英语中被动语态使用范围很广，凡是在不必或不愿说出或无从说出施动者以及为了便于连贯上下文或者为了强调动作的承受者等场合，往往都用被动语态。英语被动句的翻译主要有以下几种情况：

一、译成汉语主动句。

1.原句中的主语、谓语不变，译文中没有表示被动的标志，如“被、把”字等，形式上是主动句，表达被动意义。例如：

On Practice has been translated into many foreign languages.

《实践论》已译成许多国家的文字。

The whole country was armed in a few days.

几天以内，全国就武装起来了。

2.原句中的主语移到谓语之后，译作宾语。

Another middle school has been set up in our district．

我们区又办了一所中学。

1200 people had been saved soldiers in the earthquake.

在地震中，战士们已救出1200人。

3.译成带表语的主动句。

The decision to attack was not taken lightly.

进攻的决定不是轻易作出的。

In the old society，women were looked down upon.

在旧社会，妇女们是受歧视的。

4.含主语从句的被动句型译为主动句。

以it作形式主语的英语句子，翻译时常要转为主动形式，有时可加上“有人”、“大家”、“我们”等不确定主语。例如：

It is reported that the enemy has been breeding new strains of killer viruses．

据报道敌人正在培育新的杀人病毒。

It is suggested that meeting be put off till next Monday。

有人建议会议推迟到下星期一举行。

It is well known that natural light is actually made up of many colours．

众所周知，自然光其实是由许多种颜色构成的。

这类句型还有：

It is said that...

It is supposed that...

It must be pointed out that...

It is asserted that...

It is generally considered that...

二、译成汉语被动句 。

为了强调被动动作或突出施动者时，可以将英语被动句译为汉语被动句。

1． 汉语句中有“被”、“遭受”等词。

North China was hit by an unexpected heavy rain，which caused severe flooding。

华北地区遭受了一场意外的大雨袭击，引起了严重的水灾。

The window pane was broken by the child.

窗上玻璃被这小孩打碎了。

2． 译成“为……所”的结构。

Granny Wang was forced by family circum-stances to enter a knitting mill in Shanghai as a child labor at the age of twelve.

王大妈为家境所迫，十二岁就到上海一家针织厂作童工。

I was so impressed by these words that I used them later for a Christmas card.

我为这些话所深深感动，后来我就把它们写在圣诞卡上了。

三、译成“把”、“使”和“由”字句 。　

The famous hotel had been practically destroyed by the big fire.

大火使这家著名的旅馆几乎全部毁坏。

The plan is going to be examined first by the research group。

计划将先由研究小组加以研究。

By evening the occupation was complete and the people were chased of the streets by an eight o’clock curfew

至傍晚，占领已告完成，八点钟开始的宵禁把人们从街上赶回家。

四、译成无主语句 。

Some measures must be taken to control the water pollution.

必须采取某些措施来控制水污染。

Methods are found to take these materials out of the rubbish and use them again.

现在已经找到了从垃圾中提取这些材料并加以利用的方法。

综上所述，英语被动句多数情况下译成汉语的主动句，只有在特别强调被动动作或特别突出被动句才译成汉语被动句。我们要选一种既符合汉语习惯，又保持上下文连贯的译法。同时，既要注意语态转换的一般规则，也要注意其例外情况。