Passé simple - Passif

26B.1

Passif direct – Option 1 – (Passé simple) (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

(Appendix C - Le Passif – The Passive Formats)

Sujet (nom ou pronom, objet direct du verbe principal)  +  (fus,  fus,  fut,  fûmes,  fûtes,  furent)  +  verbe principal (p.p.)(e.s.es) (but cannot be a member of the Secret Travel Club verbs – listed in Appendix B)

(Note: When using the "Passif direct - Option 1" format, the subject of the verb "être" must also be the direct object of the participe passé (p.p.) of the main verb, and because it also precedes the p.p., the p.p. agrees in gender and in number with that subject/direct object.)

26B.1

Examples:

Example 1 (masculin singulier)

Le texte fut corrigé.

– Il fut corrigé. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The text did get corrected. – It did get corrected. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The text got corrected. – It got corrected.

The text was corrected. – It was corrected.

Example 2 (féminin singulier)

La lettre fut corrigée.

– Elle fut corrigée. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The letter did get corrected. – It did get corrected. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The letter got corrected. – It got corrected.

The letter was corrected. – It was corrected.

26B.2

Passif direct – Option 2 – (Passé simple) (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

(Appendix C - Le Passif – The Passive Formats)

When the direct object appears as a noun:

On (sujet indéfini)  +  verbe principal (Passé simple)  +  objet direct.

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When the direct object appears as a pronoun:

On (sujet indéfini)  +  pronom objet direct  +  verbe principal (Passé simple)

26B.2

Examples:

Note: In this context, the subject pronoun "On" means "someone unspecified"

Example 1 (masculin singulier)

On corrigea le texte.

– On le corrigea. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The text did get corrected. – It did get corrected. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The text got corrected. – It got corrected.

The text was corrected. – It was corrected.

Example 2 (féminin singulier)

On corrigea la lettre.

– On la corrigea. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The letter did get corrected. – It did get corrected. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The letter got corrected. – It got corrected.

The letter was corrected. – It was corrected.

26B.3

Passif indirect – (Passé simple) (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

(Appendix C - Le Passif – The Passive Formats)

When the indirect object appears as a noun:

On (sujet indéfini)  +  verbe principal (Passé simple)  +  objet indirect.

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When the indirect object appears as a pronoun:

On (sujet indéfini)  +  pronom objet indirect  +  verbe principal (Passé simple)

26B.3

Examples:

The verb "parler" can mean speak or talk.

In this section, the examples show both meanings.

Note: In this context, the subject pronoun "On" means "someone unspecified"

Example 1 (masculin singulier)

On parla au candidat.

– On lui parla. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The (male) candidate did get spoken to.

– He did get spoken to. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The (male) candidate got spoken to. – He got spoken to.

The (male) candidate was spoken to. – He was spoken to.

Example 2 (féminin singulier)

On parla à la candidate.

– On lui parla. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The (female) candidate did get spoken to.

– She did get spoken to. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The (female) candidate got spoken to. – She got spoken to.

The (female) candidate was spoken to. – She was spoken to.

26B.4

Passif pronominal – (Passé simple) (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

(Appendix H - Le Pronominal passif et impersonnel)

Sujet (nom ou pronom, inanimé, – objet direct du verbe principal)  +  se-s'  +  verbe principal (Passé simple)

26B.4

Examples:

Example 1 (masculin singulier)

Le cours se donna plusieurs fois.

– Il se donna plusieurs fois. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The course was given several times. – It was given several times.

Example 2 (féminin singulier)

La maison se vendit avant l'été.

– Elle se vendit avant l'été. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

The house did get sold before the summer. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

– It did get sold before the summer. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The house did sell before the summer. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

– It did sell before the summer. (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

The house got sold before the summer. – It got sold before the summer.

The house was sold before the summer. – It was sold before the summer.

The house sold before the summer. – It sold before the summer.