Passive with ser + past participle

Mastering passive constructions is like having a Swiss Army knife for Brazilian Portuguese – each tool perfect for different situations! While your textbook teaches "foi construído por" (was built by), real Brazilians might say "construíram," "se construiu," or "a gente construiu" depending on context. You'll see analytical passive in newspapers ("Presidente foi reeleito"), pronominal passive on signs ("Vende-se casa"), and hear indeterminate subjects in gossip ("Roubaram meu celular!"). Understanding all these options lets you navigate from boardrooms where "foi decidido pela diretoria" sounds professional, to street markets where "me roubaram!" feels natural.

The Passive Voice Ecosystem

Brazilian Portuguese offers passive constructions and active alternatives that can shift the focus of a message. They do not always identify the same agent. The register labels below describe typical uses, not strict rules:

Classic Passive: SER + Past Participle

News & Journalism

• "O presidente foi reeleito com 55% dos votos" (The president was reelected with 55% of votes)

• "Três suspeitos foram presos pela polícia" (Three suspects were arrested by police)

• "Foi anunciado novo lockdown" (New lockdown was announced)

• "A lei será votada na próxima sessão" (The law will be voted on in the next session)

Signs & Public Notices

• "Vende-se apartamento com vista para o mar" (Apartment with sea view for sale)

• "Alugam-se quartos para estudantes" (Rooms for rent to students)

• "Consertam-se sapatos" (Shoes repaired)

• "Procura-se cozinheiro com experiência" (Experienced cook wanted)

• "Aceita-se Pix e cartão" (Pix and card accepted — possible impersonal se reading)

Lexical Restrictions and Copular Verbs

Whether a passive is possible depends on the verb’s sense and construction:

• Ter: "É tido" is not the usual way to express possession; it is valid in "Ele é tido como competente" (He is regarded as competent).

• Existential haver: "É havido" does not express "there is"; use "há" or "existe".

• Custar in its price sense: use "custa", not "É custado".

• ❌ "Foi sido difícil" is not a literary passive of ser. Use "Foi difícil" or "Tem sido difícil"; these are copular clauses, not passives of ser.

Participle Agreement and Different Se Readings

In the analytical passive, the participle agrees with the patient-subject:

• Standard agreement: "As casas foram construídas"

• Nonstandard agreement: "As casas foram construído"

• With "se", a singular verb can indicate an impersonal construction. Distinguish that reading from a se-passive with a plural patient-subject.