Understanding the Passive Voice in Romanian
The passive voice is a way to say that something happens to someone or something, instead of saying who or what does it. In Romanian, just like in English, we use the passive voice to focus on the action or the object rather than the person doing the action.
Important Points
- The passive voice in Romanian is formed using the verb 'a fi' (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
- The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.
- The agent (the doer of the action) can be introduced using 'de către' if necessary, but it is often omitted.
- The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action.
Examples
- Cartea este citită de Maria. (The book is read by Maria.)
- Merele sunt mâncate de copii. (The apples are eaten by the children.)
- Povestea a fost spusă de bunica. (The story was told by grandma.)
When using the passive voice, remember that the focus is on what is happening rather than who is doing it. This can make your sentences sound more formal or help when the doer of the action is unknown or not important.
Examples
- Mâncarea este pregătită. (The food is prepared.)
- Fotografiile sunt făcute de un profesionist. (The photos are taken by a professional.)