Language/Modern-greek-1453/Grammar/Active-and-passive-verbs
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Voice - Φωνή
Verbs usually have two voices, the active voice and the passive voice. We see it in the suffix of the verb and some verbs have only one voice.
Ενεργητική φωνή (active voice)
Active voice (ενεργητική φωνή): used when the Subject of the sentence is performing an action.A verb is in the active voice if its subject is active, that is to say if it does the action.
All verbs in the active voice end in either “-ω” or “-ώ” (the second one has an accent).
Examples :
τρώω (I eat)
φεύγω (I leave)
τρέχω (I walk)
χτενίζω (I comb)
Παθητική φωνή (passive voice)
The Passive Voice «Παθητική Φωνή» in Modern Greek it is used when the Subject of the sentence undergoes an action or is in a certain state to emphasize an action done or when it is unknown who or what is doing the action.and not the subject in a sentence. It is also used when the subject is unknown. The Modern Greek Passive Voice is formed differently from the active.
For example :
"Ο μάγειρας ετοιμάζει (ac.) το φαγητό. Το φαγητό ετοιμάζεται (pas.)."
“The cook is preparing the food. The food is being prepared.”
Η Μαρία χτενίζει(ac.) τα μαλλιά της. – Maria is combing her hair.
Η Μαρία χτενίζεται (pas.). – Maria is combing (herself – implied).
- There are also verbs which occur only in one or the other voice
- Active Only
- έχω – I have τρέχω – I run
- Passive Only
- γίνομαι – I become κοιμάμαι – I sleep φοβάμαι – I fear (I am afraid)
Spelling tip
Verbs in the active voice, when they end with the sound “ο”, are always spelled with an “-ω” (omega) and when they end with the sound “ε”, are always spelled with an “ - ε” (epsilon in plural or imperative).
Examples:
περπατάω (I walk),
θέλω (I want),
να φύγω (to leave)
φύγε (imp) (leave),
ελάτε (imp.) (come)
παίζατε (plur.) (you were playing)
θα διαβάσουμε (plur.) (we will read)