French flag

Saying 'I was given' in French with 'on m'a donné'

In English, the person who receives something can easily become the subject of a passive sentence: she was given a watch, I was told the truth, we were sent a letter. French does not allow this with verbs like donner, dire, envoyer or promettre. With these verbs the recipient is an indirect object, introduced by à, and an indirect object can never become the subject of a passive.

English speakers often translate word for word and produce sentences like je suis donné un livre. This sounds as strange to a French ear as "I am given to a book" would. The fix is simple once you know it: use on with an indirect pronoun, or make the thing being given the subject.

Word list
apporterA1 to bring on m'a apporté un café = I was brought a coffee demanderA1 to ask on m'a demandé mon nom = I was asked my name direA1 to say on m'a dit la vérité = I was told the truth donnerA1 to give on m'a donné un livre = I was given a book écrireA1 to write on m'a écrit une lettre = I was written a letter montrerA1 to show on lui a montré la sortie = he was shown the exit donnerA2 to pass on m'a donné les clés = I was handed the keys enseignerA2 to teach on m'a enseigné cette méthode = I was taught this method envoyerA2 to send on nous a envoyé une lettre = we were sent a letter expliquerA2 to explain on m'a expliqué la règle = the rule was explained to me mentirA2 to lie on m'a menti = I was lied to (not j'ai été menti) offrirA2 to offer on lui a offert un cadeau = she was given a present passerA2 to pass on m'a passé le sel = I was passed the salt permettreA2 to let on m'a permis de partir = I was allowed to leave promettreA2 to promise on lui a promis une récompense = she was promised a reward raconterA2 to tell on nous a raconté une histoire = we were told a story souhaiterA2 to wish on m'a souhaité bonne chance = I was wished good luck tendreA2 to pass on lui a tendu une enveloppe = he was handed an envelope vendreA2 to sell on lui a vendu une fausse montre = he was sold a fake watch annoncerB1 to announce on m'a annoncé la nouvelle = I was told the news conseillerB1 to advise on m'a conseillé de me reposer = I was advised to rest demanderB1 to ask for on lui a demandé son avis = she was asked for her opinion faire suivreB1 to forward on m'a fait suivre le courrier = my post was forwarded to me interdireB1 to forbid on lui a interdit de sortir = she was forbidden to go out louerB1 to rent out on nous a loué un studio = we were rented a studio prêterB1 to lend on m'a prêté une voiture = I was lent a car proposerB1 to suggest on m'a proposé un poste = I was offered a job rappelerB1 to remind on m'a rappelé la date = I was reminded of the date recommanderB1 to recommend on m'a recommandé ce restaurant = I was recommended this restaurant réexpédierB1 to forward on m'a réexpédié le colis = the parcel was forwarded to me rendreB1 to return on m'a rendu mon passeport = I was given my passport back reprocherB1 to blame on m'a reproché mon retard = I was blamed for being late servirB1 to serve on m'a servi une soupe = I was served a soup sourireB1 to smile on lui a souri = she was smiled at suggérerB1 to suggest on m'a suggéré une solution = a solution was suggested to me transférerB1 to forward on m'a transféré le message = I was forwarded the message commanderB2 to command on m'a commandé de me taire = I was ordered to be quiet (formal) fournirB2 to supply on m'a fourni un ordinateur = I was provided with a computer garantirB2 to guarantee on m'a garanti une place = I was guaranteed a place ordonnerB2 to command on lui a ordonné de partir = he was ordered to leave rendreB2 to repay on m'a rendu mon argent = I was paid back révélerB2 to reveal on lui a révélé le secret = the secret was revealed to her restituerC1 to return on lui a restitué ses documents = his documents were returned to him léguerC2 to bequeath on lui a légué une maison = she was left a house passerC2 to pass on lui a passé le ballon = he was passed the ball prescrireC2 to prescribe on m'a prescrit des antibiotiques = I was prescribed antibiotics
How it works

These verbs follow the pattern donner quelque chose à quelqu'un. Only the direct object, the thing, can be passivised. The person stays indirect. You have two solutions.

The first and by far the most common is on + indirect pronoun (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) + active verb. It is the everyday equivalent of the English passive.

On lui a offert une montre pour ses trente ans.
(She was given a watch for her thirtieth birthday.)

The second is a real passive with the thing as subject. The person keeps its indirect pronoun. This sounds more formal and suits written French.

Une récompense lui a été promise.
(A reward was promised to her.)

Rule of thumb: if you can say "to someone" after the French verb, the someone cannot be the passive subject. Verbs whose person is a direct object work differently: inviter, aider or féliciter passivise without trouble, as in elle a été invitée.

The words
Giving and handing

donner (to give, and also to hand over), offrir, passer (the salt, or a ball in a match), tendre, vendre, louer (to rent out), léguer and prescrire. Accorder and octroyer work the same way.

On m'a donné les clés à l'accueil.
(I was handed the keys at reception.)
On m'a prescrit des antibiotiques.
(I was prescribed antibiotics.)
Telling, asking and showing

dire, raconter, demander (a question, or for something), montrer, enseigner, expliquer, annoncer, rappeler (to remind), révéler, recommander, proposer, suggérer and souhaiter.

On m'a demandé mon nom deux fois.
(I was asked my name twice.)
On lui a proposé un poste à Lyon.
(He was offered a job in Lyon.)
Sending and forwarding

envoyer, écrire, transférer, réexpédier and faire suivre.

On m'a transféré ton message ce matin.
(I was forwarded your message this morning.)
Lending and giving back

prêter, rendre (something borrowed, or money owed) and restituer.

On m'a rendu mon passeport à la frontière.
(I was given my passport back at the border.)
Promising, allowing and forbidding

promettre, permettre and interdire often come with de + infinitive. "I was allowed to" is never je suis permis.

On nous a permis de partir plus tôt.
(We were allowed to leave early.)
On lui a interdit de sortir le soir.
(She was forbidden to go out in the evening.)
Watch out

The typical mistake is copying the English structure: j'ai été dit or il a été envoyé une lettre. Both are wrong. Say on m'a dit and on lui a envoyé une lettre.

You will hear vous êtes demandé au téléphone. This is not an exception. Here demander quelqu'un means to ask for a person, so the person is a direct object, and the meaning is "someone wants to speak to you".

For an elegant written alternative that keeps the person as subject, use se voir + infinitive. Note that vu does not agree here.

Elle s'est vu offrir un voyage à Rome.
(She was given a trip to Rome.)

With permettre and interdire, an impersonal passive also exists: il m'est interdit de fumer ici.

Summary

When the French verb takes à + person, that person can never be the subject of a passive. Translate "I was given / told / sent / allowed" with on + indirect pronoun (on m'a donné, on lui a dit). In formal writing, make the thing the subject (une récompense lui a été promise) or use se voir + infinitive.