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"Active Voice"

By Gerald Erichsen, About.com

Definition: A sentence in which the subject of the main verb performs the acting is in the active voice. We can also say that the verb is in the active voice. This is the way in which an "ordinary" simple sentence is constructed in both English and Spanish. The active voice is in contrast the the passive voice, in which the noun performing the action of the verb is stated indirectly, if at all.

Also Known As: La voz activa in Spanish

Examples: Examples in Spanish: 1. Pedro come las manzanas. The subject (Pedro) is the noun that is performing the action (come), so the verb is in the active voice. 2. Compré el coche. The subject (implied by the verb conjugation to be yo) is who is performing the action (compré). Corresponding examples in English: 1. "Pedro is eating the apples." The subject ("Pedro") is the noun that is performing the action ("is eating"), so the verb is in the atctive voice. 2. "I bought the car." The subject ("I") is who is performing the action ("bought").

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