English often uses the passive voice for indirect objects, like "He is refused the loan." French prefers to avoid the standard passive voice in these cases.
Instead, French uses an "indirect passive" structure by combining the reflexive verbs se voir (to see oneself) or s'entendre (to hear oneself) with an infinitive.
Se voir + infinitive
Use se voir + infinitive for physical or administrative actions done to someone (e.g., being granted or refused something). It translates to "to be [verb]ed."
| He is refused the loan. | Il se voit refuser le prêt. |
| We are granted the credit. | Nous nous voyons accorder le crédit. |
S'entendre + infinitive
For verbal communication, use s'entendre + infinitive. This is most commonly paired with dire (to say/tell) to mean "to be told."
| The client is told no by the banker. | Le client s'entend dire non par le banquier. |
| She is told that this financial project is risky. | Elle s'entend dire que ce projet financier est risqué. |
In the Past Tense
Reflexive verbs use être in compound tenses like the passé composé. In this indirect passive construction, the past participles vu and entendu remain invariable (they do not add an -e or -s to agree with the subject).
| Were you granted the mortgage? | Vous êtes-vous vu accorder l'hypothèque ? |
| They were told that the mortgage was difficult. | Ils se sont entendu dire que l'hypothèque était difficile. |
Banking Contexts
You will frequently encounter these constructions in administrative or banking scenarios, such as when discussing a down payment (un apport), savings (l'épargne), or a guarantor (un garant).
| Without a down payment, you were refused the credit. | Sans apport, tu t'es vu refuser le crédit. |
| Thanks to my savings, I was granted the loan. | Grâce à mon épargne, je me suis vu accorder le prêt. |
| Each one was told that a guarantor was necessary. | Chacun s'est entendu dire qu'un garant était nécessaire. |