Voz pasiva en inglés, o Passive Voice

En inglés utilizamos la pasiva cuando queremos enfatizar una acción concreta, no quién la está realizando (puede que ni siquiera lo sepamos).

¿Listo para una lección rápida de gramática inglesa?

Voz pasiva en inglés – construcción de frases

La construcción de la pasiva es bastante sencilla, aunque depende del tiempo en que se quiera construir la frase. La base es:

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Si, a pesar de todo, queremos añadir información sobre quién realiza la actividad, podemos añadirlo al final de la frase: by [person].

En presente simple, la construcción de la frase es la siguiente:

ASUNTO + IS/ARE + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
He writes books.	Books *are written*.
I repair the car once a year.	The car *is repaired* once a year.
She cooks beetroot soup once a week.	Beetroot soup *is cooked* once a week.
They lock the shop every day at 10 p.m.	The shop *is locked* every day at 10 p.m.

Se construye la pasiva en el tiempo presente continuo inglés:

ASUNTO + IS/ARE BEING + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
The police is checking the building.	The building *is being checked* by the police.
He is writing a book.	A book *is being written*.
They are doing their homework.	Their homework *is being done*.
Lucy is cleaning a fridge now.	A fridge *is being cleaned* now.

Construcción lateral pasiva en presente perfecto:

ASUNTO + HAVE/HAS BEEN + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
They have done it.	It *has been done*.
He has destroyed his car.	His car *has been destroyed*.
They have built this bridge since March.	This bridge *has been built* since March.
He has written a book.	A book *has been written*.

El pretérito simple, o pasado simple, también tiene su propia construcción para la pasiva.

ASUNTO + WAS/WERE + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
My parents bought a new computer last week.	A new computer *was bought* last week.
He accepted the gift.	The gift *was accepted* by him.
They made the coffee.	The coffee *was made*.
Mom cooked dinner yesterday.	Dinner *was cooked* yesterday.

Construcción de la pasiva en pasado continuo:

ASUNTO + WAS/WERE BEING + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
The police were investigating the suspect.	The suspect *was being investigated* by the police.
He was writing a book.	A book *was being written*.
I was reading a gripping novel.	A gripping novel *was being read*.
They were eating dinner when I came.	Dinner *was being eaten* when I came.

Probablemente conozcas el pretérito perfecto. ¿Pero sabes cómo se forma el pretérito? Echa un vistazo.

ASUNTO + HAD BEEN + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
He had written a book.	A book *had been written*.
The young terrorist had occupied the post office.	The post office *had been occupied*.
They had found the money.	The money *had been found*.
Mom had cooked dinner before we came home.	Dinner *had been cooked* before we came home.

Otro tiempo verbal en el que podemos utilizar el pasado es el futuro simple. ¿Cómo es una frase en este tiempo?

ASUNTO + WILL BE + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
I will write the letter immediately.	The letter *will be written* immediately.
Mom will cook dinner.	Dinner *will be cooked* by mom.
I will do it.	It *will be done*.
He will write a book.	A book *will be written*.

Un tiempo final cuya construcción merece la pena recordar. ¿Cómo es el pretérito perfecto?

ASUNTO + WILL HAVE BEEN + PAST PARTICIPLE

VOZ ACTIVA	VOZ PASIVA
We will have painted the room by the end of the week.	The room *will have been painted* by the end of the week.
He will have written a book.	A book *will have been written*.
Mom will have cooked dinner by 12 o’clock.	Dinner *will have been cooked* by 12 o’clock.
He will have repaired our fence.	Our fence *will have been repaired* by him.

Para formar el pasado con un verbo modal, añade la forma no implicadato be y la forma III del verbo.

Para formar una frase con un verbo modal, pero en pasado, añadimos al verbo have been y la forma III del verbo.