Passive vs Active Choice
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the action's recipient by using the 'di-' prefix instead of 'me-'.
- Change 'me-' prefix to 'di-' for the verb: Saya memakan apel -> Apel dimakan saya.
- The doer follows the passive verb with 'oleh': Buku itu dibaca oleh Andi.
- For first/second person, use the base verb without 'di-': Surat itu saya tulis.
Meanings
The passive voice is used to emphasize the receiver of an action rather than the performer. It is essential for formal writing and objective reporting.
Standard Passive
Focusing on the object of a transitive verb.
“Rumah itu dibangun tahun lalu.”
“Kue ini dibuat oleh ibu.”
Passive Voice Formation
| Active (me-) | Passive (di-) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Membaca | Dibaca | To be read |
| Menulis | Ditulis | To be written |
| Membeli | Dibeli | To be bought |
| Memakan | Dimakan | To be eaten |
| Mencuci | Dicuci | To be washed |
| Melihat | Dilihat | To be seen |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Object + di-Verb + oleh + Subject | Buku dibaca oleh Andi. |
| Negative | Object + tidak + di-Verb | Buku tidak dibaca. |
| Question | Apakah + Object + di-Verb? | Apakah buku dibaca? |
| 1st Person | Object + Pronoun + Verb | Buku saya baca. |
| 2nd Person | Object + Pronoun + Verb | Buku kamu baca. |
| Future | Object + akan + di-Verb | Buku akan dibaca. |
طیف رسمیت
Surat itu ditulis oleh saya. (Writing a letter)
Surat itu saya tulis. (Writing a letter)
Suratnya saya tulis. (Writing a letter)
Suratnya gue tulis. (Writing a letter)
Passive Voice Components
Prefix
- di- passive marker
Agent
- oleh by
Subject
- saya/kamu first/second person
Examples by Level
Buku dibaca.
The book is read.
Surat ditulis.
The letter is written.
Pintu dibuka.
The door is opened.
Kue dimakan.
The cake is eaten.
Buku itu dibaca oleh Andi.
The book was read by Andi.
Mobil itu dicuci oleh ayah.
The car was washed by father.
Tugas tidak dikerjakan oleh siswa.
The task was not done by the student.
Apakah kopi diminum oleh kamu?
Was the coffee drunk by you?
Laporan tersebut telah diselesaikan oleh tim.
The report has been finished by the team.
Ide itu saya sampaikan kemarin.
The idea was conveyed by me yesterday.
Masalah ini harus diselesaikan segera.
This problem must be solved immediately.
Keputusan itu diambil oleh direktur.
The decision was taken by the director.
Data yang dikumpulkan dianalisis secara mendalam.
The collected data was analyzed in depth.
Kebijakan tersebut ditentang oleh banyak pihak.
The policy was opposed by many parties.
Proyek ini akan dipimpin oleh ahli.
This project will be led by an expert.
Kesalahan itu tidak disadari oleh mereka.
The mistake was not realized by them.
Narasi tersebut dibangun melalui serangkaian metafora.
The narrative is constructed through a series of metaphors.
Perubahan iklim dipandang sebagai ancaman eksistensial.
Climate change is viewed as an existential threat.
Keputusan tersebut didasarkan pada bukti empiris.
The decision is based on empirical evidence.
Karya ini diakui sebagai mahakarya sastra.
This work is recognized as a literary masterpiece.
Fenomena ini lazim ditemukan dalam dialek pesisir.
This phenomenon is commonly found in coastal dialects.
Undang-undang tersebut disahkan melalui konsensus.
The law was passed through consensus.
Konteks historis sering kali diabaikan dalam analisis.
Historical context is often ignored in analysis.
Perdebatan ini dipicu oleh ketimpangan sosial.
This debate was triggered by social inequality.
Easily Confused
Both use prefixes to change verb focus.
Learners forget to switch prefixes.
When to use 'oleh' vs pronoun-verb.
اشتباهات رایج
Saya dimakan nasi.
Nasi dimakan oleh saya.
Dia memakan oleh saya.
Dia dimakan oleh saya.
Buku dibaca saya.
Buku saya baca.
Makan nasi.
Nasi dimakan.
