How to Use Passive Voice in Slovak for English Speakers

Understanding Passive Voice in Slovak

The passive voice in Slovak is used to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer. It is similar to English passive constructions but has its own unique forms and rules.

When to Use Passive Voice in Slovak

Passive voice is commonly used in Slovak to describe actions where the agent is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context. It is often found in formal writing, instructions, and news reports.

Forming the Passive Voice with "byť" + Past Participle

The most common way to form the passive voice in Slovak is by combining the verb "byť" (to be) in the appropriate tense with the past participle of the main verb. The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.

For example:

• Aktívna veta (Active): "Učiteľ píše list." (The teacher writes a letter.)
• Pasívna veta (Passive): "List je písaný učiteľom." (The letter is being written by the teacher.)

Past Participle Agreement in Passive Voice

In Slovak passive constructions, the past participle must agree with the subject in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural). This is different from English, where the past participle form remains the same regardless of the subject.

Examples:

• Masculine singular: "List je napísaný." (The letter is written.)
• Feminine singular: "Správa je napísaná." (The report is written.)
• Neuter singular: "Mesto je postavené." (The city is built.)
• Plural: "Listy sú napísané." (The letters are written.)

Using the Agent with "kým" or "od" (by) in Passive Sentences

To indicate the doer of the action in Slovak passive sentences, prepositions like "kým" or "od" followed by the instrumental case are used, similar to English "by".

Example:
"Kniha bola napísaná autorom." (The book was written by the author.)

Passive Voice Without an Agent

Often, the agent is omitted when it is unknown or irrelevant. The focus remains on the action or the object receiving the action.

Example:
"Dvere boli zatvorené." (The doors were closed.)

Passive Voice with Reflexive Verb Form

Slovak also uses a reflexive construction with the pronoun "sa" to express passive meaning, especially in spoken language or informal contexts.

Example:
"Predáva sa dom." (A house is being sold.)

Differences Between English and Slovak Passive Voice

While English often uses the auxiliary verb "to be" plus past participle, Slovak uses both the "byť" + past participle construction and the reflexive "sa" form. Additionally, Slovak past participles must agree in gender and number, which is not the case in English.