Understanding Eesti Passive Voice
The passive voice in Eesti (Estonian) is used when we want to emphasize the action or the object of the sentence rather than who or what is performing the action.
Forming the Passive Voice
Important Points
- The passive voice is formed by using the verb 'olema' (to be) and the past participle of the main verb.
- The past participle often ends in '-tud' or '-dud'.
- The verb 'olema' is conjugated according to the tense and the subject of the sentence.
Examples
- Raamat on loetud. (The book is read.)
- Kiri oli kirjutatud eile. (The letter was written yesterday.)
- Uks avatakse iga päev kell üheksa. (The door is opened every day at nine.)
When to Use Passive Voice
Important Points
- When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
- When the focus is on the action itself or the result of the action.
- In formal or scientific writing where the focus is on the process or result.
Using the passive voice can make sentences sound more formal or objective, which is why it's often used in news reports and scientific papers.
Examples
- Uudis avaldati eile. (The news was published yesterday.)
- Katse viidi läbi laboris. (The experiment was conducted in the laboratory.)
- Küsimus on vastatud. (The question is answered.)