Passive Voice in Swedish

In Swedish, passive voice is used to shift the focus from the doer of the action to the action itself. It allows us to emphasize the action being performed rather than the person or thing performing it. In this guide, we will explore the use of passive voice in Swedish and learn how to differentiate between active and passive sentences.

Active Voice vs Passive Voice

In active voice sentences, the subject of the sentence performs the action. The typical word order in active sentences is subject-verb-object.

Example:

• Active: Han skriver en bok. (He is writing a book.)

In passive voice sentences, the subject of the sentence receives the action. The typical word order in passive sentences is object-verb-subject.

Example:

• Passive: En bok skrivs av honom. (A book is being written by him.)

Forming the Passive Voice

To form the passive voice in Swedish, we use the auxiliary verb "bli" (to become) followed by the past participle of the main verb. The past participle is formed by adding -s to the infinitive form of regular verbs.

Example:

• Active: Hon äter äpplet. (She eats the apple.)
• Passive: Äpplet blir ätet av henne. (The apple is being eaten by her.)

Note: The auxiliaries "bliva" and "vara" can also be used instead of "bli" in some dialects or older Swedish.

Using Passive Voice

Passive voice is commonly used in Swedish to focus on the action, to express impersonal or general statements, and to avoid mentioning the doer of the action.

1. Focusing on the action:

   • Active: De bygger ett hus. (They are building a house.)
   • Passive: Ett hus blir byggt av dem. (A house is being built by them.)

2. Impersonal or general statements:

   • Active: Man säger att det regnar. (People say that it's raining.)
   • Passive: Det sägs att det regnar. (It is said that it's raining.)

3. Avoiding the mention of the doer:

   • Active: Läkaren opererade patienten. (The doctor operated on the patient.)
   • Passive: Patienten blev opererad. (The patient was operated on.)

Adverbial Phrases in Passive Voice

When using adverbial phrases in passive voice sentences, the adverbial phrase usually comes before the auxiliary verb "bli."

Example:

• Active: Han läser boken på biblioteket. (He is reading the book at the library.)
• Passive: Boken blir läst på biblioteket av honom. (The book is being read at the library by him.)

Conclusion

Passive voice in Swedish allows us to focus on the action rather than the doer of the action. By using the auxiliary verb "bli" and the past participle, we can transform active sentences into passive sentences. Passive voice is useful for emphasizing the action, expressing impersonal statements, and avoiding the mention of the doer. Practice using passive voice in various contexts to improve your understanding and fluency in Swedish.