B2 Passive & Reported Speech 1 min read Moyen

Passive meaning with Reflexive verbs

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use reflexive verbs (ending in -վել) to describe actions where the subject is affected, effectively creating a passive meaning.

  • Use -վել verbs for actions where the agent is unknown or irrelevant: `Դուռը բացվեց` (The door was opened).
  • Reflexive passive implies the action happened to the subject: `Գիրքը գրվեց` (The book was written).
  • Do not include an agent with 'by' in this structure; it focuses on the object's state.
Object + Verb(-վել) = Passive Meaning

Passive -վել Conjugation (Past Tense)

Person Affirmative Negative
1st Sing
Գրվեցի
Չգրվեցի
2nd Sing
Գրվեցիր
Չգրվեցիր
3rd Sing
Գրվեց
Չգրվեց
1st Plur
Գրվեցինք
Չգրվեցինք
2nd Plur
Գրվեցիք
Չգրվեցիք
3rd Plur
Գրվեցին
Չգրվեցին

Meanings

The reflexive-passive construction uses verbs ending in -վել to indicate that an action has occurred to the subject without specifying an external agent.

1

Spontaneous Passive

Action occurring naturally or without a clear human agent.

“Ապակին կոտրվեց։ (The glass was broken.)”

“Ծառը տնկվեց։ (The tree was planted.)”

2

State-oriented Passive

Describing the state of an object following an action.

“Տունը կառուցվեց։ (The house was built.)”

“Նամակը գրվեց։ (The letter was written.)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Passive meaning with Reflexive verbs
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Root + վեց
Գրվեց
Negative
Չ + Root + վեց
Չգրվեց
Question
Root + վե՞ց
Գրվե՞ց
Plural
Root + վեցին
Գրվեցին

Spectre de formalité

Formel
Պատուհանը բացվեց։

Պատուհանը բացվեց։ (General)

Neutre
Պատուհանը բացվեց։

Պատուհանը բացվեց։ (General)

Informel
Պատուհանը բացվեց։

Պատուհանը բացվեց։ (General)

Argot
Պատուհանը բացվեց։

Պատուհանը բացվեց։ (General)

The Passive Shift

Action

Active

  • Գրել To write

Passive

  • Գրվել To be written

Exemples par niveau

1

Դուռը բացվեց։

The door was opened.

2

Լույսը անջատվեց։

The light was turned off.

1

Գիրքը գրվեց։

The book was written.

2

Հացը թխվեց։

The bread was baked.

1

Հանդիպումը չեղարկվեց։

The meeting was cancelled.

2

Տունը կառուցվեց։

The house was built.

1

Օրենքը ընդունվեց խորհրդարանում։

The law was passed in parliament.

2

Ապրանքը ուղարկվեց։

The product was sent.

1

Այդ որոշումը հիմնավորվեց փաստերով։

That decision was justified by facts.

2

Նախագիծը հաստատվեց նախարարի կողմից։

The project was approved by the minister.

1

Այս տեսությունը լայնորեն քննարկվեց գիտական շրջանակներում։

This theory was widely discussed in scientific circles.

2

Ամբողջ գործընթացը վերանայվեց։

The entire process was reviewed.

Facile à confondre

Passive meaning with Reflexive verbs vs Active vs Passive

Mixing up the subject.

Erreurs courantes

✗

Նա գրվեց նամակ

✓

Նամակը գրվեց

Passive doesn't take an object.
✗

Գիրքը գրեցավ

✓

Գիրքը գրվեց

Wrong suffix.
✗

Մարդը գրվեց

✓

Գիրքը գրվեց

Passive is for things.
✗

Ես գրվեցի նամակը

✓

Նամակը գրվեց

Reflexive passive is not for 'I'.
✗

Դուռը բացեցվեց

✓

Դուռը բացվեց

Double suffix.
✗

Հացը թխեց

✓

Հացը թխվեց

Missing passive marker.
✗

Նամակը գրվեց ինձ կողմից

✓

Նամակը գրվեց

Avoid 'by me' in this form.
✗

Հանդիպումը չեղարկեց

✓

Հանդիպումը չեղարկվեց

Active vs Passive.
✗

Տունը կառուցել էր

✓

Տունը կառուցվեց

Wrong tense/voice.
✗

Այդ որոշումը հիմնավորեց

✓

Այդ որոշումը հիմնավորվեց

Need passive.
✗

Նախագիծը հաստատեցվեց

✓

Նախագիծը հաստատվեց

Redundant suffix.
✗

Գործընթացը վերանայեց

✓

Գործընթացը վերանայվեց

Active voice error.

Structures de phrases

___ը ___վեց։

Real World Usage

News constant

Օրենքը ընդունվեց։

💡

Focus on the object

Always put the object first.

Smart Tips

Use passive to sound objective.

I finished the report. → The report was finished.

Prononciation

batz-VETZ

Stress

Stress usually falls on the last syllable of the verb.

Neutral

Sentence ends with a slight drop.

Statement of fact.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of -վել as 'V-el' (Veil) — it covers the actor, hiding them behind the action.

Association visuelle

Imagine a book writing itself on a desk. The author is invisible, only the book (the subject) remains.

Rhyme

When the doer is gone from the scene, add -վել to keep the sentence clean.

Story

The chef was gone. The soup was cooked (եփվեց). The table was set (դրվեց). The guests arrived.

Word Web

ԳրվելԲացվելՓակվելԿառուցվելԼուծվել

Défi

Find 3 objects in your room and describe them using the passive: 'The light was turned on', 'The door was closed'.

Notes culturelles

Armenians often use this to avoid taking personal blame.

Derived from Old Armenian reflexive markers.

Amorces de conversation

“

Ի՞նչը փոխվեց այսօր։

Sujets d'écriture

Describe a project that was completed.

Erreurs courantes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Գիրքը ___ (գրվել)։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: գրվեց
Passive past tense.

Score: /1

Exercices pratiques

1 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Գիրքը ___ (գրվել)։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: գրվեց
Passive past tense.

Score: /1

FAQ (1)

Usually no, it's for objects.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Se + verb

Spanish uses 'se' as a separate particle.

French high

Se + verb

French uses a pronoun.

German low

werden + Partizip II

Armenian uses a suffix.

Japanese moderate

reru/rareru

Japanese is agglutinative.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Reflexive Pronouns with Verbs: Washing oneself

Related Grammar Rules

B1

Reporting Verbs: Say, Tell, Ask
C1

Impersonal Passive with 'It is said that...'
C1

Passive Voice for Formality and Objectivity
B2

Subjunctive in Indirect Commands
C1

Passive Voice in Academic and Scientific Writing
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