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Le passif

Passive

With passive sentences, what is important is that which was done or is being done. Who or what did it need not be mentioned.

Les biscuits ont eté mangés.
The cookies were eaten.

Le ciel a été illuminé par la foudre.
The sky was lit up by the lightning.

Malheureusement, Pierre a été mangé par des crocodiles.
Unfortunately, Luis was eaten by crocodiles.

The passive aboves were formed by moving the object to where the subject was, using a form of ser, and following everything with a past participle.

On
The passive is often avoided by using on, the 'stand for just about anything' subject pronoun.

On vide les poubelles le lundi.
The trash cans are emptied on Mondays.

Dans l'usine, on fabrique des jouets.
In the factory, toys are made.