Rumah itu dibangunkan oleh mereka.
Rumah itu dibangun oleh mereka.
Saya dibaca buku.
Buku dibaca oleh saya.
Apakah buku itu dibaca oleh kamu?
Apakah buku itu kamu baca?
Dia ditidur di kamar.
Dia tidur di kamar.
Surat itu dikirimkan oleh saya.
Surat itu saya kirimkan.
Buku ini dibaca oleh saya kemarin.
Buku ini saya baca kemarin.
Keputusan itu diambilkan oleh direktur.
Keputusan itu diambil oleh direktur.
Data tersebut dianalisiskan oleh tim.
Data tersebut dianalisis oleh tim.
Sentence Patterns
___ (object) ___ (di-verb) oleh ___ (subject).
___ (object) saya ___ (verb).
Apakah ___ (object) ___ (di-verb)?
___ (object) akan ___ (di-verb) besok.
Real World Usage
Kebijakan baru diumumkan oleh pemerintah.
Bawang dipotong kecil-kecil.
Laporan ini sudah saya kirim.
Udah dibaca ya?
Tugas tersebut diselesaikan dengan baik.
Tempat ini dikunjungi oleh ribuan orang.
Focus on the Object
No Intransitive Passive
Agentive Passive
Formal Tone
Smart Tips
Use the passive voice to sound objective and professional.
Use the passive voice to focus on the steps, not the person.
Drop the 'di-' and put the pronoun first.
Omit the 'oleh' phrase entirely.
تلفظ
Prefix 'di-'
Pronounced as 'dee', not 'dye'.
Statement
Buku itu dibaca. ↘
Falling intonation for declarative sentences.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'di-' as 'done'. If it is done, use 'di-'.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing still while an object (like a ball) is being kicked by someone else. The ball is the hero of the scene.
Rhyme
Active starts with 'me', passive starts with 'di'.
Story
Budi is cooking. He is the active chef. But the food is the star. The food is 'dimasak' by Budi. Everyone eats the food, not Budi.
Word Web
چالش
Write 5 sentences about your morning routine using the passive voice.
نکات فرهنگی
Using the passive voice is a sign of respect and objectivity in business settings.
Javanese speakers often prefer passive constructions to avoid directness.
Passive voice is often shortened in casual texting.
The passive 'di-' prefix evolved from the Malay-Polynesian root for 'at' or 'in'.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang sedang dikerjakan oleh kamu?
Apakah buku ini sudah dibaca?
Bagaimana keputusan itu diambil?
Apakah masalah tersebut sudah diselesaikan?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Buku itu ___baca oleh Andi.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Rumah itu dibangunkan oleh mereka.
Andi menulis surat.
Dia tidur di kamar.
A: Apakah tugas sudah selesai? B: Ya, tugas ___.
oleh / dimakan / kue / adik
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesBuku itu ___baca oleh Andi.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Rumah itu dibangunkan oleh mereka.
Andi menulis surat.
Dia tidur di kamar.
A: Apakah tugas sudah selesai? B: Ya, tugas ___.
oleh / dimakan / kue / adik
Membeli -> ?
Score: /8
سوالات متداول (8)
No, only transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) can be made passive.
If the subject is 'I' or 'you', we drop the 'di-' and use the agentive passive.
Yes, it is standard in formal writing and professional communication.
'Di-' is intentional, 'ter-' is accidental or a state.
It is used to introduce the agent in a passive sentence.
Yes, especially in instructional contexts or when focusing on the object.
You can just omit the 'oleh' phrase.
Yes, dialects may vary in how they use the agentive passive.
In Other Languages
Voz pasiva (ser + participio)
Spanish requires agreement in gender/number; Indonesian does not.
Voix passive (être + participe passé)
French conjugates the auxiliary verb; Indonesian does not.
Passiv (werden + Partizip II)
German has complex case endings; Indonesian is isolating.
Ukemigata (Passive form)
Japanese passive often implies suffering; Indonesian is neutral.
Al-Mabni lil-Majhul
Arabic passive is internal to the verb; Indonesian is external.
Bei-construction
Chinese 'bei' is often used for negative events; Indonesian 'di-' is neutral.
