French passive or on? Put the topic first
Compare on a adopté la proposition with la proposition a été adoptée. Practise choosing a subject, keeping the tense and retaining a named actor.
In short
On a adopté la proposition and La proposition a été adoptée can report the same adoption. The first uses on as its subject; the second starts with the proposal. Choose the subject that continues your topic, and keep a named actor when the reader needs that detail.
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A team’s actions or a proposal’s progress?
On a discuté la proposition, puis on l’a adoptée.We discussed the proposal, then adopted it.
Focus: A team describing its actions
On a aussi modifié deux règles.
We also changed two rules.
La proposition a été discutée, puis elle a été adoptée.The proposal was discussed, then adopted.
Focus: The proposal’s progress
Elle sera appliquée en septembre.
It will be implemented in September.
Here the team’s own account gives on the meaning “we”. In On m’a demandé mon avis, it can mean “someone” or “they”: “Someone asked for my opinion.” The surrounding conversation identifies the people. Its verb still has the third-person singular form: on a, on décide, on propose.
- Lina
Alors, votre équipe a pris une décision ?
So, has your team made a decision?
- Malik
Oui, on a adopté la proposition de Nora.
Yes, we adopted Nora’s proposal.
- Lina
Et la proposition sur les horaires ?
And the proposal about opening hours?
- Malik
Elle a été reportée à la prochaine réunion.
It was postponed until the next meeting.
The first question is about the team, so Malik answers with on. The second names a particular proposal; elle keeps that proposal in focus. Both replies are short, natural ways to answer the question being asked.
When do you use on instead of the passive in French?
| Version | Information stated |
|---|---|
| Nora a présenté la proposition. | Nora is the presenter. |
| La proposition a été présentée par Nora. | Nora is still the presenter; the proposal comes first. |
| La proposition a été présentée. | The proposal was presented; the presenter is unnamed. |
| On a présenté la proposition. | A human actor presented it; context supplies who. |
When a task asks you to keep every detail of Nora a présenté la proposition, use par Nora in the passive. Starting with on leaves her name out. For a report about what happened to a proposal, the agentless passive may give exactly the detail the reader is following.
How does the auxiliary change in the French passive?
| With on | Passive |
|---|---|
| On accepte les propositions. | Les propositions sont acceptées. |
| On a accepté les propositions. | Les propositions ont été acceptées. |
| On acceptera les propositions. | Les propositions seront acceptées. |
In the active past sentence, accepté has no preceding direct object. In the passive, acceptées agrees with feminine plural propositions. Both versions keep the past event. In the future pair, acceptera becomes seront acceptées.