In French how do you make verbs passive?

Question

Instead of "she carries" I would like to say "she is carried".

I know some verbs are reflexive s'asseoir for example, but do you just make all verbs reflexive when you want them to translate passively?

Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

You could use "on". "On la porte."
It is usually the most straightforward solution.

Otherwise you use the more cumbersome "Elle est portée..."

Answer 2

Considering the fact that even your example is impossible to translate with accuracy unless the "she" refers to a female person or thing, I will give my best attempt at doing so but for the indepth knowledge that you are requirering, I'm pretty sure only an advanced "French" course and lots of practice and experience would satisfy your thirst for perfecting this rather less than "evident" latin-based language...
"She carries..." "Elle porte... "
"She is carried..." "Elle est portée..."
"He carries..." "Il est porté..."
The best thing that you could do is to go to a good "French" book store and ask for the best book that they might have on the subject. Many verbs must be learned by heart as it were and what with all of the exceptions to the rules here, there and everywhere, one thing that is required certainly is "time".
If you only knew how few francophones themselves speak it properly and even less who manage to write it without making more errors than they manage to get correctly. It's a sad fact but it's like that.
I suppose it explains why it has more or less become somewhat of a dying language with "English" being the "international" language and the much simply "Spanish" fast approaching the most spoken language on earth.
Sorry I couldn't have been of better help.
What you could remember is this...
Reflexive verbs are simpler such as "je pense", "je m'asseois", etc., whereas the passive would invariably require another verb (verbe être) introducing it such as your "carrie" and "carried" example. Then you must determine which tense it must be in such as present, past, future (elle sera portée, il sera porté) and so one...

Answer 3

good question. I think you use the reflexive when the subject isn't mentioned, such as saying "l'eglise se trouve là bas" the church is found over there, or "le chapeau se met sur la tête" hats are worn on the head.

on the other hand, if there's a subject, you'd use the past participle with être. Elle a été portée par son père OR Elle a été portée.

That's my off-the-cuff answer, someone else might come along and prove me wrong.

Answer 4

Same as in English: elle est portée - but make sure the past participle agrees with the subeject.

Another way commonly used is to say 'On la porte' - she is carried - literally 'one carries her', but usually translated into English as the passive. This is very frequent in the spoken language: I was give a present - On m'a donné un cadeau.

Answer 5

Very simple, use the auxiliary verb être (to be) followed by the past participle.
He is rewarded=Il est récompensé.
Just make sure the past participle agrees with the subject (gender and number).
Same example:
They (women) are rewarded=Elles sont récompensées.

Answer 6

Here is a good start on beginning french grammar. There are several good links on about. I have taken french for years and to be honest, I don't remember a lot of it. I have site bookmarked for reference now since I am in college and refreshing my French.

Answer 7

You shrug your shoulders when you say them.

Answer 8

In France, everyone is passive.