The Progressive Passive Voice
To describe an action that is currently happening to a subject, use the progressive passive voice. This is the equivalent of saying something "is being done" in English.
Form this structure by combining the conjugated verb estar, the word siendo (being), and a past participle.
Just like in standard passive sentences, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject receiving the action.
Here is how it looks with a masculine subject (el pecho):
| The chest is being tattooed by the tattoo artist. | El pecho está siendo tatuado por el tatuador. |
| The chest is being shaded by the tattoo artist. | El pecho está siendo sombreado por el tatuador. |
When the subject is feminine, like la piel (the skin), the past participle changes to match it:
| The skin is being disinfected now. | La piel está siendo desinfectada ahora. |
Using the Subjunctive
If your sentence includes a trigger for the subjunctive (such as expressing doubt or emotion), simply conjugate estar in the subjunctive mood. The rest of the phrase works exactly the same.
| I doubt that the shoulder is being tattooed today. | Dudo que el hombro esté siendo tatuado hoy. |
This analytical passive structure is highly descriptive, making it perfect for detailing meticulous processes like making body art.
| There is no danger; everything is being sterilized and disinfected. | No hay peligro; todo está siendo esterilizado y desinfectado. |