par

Marking the Doer of a Passive Action with Par

Level 3

In the passive voice, the subject receives the action. The 'doer' (agent) is usually introduced by the preposition par (by).

How It Works

The passive voice shifts focus from the 'doer' to the 'receiver.' While the subject of the sentence is the receiver, the original doer (the agent) can be added at the end using par.

1. Transitivity Restriction
In French, only verbs that take a direct object can be used in the passive voice. Unlike English, you cannot make an indirect object the subject of a passive sentence. For example, you cannot say 'Je suis dit' for 'I was told.' Instead, French uses the on subject pronoun with the active voice: On m'a dit.

2. Usage with Nouns and Pronouns
Par can be followed by a noun phrase or a disjunctive pronoun (moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles).
Example: Ce livre a été écrit par lui. (This book was written by him.)

3. Choosing Between par and de
While par is the standard choice for most actions, the preposition de is often used with verbs of emotion (aimer, respecter), description, or state. The choice between them can carry semantic weight: par emphasizes a specific action or event, while de often emphasizes a state or a continuous feeling.
Example: Il est aimé de tous. (He is loved by everyone.)

4. Register and Style
The passive voice with par is common in formal writing and news. In casual conversation, French speakers often prefer using the on subject pronoun or passive reflexive structures to avoid the 'heavy' feel of the passive voice.

Examples (4)

  1. Le pont a été construit par une entreprise italienne.

    The bridge was built by an Italian company.

    Word by Word: The bridge has been built by a company Italian.

    Here, 'par' introduces the concrete agent (the company) that performed the action of building.

  2. Les résultats seront annoncés par le président ce soir.

    The results will be announced by the president tonight.

    Word by Word: The results will be announced by the president this evening.

    In formal announcements, 'par' is used to specify the official source of the action.

  3. Ce tableau a été peint par un artiste inconnu.

    This painting was painted by an unknown artist.

    Word by Word: This painting has been painted by an artist unknown.

    The past participle 'peint' agrees with the masculine singular subject 'tableau'.

  4. La porte a été ouverte par le gardien.

    The door was opened by the guard.

    Word by Word: The door has been opened by the guard.

    Note that 'ouverte' agrees with the feminine subject 'la porte', not the masculine agent 'le gardien'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a subject pronoun (il, elle) instead of a disjunctive pronoun after 'par'.

    Le gâteau a été mangé par il.
    Le gâteau a été mangé par lui.

    Prepositions like 'par' must be followed by stressed (disjunctive) pronouns like 'lui', 'elle', or 'eux'.

  • Forgetting to agree the past participle with the subject.

    La lettre a été écrit par Marie.
    La lettre a été écrite par Marie.

    In the passive voice, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject (la lettre), not the agent (Marie).

  • Using 'par' where 'de' is more usual.

    Different MeaningIl est aimé par tout le monde.
    Il est aimé de tout le monde.

    Both are correct. With verbs of feeling, 'de' is the more traditional choice ('aimé de tous'), but 'par' is also common.

How It Connects

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parLevel 3Marking the Doer of a Passive Action with Par

Learn This First

To use 'par' to mark an agent, you must first understand how to construct the passive voice using the auxiliary verb 'être' and a past participle that agrees with the subject.

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