A2 · Grundkenntnisse Kapitel 21

The Passive Voice

4 Gesamtregeln
1 Min.
Regeln in diesem Kapitel Schnelle Übung

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Shift the focus from who did it to what was done using the versatile 'di-' prefix.

  • Transform active verbs into passive forms using the 'di-' prefix.
  • Reorganize sentence structures to highlight the object of an action.
  • Distinguish between formal and casual ways to express passive actions.
Master the 'di-' prefix to speak like a local.

Was du lernen wirst

Covers the 'di-' passive prefix. Explains when to use passive voice in formal and informal contexts.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to convert active 'me-' sentences into passive 'di-' sentences correctly.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to identify when to use 'oleh' (by) in a formal sentence.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to use the informal passive to describe daily chores and activities.

Tipps & Tricks (4)

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Prefix vs. Preposition

Always check if the word is a verb. If it is, attach 'di-'. If it's a place, keep it separate.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Prefix 'Di-'
💡

Focus on the Object

Always identify the object first. That is your subject in the passive sentence.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Sentence Structure
💡

Focus on the Object

Always ask yourself: is the object more important than the person?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Formal Passive Usage
💡

Focus on the object

Always identify the object before choosing the verb.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Informal Passive

Wichtige Vokabeln (7)

Buku Book Ditulis Written Dimakan Eaten Oleh By Surat Letter Dibuat Made Pintu Door

Real-World Preview

utensils

At a Restaurant

home

Cleaning the House

Review Summary

  • di- + [verb root]
  • Object + di-Verb + Subject
  • Object + di-Verb + oleh + Subject

Häufige Fehler

In the passive voice, the object must come first. The wrong version implies 'I was eaten by the apple'!

Wrong: Saya dimakan apel.
Richtig: Apel dimakan saya. (The apple was eaten by me.)

You must remove the 'me-' prefix before adding 'di-'. You cannot have both prefixes on one verb root.

Wrong: Buku di-membaca oleh dia.
Richtig: Buku dibaca oleh dia. (The book was read by him.)

While 'oleh' can start a sentence in very poetic Indonesian, for A2 learners, it should follow the verb to maintain standard OVS structure.

Wrong: Oleh siapa ini dibuat?
Richtig: Ini dibuat oleh siapa? (By whom was this made?)

Next Steps

You've just leveled up your Indonesian significantly! The passive voice is a hallmark of natural-sounding speech. Keep practicing those 'di-' verbs!

Read an Indonesian news headline and identify the 'di-' verbs.

Describe your breakfast using only passive sentences.

Continue to: Modal Verbs and Ability

Schnelle Übung (10)

Fill in the blank with the passive form of 'baca'.

Buku itu ___ oleh saya.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dibaca
The passive form of 'baca' is 'dibaca'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Formal Passive Usage

Fill in the blank with the passive form of 'baca'.

Buku itu ___ oleh Budi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dibaca
The passive form of 'baca' is 'dibaca'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Prefix 'Di-'

Fill in the blank with the correct passive form.

Buku itu ___ (baca) oleh Andi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dibaca
The passive form of 'baca' is 'dibaca'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Sentence Structure

Choose the correct passive sentence.

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nasi dimakan saya
The object must come first in passive voice.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Prefix 'Di-'

Fix the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Surat itu di tulis oleh dia.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Surat itu ditulis oleh dia
'di-' is a prefix and must be attached.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Prefix 'Di-'

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Mobil itu di cuci.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mobil itu dicuci
Prefixes are attached.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Formal Passive Usage

Choose the correct passive sentence.

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nasi dimakan saya
The object (nasi) must come first.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Sentence Structure

Select the correct passive form for a recipe.

Bawang ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dipotong
Passive is used for instructions.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Prefix 'Di-'

Fill in the blank for a negative passive.

Pintu ___ oleh dia.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tidak dikunci
Negative passive uses 'tidak' + 'di-'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Prefix 'Di-'

Choose the correct passive sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nasi dimakan saya
The object comes first in passive.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Formal Passive Usage

Score: /10

Häufige Fragen (6)

Yes, when attached to a verb, it creates a passive construction.
No, use the 'ku-' passive for first person.
No, only with transitive verbs (verbs that take an object).
No, it is optional and often omitted in casual speech.
No, only transitive verbs (verbs that take an object).
No, only if you want to emphasize the agent.
Vorheriges Kapitel
Active Verb Prefixes
Nächstes Kapitel
Modal Verbs and Ability
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