The Analytic Passive Voice
When discussing historical events, battles, or discoveries, we often focus on what happened rather than who did it. We do this using the passive voice.
The analytic passive voice in Portuguese is built using three pieces:
- The verb ser (to be) conjugated in the tense of the action.
- A past participle describing the action.
- The preposition por (by) to introduce the agent (the doer).
Participle Agreement and "Por" Contractions
Because we use the verb ser, the past participle acts like an adjective. It must agree in gender and number with the subject receiving the action (-o, -a, -os, -as).
Additionally, when the agent is preceded by a definite article, por contracts:
| Preposition + Article | Contraction |
|---|
| por + o | pelo |
| por + a | pela |
| por + os | pelos |
| por + as | pelas |
The Passive Voice in the Past
To talk about historical events or inventions, conjugate ser in the past tense (foi / foram). Notice how the participle endings match the subjects, and how por contracts.
The Passive Voice in the Present
To describe general facts or ongoing situations, conjugate ser in the present tense (é / são).
Pronouns as Agents
When the agent is a pronoun, por stands alone without contracting.