How to Form and Use Passive Voice in Tamil for English Speakers

Understanding Passive Voice in Tamil

In Tamil, the passive voice is used to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer. This is similar to English, where sentences like "The book was read by the student" focus on the object receiving the action.

Basic Structure of Passive Voice in Tamil

The passive voice in Tamil is typically formed by using the verb root combined with specific suffixes and auxiliary verbs. The agent (doer) is often omitted or introduced with the postposition "இருந்து" (irundu) or "மூலம்" (moolam) when necessary.

Forming Passive Voice: Step-by-Step

1. Start with the active verb root.
2. Add the passive suffix "-படு" (-padu) or "-படு" combined with tense markers.
3. Use the appropriate auxiliary verb to indicate tense and mood.
4. Optionally include the agent with postpositions if needed.

Examples of Passive Voice in Tamil

• அவன் புத்தகத்தை வாசித்தான் (Avan putthagaththai vaasiththaan) - He read the book. (Active)
• புத்தகம் வாசிக்கப்பட்டது (Putthagam vaasikkappattadhu) - The book was read. (Passive)
• அவள் கடிதம் எழுதினாள் (Aval kaditham ezhuthinaal) - She wrote the letter. (Active)
• கடிதம் எழுதப்பட்டது (Kaditham ezhuthappattadhu) - The letter was written. (Passive)

Usage Tips for English Speakers Learning Tamil Passive Voice

Unlike English, Tamil passive constructions often omit the agent entirely, especially when it is unknown or irrelevant. Also, the verb endings change according to tense and respect formality, so it is important to learn the suffixes and auxiliary verbs for each tense.