Language/French/Grammar/Problems-with-passive-different-direct-objects

Problems in the formation of the passive arising from different kinds of direct objects

Most verbs which have a direct object will convert into a passive, but there are limitations to whether the meaning is sensible or not. Aimer can be turned into a sensible passive:

• Juliette aime Georges

Juliette loves George

• Georges est aimée par Juliette

George is loved by Juliette

but lire produces a less natural sentence:

• Je lis ce livre

I am reading this book

• Ce livre est lu par moi (???)

This book is being read by me (???)

Usually passives which make an inanimate direct object a subject and put an animate subject in a par or de phrase are unnatural.

NB: The verb avoir is used in the passive only in the colloquial “J'ai été eu” I have been had' in the sense of 'swindled'.