Breakdown of La molécule est transformée par le phénomène.
être
to be
par
by, through / out of (motive)
la molécule
the molecule
transformer
to transform
le phénomène
the phenomenon
Questions & Answers about La molécule est transformée par le phénomène.
Why does transformée have an extra -e at the end?
In the passive voice, the past participle acts like an adjective and must agree with the subject. Because la molécule is feminine and singular, we add an -e to the past participle transformé.
Is the passive voice structured the exact same way in French as in English here?
Yes, it matches perfectly! You use the verb être (to be) conjugated in the present tense (est), followed by the past participle (transformée). Then, just like English uses 'by', French uses the preposition par to introduce what is doing the action.
Why is it le phénomène if it ends in -e? Isn't that usually feminine?
Could I use de instead of par to mean 'by' in this sentence?
No, par is the right choice for an active, physical process like transforming something. You would only use de (by/with) in the passive voice for verbs describing feelings, states of being, or figurative actions, such as être respecté de (to be respected by).
Learn La molécule est transformée par le phénomène and more in French
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free