Language/Danish/Grammar/Passive-Voice
In this lesson, we will learn how to form and use the passive voice in Danish.
What is the Passive Voice?
The passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence is the receiver of the action, rather than the doer. In other words, the focus of the sentence is on the object rather than the subject.
For example, in the active sentence "Jeg elsker dig" (I love you), the subject "jeg" (I) is the doer of the action, while the object "dig" (you) is the receiver. In the passive sentence "Du bliver elsket af mig" (You are loved by me), the subject "du" (you) is the receiver of the action, while the object "mig" (me) is the doer.
Forming the Passive Voice
To form the passive voice in Danish, we use the auxiliary verb "blive" followed by the main verb in its past participle form. The order of the sentence changes, so that the subject comes after the auxiliary verb.
For example:
- Active: Jeg spiser æblet. (I eat the apple.)
- Passive: Æblet bliver spist af mig. (The apple is eaten by me.)
Here are the steps to form the passive voice:
- Identify the object of the active sentence.
- Use "blive" in the appropriate tense + the past participle form of the verb.
- Place the subject after the verb.
Let's look at some more examples:
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Jeg åbner døren. (I open the door.) | Døren bliver åbnet af mig. (The door is opened by me.) |
| Han tænder computeren. (He turns on the computer.) | Computeren bliver tændt af ham. (The computer is turned on by him.) |
Note that the agent (the doer of the action) is often introduced by the preposition "af" (by).
Using the Passive Voice
The passive voice can be used for a variety of reasons, such as:
- To shift the focus to the object or the result of the action.
- To avoid mentioning the doer of the action (i.e. when it is not important or not known).
- To emphasize the action rather than the doer.
Here are some situations where the passive voice is commonly used:
- When retelling a story or giving news, especially in journalism.
- In technical or scientific writing, to describe experiments or procedures.
- In official documents, to avoid assigning blame or responsibility.
- In polite or diplomatic language, to soften criticism or avoid confrontation.
Remember that the choice between the active and passive voice depends on the context and the intention of the speaker or writer.
Exceptions and Special Cases
There are some cases where the passive voice is not used or where alternative constructions are preferred:
- Intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take an object) cannot be put in the passive voice.
- Verbs that are inherently reflexive (such as "at skynde sig" - to hurry) are not used in the passive.
- Verbs that express attitudes or feelings (such as "at elske" - to love) are less common in the passive.
- To express reciprocal actions (such as "Elisabeth kyssede Peter" - Elisabeth kissed Peter), we use the reflexive pronoun "hinanden" (each other) instead of the passive.
Summary
In summary, the passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action, rather than the doer. In Danish, we use the auxiliary verb "blive" followed by the past participle of the main verb to form the passive voice. The choice between the active and passive voice depends on the context and the intention of the speaker or writer.
Remember to use the passive voice correctly and appropriately, and practice forming sentences in the passive voice to improve your Danish skills.
Related Lessons
- The Genitive Case in Danish
- Cardinal Numbers in Danish
- Nouns
- Plurals
- Verbs in Danish
- Adjectives
- How to Use Have
- Word Order
- Prepositions
- Interrogative words in Danish