Language/Armenian/Grammar/The-Passive-and-Active-Voice

The Passive and Active Voice in Armenian

How to form the passive voice in Armenian

In Armenian, the passive voice is formed by adding the letter “վ” right after the verb stem and before the corresponding verb ending. Here are a few examples: սպանել - սպանվել (to kill and to be killed), կառուցել - կառուցվել (to build and to be built), վնասել - վնասվել (to harm and to be harmed).

This rule of adding “վ” right after the verb stem works not only for present, but also for past and future tenses, not only for the indicative mood, but also for the imperative, subjunctive, obligatory and the conditional.

Examples: passive voice in Armenian

For example: “սպանեցին մեկին” changes to “մեկը սպանվեց”, “կառուցելու են տներ” to “կառուցվելու են տներ”, “վնասեցի նրան” to “նա վնասվեց”, “վաճառեցինք տանձ” to “տանձ վաճառվեց”, “պետք է պատռեմ” to “պետք է պատռվի” etc.

Here are a few sentences using the passive voice.

1) Արքիմեդը սպանվեց։ Archimedes was killed.

2) Շեքսպիրի գիրքն այվեց։ Shakespeare’s book was burnt.

3) Բոլոր հանցագործները կախվելու են։ All criminals will be hanged.

4) Երանի բոլոր հիվանդները բուժվեին։ If only all patients were cured.

Subject: passive voice in Armenian

Very often sentences in passive voice, as four sentences just listed, have no subject. But they can have subject, which is introduced via the following structure: the structure “word in genitive + կողմից” - “by …”

Examples

Here are two examples:

Active Voice: Վարդանը վճարեց ամբողջ գումարը։ Vardan paid the whole amount.

Passive Voice: Ամբողջ գումարը վճարվեց Վարդանի կողմից։ The whole amount was paid by Vardan.

Active Voice: Գործարարը խաբեց Սուրենին։ The businessman lied to Suren.

Passive Voice: Սուրենը խաբվեց գործարարի կողմից։ Suren was deceived by the businessman.

Instrumental case

In some cases the instrumental case may be used. For example:

Active Voice: Կայծակը սպանեց նրան: The lightning killed him.

Passive Voice: Նա սպանվեց կայծակից: He was killed by lightning.

Irregular verbs at the passive voice

There are a few verbs which are irregular in the passive voice. Here is a partial list:

Tab1

1) Ոչ մի լավ բան հեշտությամբ չի տրվում։ Nothing good is given easily.

2) Այս գիրքը դժվարությամբ է կարդացվում։ This book is read with difficulty.

3) Քո զայրույթն զգացվեց։ Your anger was felt.

Verbs forming their passive voice in a special manner

Verbs that end in -անալ or -ենալ replace these endings with -ացվել and -եցվել in passive voice. Here are a few often used verbs that form their passive voice in this manner.

Tab2

Here are two examples:

1) Նկարը հինգ անգամ մեծացվել էր։ The picture was made five times bigger.

2) Դանիելի ասածը չհասկացվեց։ Whatever Daniel said was not understood.

Verb gaining reflexive meaning

Some verbs gain a reflexive meaning (taking action upon yourself) when changed into the passive voice:

Tab3

1) Նա երբեք չի սափրվում։ He never shaves (himself).

2) Հայերը կարողանում են պաշտպանվել։ Armenians are able to defend themselves.

Verbs without any Passive Voice

Some verbs simply do not have the passive voice. Here is a partial list of such verbs.

Tab4

Sources

https://slaviccenters.duke.edu/sites/slaviccenters.duke.edu/files/handbook_of_armenian.pdf