(singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine) with the grammatical subject. Its
use in the spoken language is uncommon, except in very formal, non-spontaneous
speech such as radio or television news. In writing, however, it is very common,
especially in a formal style; informal written language shows preference for the forms
used in ordinary speech.With this construction, the agent performing the action is either expressed or is
understood. Of the sentences with se above, only the last one, in which the agent
is understood, accepts the construction with ser.Las mercancías son embaladas y (son) trasladadas en camiones hasta
los puertos de embarque, y desde allí son despachadas a distintos
países.
The goods are packed and sent by lorry to the embarkation ports, and
from there they are shipped to different countries.Una vez que la fruta ha sido cosechada, ésta es vendida por los
productores a las empresas exportadoras.
Once the fruit has been harvested, it is sold by the producers to export
companies.La madera es transportada desde los centros de producción hasta
los aserraderos donde es transformada en astillas para su
exportación.
The wood is transported from the production centres to the sawmills
where it is converted into chips for export.Note that this construction is less likely to occur where only a single action is
involved. A more colloquial alternative would be preferred instead. Compare for
instance:La fruta es vendida por los productores a las empresas exportadoras.
The fruit is sold by the producers to the export companies.Los productores venden la fruta a las empresas exportadoras.
The producers sell the fruit to the export companies.The first sentence might be encountered in very formal writing such as in newspapers,
whereas the second sentence is neutral and could be used equally in the spoken and
written language. Note also the different focus or emphasis in the two sentences: in the
passive sentence with ser the focus or emphasis is on the object, la fruta in this case,
with the agent, los productores, in second place, whereas in the second sentence the
emphasis falls on the agent, with the object in second place.42.2 Describing results
42.2.1 Estar+ past participle
To describe a state which is the result of an action or a process, as in ‘This work is
finished’, ‘The house is sold’, Spanish uses estar followed by a past participle which, like
an adjective, agrees in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural)
with the noun it refers to (see 22.2).DESCRIBING PROCESSES AND RESULTS 42.2