B2Lesson 3: Passive Constructions & Alternatives
While Portuguese has formal passive voice constructions, Brazilians overwhelmingly prefer active alternatives using impersonal structures, third-person plural, or reflexive constructions, making speech sound more natural and dynamic.
This is a partial preview of the article.
Unlock the full explanation and all practice exercises for this B2 lesson.
Join Falando to access grammar from all CEFR levels.
The formal passive voice exists in Portuguese, but using it in everyday conversation is like wearing a tuxedo to the beach – technically acceptable but completely out of place. Brazilians have developed creative ways to express passive meanings while keeping their sentences active and flowing.
The traditional passive uses ser + past participle + por:
| Active Element | Passive Transformation |
|---|---|
| Subject (João) | Agent with "por" (por João) |
| Verb (escreveu) | ser + participle (foi escrito) |
| Object (o livro) | New subject (O livro) |
