What is the passive tense?

This is a tricky one many students struggle with. The passive isn’t acutally a tense, it’s a “mood”, since it can be put into virtually any tense! The mood you will have learned at GCSE is called the indicative, e.g. Je regarde la télé. This is where the subject is the main focus of the sentence - I am watching the TV. Whereas the passive places the importance onto the object (e.g. la télé) by flipping the sentence around. La télé est regardée par moi. Be careful though, because here ‘regardé’ needs an extra ‘e’ because it’s describing the TV (as being watched) and is feminine.

HC

Related French A Level answers

All answers ▸

Translate the following sentences into French: 1) Although the environment is a big issue, most people are not concerned. 2) As our natural resources are so limited, we should not waste them. 3) I fear that they will never find a cure for AIDS.


When do I use the subjunctive?


How do I know which adjectives are placed before or after a noun?


How do you form the perfect tense?