the action.

    In the passive voice the subject has the action performed on it.

    Active = I eat the food. (I am the subject)

    Passive = the food is eaten by me. (the food is the subject)
  3. Philippa

    Philippa Senior Member

    Britain - English
    Hello Masood,
    You can't 'take aback' someone or something (active), you can only be taken aback (passive).
    Philippa :)
  4. Outsider Senior Member

    Portuguese (Portugal)
    If you search the forum for threads with the phrases "passive voice" or "voz pasiva", you should find many explanations and examples. Here's a recent one which may be enlightening, though it was a little long and at times heated.
  5. tak215

    tak215 New Member

    active voice + passive voice

    in order to have it either active or passive:
    it needs to have Subject + Verb and an object.
    I kicked the ball (I = subject, kicked = verb, the ball = object)
    'I' is doing the 'kick' to the 'ball' and it makes sense so this can be turned into passive (The ball was kicked by me)
    I am a person(this can't be in passive because there is no verb. 'am' is not an actual verb, this is called helping verb(not sure about the name).
    'I' is not doing anything to 'a person' so this can not be turned into a passive voice.

    active voices are used when:
    the pattern only fits to an active voice (this cost me $500. can not be $500 was cost by it)
    the subject is more important than the subject (That guy threw a rock at her)
    passive voices are used when:
    the object is more important than the subject (George Bush was killed by a man. a man is not important as George bush)
    the subject is unidentified (the car was stolen. dont know who)
    when the object is obvious.(he was arreste. only the cops can arrest people)

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