pasivo
“pasivo” means “passive” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
passive
Also: inactive, second-hand
📝 In Action
Él tiene una actitud muy pasiva ante los problemas.
B1He has a very passive attitude towards problems.
Ser un fumador pasivo es peligroso para la salud.
B1Being a second-hand smoker is dangerous for your health.
En esta oración, el sujeto es pasivo porque recibe la acción.
B2In this sentence, the subject is passive because it receives the action.
liability
Also: debt
📝 In Action
El pasivo de la empresa ha crecido mucho este trimestre.
B2The company's liabilities have grown a lot this quarter.
Debemos restar los pasivos de los activos.
C1We must subtract the liabilities from the assets.
Tiene un pasivo exigible a corto plazo.
C1He has a short-term debt that needs to be paid.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pasivo
Question 1 of 3
If an accountant says 'Tenemos un pasivo de 1.000 euros', what do they mean?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'passivus', which relates to suffering or enduring an action rather than performing it.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pasivo' the same as 'pasado'?
No. 'Pasado' refers to time (the past), while 'pasivo' refers to a lack of action or a financial debt.
When should I use 'voz pasiva'?
You use it when the person receiving the action is more important than the one doing it (e.g., 'The book was written' instead of 'He wrote the book').
Can 'pasivo' be used to describe a lazy person?
It's close, but not exactly. A lazy person ('perezoso') doesn't want to work; a passive person ('pasivo') simply lets things happen to them without reacting.