The passive voice - review: se firmó, se pagan, se entregará...

La voz pasiva - repaso: se firmó, se pagan, se entregará...

Usamos la voz pasiva para hablar de acciones sin decir quién las hace.

(We use the passive voice to talk about actions without saying who does them.)

Teacher explanation

What this structure does ("pasiva con se")

Spanish often avoids naming the agent (“who does it”) in formal, professional contexts.

Active: focuses on the actor. El banco verifica la transferencia.
Passive with se: focuses on the thing/action. La transferencia se verifica. (= “The transfer is verified.”)

It is especially common in:

banking and app messages
instructions and procedures
policies, reports, and official communication

How to build it (the reliable 3-step method)

Choose the thing you want to highlight (the former object).
Add se.
Use the verb in 3rd person and make it agree with the thing (singular/plural).

Formula	Result
cosa + se + verbo (3.ª persona)	“The thing is done” (agent not mentioned)

Agreement: the #1 mistake to avoid

The verb must match the new subject (the “thing”).

Singular subject → singular verb
Plural subject → plural verb

Subject	Correct	Incorrect
El código	Se envía por SMS.	~~Se envían por SMS.~~
Los pagos	Se gestionan manualmente.	~~Se gestiona manualmente.~~

Keep the original tense (don’t change time)

When you convert active → passive with se, keep the same tense and the same time markers.

Tense	Active	Pasiva con se
Presente	El banco verifica la transferencia hoy.	La transferencia se verifica hoy.
Pretérito indefinido	Aprobaron el préstamo la semana pasada.	El préstamo se aprobó la semana pasada.
Pretérito imperfecto	Gestionaban los pagos manualmente.	Los pagos se gestionaban manualmente.
Futuro	El banco revisará la hipoteca.	La hipoteca se revisará.

What happens to “who did it” (the agent)?

Most of the time, you omit the agent because it’s obvious or irrelevant.

Se aprobó el préstamo. (We don’t say who.)

If you really need to say who, Spanish usually prefers an active sentence or another structure.

Active (clear and natural): El director aprobó el presupuesto.
Formal passive (less common in everyday use): El presupuesto fue aprobado por el director.

“Se” passive vs. “se” reflexive: quick test

Same word, different meaning. Use this quick check:

Passive with se: someone (unspecified) does it to the thing. Se bloqueó la tarjeta. (= The card was blocked.)
Reflexive/accidental: the subject “happens” to change state. La tarjeta se bloqueó. (= The card got blocked / became blocked.)

In banking contexts, both are possible, but meanings differ:

Se bloqueó la tarjeta por seguridad. → a policy/action by the bank (agent implied).
La tarjeta se bloqueó. → a result/event (often sounds like it happened).

Self-check before you move on

Did I move the thing to the front as the subject?
Did I add se right before the verb?
Is the verb in 3rd person and does it agree (singular/plural)?
Did I keep the same tense and the same complements (place, time, reason)?

Active voice: person + verb + thing ⇒ Passive voice: thing + se + verb in the third person (singular or plural)

Tiempo verbal	Voz activa	Voz pasiva
Presente	El banco verifica la transferencia hoy. (The bank checks the transfer today.)	La transferencia se verifica hoy. (The transfer is checked today.)
Pretérito indefinido	Ellos aprobaron el préstamo la semana pasada. (They approved the loan last week.)	El préstamo se aprobó la semana pasada. (The loan was approved last week.)
Pretérito imperfecto	Ellas gestionaban los pagos manualmente. (They used to manage the payments manually.)	Los pagos se gestionaban manualmente. (The payments used to be managed manually.)
Futuro simple	El banco revisará la hipoteca. (The bank will review the mortgage.)	La hipoteca se revisará. (The mortgage will be reviewed.)

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. Por seguridad, el código de verificación ____ por SMS y caduca en 10 minutos.

2. El préstamo personal ____ la semana pasada, pero todavía no aparece en el estado de cuenta.

3. Antes, los pagos automáticos ____ manualmente en la sucursal.

4. La nueva clave de seguridad ____ en su domicilio en un plazo de 48 horas.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Turn the active-voice sentences into passive voice with «se» (thing + se + verb in 3rd person), keeping the tense and complements. Example: El banco verifica la transferencia hoy. → La transferencia se verifica hoy.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints

El gestor revisa los documentos antes de firmar el contrato.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Los documentos se revisan antes de firmar el contrato.
(The documents are reviewed before signing the contract.)
Ayer el banco bloqueó mi tarjeta por seguridad.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Ayer mi tarjeta se bloqueó por seguridad.
(Yesterday my card was blocked for security reasons.)
Antes, los clientes entregaban los formularios en papel en la oficina.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Antes, los formularios se entregaban en papel en la oficina.
(Before, the forms were submitted on paper at the office.)
Mañana el asesor enviará la oferta de la hipoteca por correo.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Mañana la oferta de la hipoteca se enviará por correo.
(Tomorrow the mortgage offer will be sent by mail.)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence in the passive voice with se.