How to Use Passive Voice in Ukrainian for English Speakers

Understanding Passive Voice in Ukrainian

The passive voice in Ukrainian is used to emphasize the action or the object receiving the action rather than the subject performing it. This is similar to English, where sentences like "The book was read by Anna" focus on the book rather than Anna.

Why Learn Passive Voice in Ukrainian?

Knowing how to use the passive voice allows you to understand and form sentences that highlight the receiver of an action, which is common in formal writing, news reports, and everyday conversation in Ukrainian.

Forming the Passive Voice in Ukrainian

In Ukrainian, the passive voice is typically formed using the verb "бути" (to be) in the appropriate tense combined with the past passive participle of the main verb.

For example, the verb "читати" (to read) in passive voice present tense would be formed as follows:

• Книга читається. (The book is being read.)
• Листи пишуться. (The letters are being written.)

Past Passive Voice Formation

To form the past passive voice, use the past tense of "бути" plus the past passive participle:

• Книга була прочитана. (The book was read.)
• Лист був написаний. (The letter was written.)

Past Passive Participles in Ukrainian

Past passive participles in Ukrainian are formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb stem, often -ний, -тий, or -ений, depending on the verb conjugation group.

For example:

• прочитати (to read) → прочитаний (read)
• написати (to write) → написаний (written)
• побудувати (to build) → побудований (built)

Examples of Passive Voice in Ukrainian

Here are some examples comparing active and passive voice in Ukrainian:

• Active: Анна читає книгу. (Anna reads the book.)
• Passive: Книга читається Анною. (The book is being read by Anna.)
• Active: Хтось написав лист. (Someone wrote the letter.)
• Passive: Лист був написаний. (The letter was written.)

Common Uses of Passive Voice in Ukrainian

Passive voice is often used in Ukrainian to:

• Focus on the action or object rather than the subject
• Express actions when the subject is unknown or unimportant
• Create a formal or impersonal tone

Tips for English Speakers Learning Ukrainian Passive Voice

While English and Ukrainian both use passive voice, Ukrainian relies heavily on participles and verb forms that may be unfamiliar. Practice forming past passive participles and using the verb "бути" in different tenses to become comfortable.

Remember that in Ukrainian, the agent (the doer) in passive sentences is often introduced by the instrumental case, for example, "Анною" in "Книга читається Анною."

Summary

The passive voice in Ukrainian is formed with the verb "бути" plus the past passive participle. It is used to emphasize the action or the object receiving the action, similar to English. Mastering this will improve your comprehension and expression in Ukrainian.