How to Say "passive" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “passive” is “pasivo” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Él tiene una actitud muy pasiva ante los problemas.
He has a very passive attitude towards problems.
Ser un fumador pasivo es peligroso para la salud.
Being a second-hand smoker is dangerous for your health.
En esta oración, el sujeto es pasivo porque recibe la acción.
In this sentence, the subject is passive because it receives the action.
Matching the Gender
Since this is an adjective, you must change the ending to 'pasiva' when you are describing something feminine, like 'una persona pasiva'.
Choosing 'To Be'
Use 'ser' if you're describing someone's permanent personality (He is a passive person), but use 'estar' if someone is just being inactive in a specific moment.
Confusing with 'Past'
Mistake: “Using 'pasivo' to mean 'the past'.”
Correction: Use 'pasado' for 'the past'. 'Pasivo' only means not taking action.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.