B1 Passive & Reported Speech 6 min read Moyen

Passive vs Active

Use se + singular verb to report information objectively without naming a specific subject or source.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use the passive voice to focus on the action, and reported speech to relay what others have said.

  • Passive: Use 'a fi' + past participle (e.g., 'Cartea este citită').
  • Reported: Shift pronouns and verb tenses when relaying speech (e.g., 'El a spus că vine').
  • Agreement: Ensure the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
Subject + a fi + Participle (Passive) | Subject + a spune + că + Verb (Reported)

Overview

Ever wonder how people share news without naming names? That is the magic of passive reporting. In Romanian, we use this to sound objective or professional.
You see it in news reports every day. It is like the 'I heard it through the grapevine' of grammar. Instead of saying 'People say,' you say 'It is said.' This shifts the focus from the speaker to the information.
It makes your Romanian sound sophisticated and balanced. You will use this in offices and newsrooms alike. It is a must-have tool for your B1 language toolkit.
Think of it as your secret weapon for formal conversations. Ready to sound like a Romanian news anchor? Let's dive in.

How This Grammar Works

Passive reporting moves the attention away from the doer. In active voice, the subject is the star. In passive reporting, the action or the fact is the star.
Romanian loves using the reflexive pronoun se for this. It acts like a generic 'one' or 'they' in English. When you use se spune, you aren't blaming anyone specific.
You are just sharing a general truth or a rumor. It is very common in written media and official documents. It helps you stay neutral in a heated debate.
You can report facts without taking personal responsibility for them. It is the ultimate 'don't shoot the messenger' grammar structure. Even native speakers rely on this for politeness.
It softens the tone of direct statements significantly.

Formation Pattern

1
Creating these sentences is actually quite simple. You only need a few parts to build one.
2
Start with the reflexive pronoun se.
3
Add a reporting verb in the 3rd person singular. Common verbs include spune, crede, or știe.
4
Follow up with the conjunction că to introduce the news.
5
Finish with the actual information you want to report.
6
For example: Se + zice + că + vine circul. (It is said that the circus is coming). If you want to use the traditional passive, use a fi + the past participle. For example: Este raportat că... (It is reported that...). However, the se version is much more natural in daily speech. Think of se as a universal placeholder for 'everyone' or 'people'. It never changes its form in this specific reporting context. It stays as se regardless of how many people are actually talking.

When To Use It

Use this when the source of information isn't important. It is perfect for sharing general knowledge or common beliefs. In a job interview, you might say Se știe că firma dumneavoastră e de top.
This sounds more professional than 'I know your company is great.' Use it for news headlines like Se anunță schimbări la meteo. It is also great for workplace rumors if you want to be discreet. 'Se aude că primim bonusuri' sounds much safer than naming your source.
Use it when you want to sound objective in an academic essay. It provides a sense of authority to your writing. You will also see it on signs, like Se vinde (For sale).
It is the standard way to describe processes in manuals too. Basically, use it whenever you want to hide the 'who' and highlight the 'what'.

When Not To Use It

Do not use passive reporting for your personal feelings. If you like pizza, say Îmi place pizza, not Se crede că îmi place pizza. That just sounds like you are confused about your own life!
Avoid it when you need to be very specific about responsibility. If your boss asks who broke the coffee machine, Se spune că s-a stricat won't save you. You should use active voice for direct, personal actions.
Don't use it in very casual, intimate conversations with close friends. It can make you sound a bit like a robot or a politician. If you are telling a secret to your best friend, use active voice.
Using passive reporting there might make you seem cold or distant. It is like wearing a tuxedo to a backyard barbecue—a bit too much.

Common Mistakes

One big mistake is forgetting the se entirely. Saying Spune că... usually implies a specific 'he' or 'she' said it. Without se, the sentence loses its impersonal, general meaning. Another common slip is trying to pluralize the verb. You might think 'many people say' needs a plural verb. But in this structure, it is always 3rd person singular: se spune. Even if a million people are talking, the verb stays singular. Don't confuse the passive se with the reflexive se. In se spală, someone is washing themselves. In se spune, the saying is just happening. Also, be careful with the conjunction. Always use că for facts and să for desires or orders. Mixing these up is a classic 'grammar traffic light' error. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are in a hurry!

Contrast With Similar Patterns

How does this differ from the standard passive? The standard passive uses a fi (to be) + a participle. For example: Cartea a fost scrisă (The book was written).
This focuses on an object having something done to it. Passive reporting with se focuses on information being shared. It is more about communication than physical action.
Compare Se zice că e bogat (It's said he's rich) with El este considerat bogat (He is considered rich). The first one feels like a rumor you heard at a cafe. The second one feels like a formal evaluation by a bank.
Romanian also has the 'personal' passive like Sunt rugat să... (I am asked to...). This is about you specifically, while Se roagă... would be a general request. Understanding these subtle shifts will make you a master of nuance.

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I use this in the past tense?

Yes! Just change the verb: S-a spus că... (It was said that...).

Q

Is it okay for informal emails?

It might sound a bit formal, but it works for 'I heard that...'.

Q

Does the verb always stay singular?

Yes, for reporting, always use the 3rd person singular.

Q

Is se zice the same as se spune?

Se zice is slightly more informal, like 'people reckon'.

Q

Can I use this for 'It is thought that'?

Absolutely, use Se crede că... to express general beliefs.

Q

What if I want to say 'It is known'?

Use Se știe că..., which is very common in Romanian.

Q

Is this like the 'passive se' in Spanish?

Very similar! If you know Spanish, you have a head start.

Meanings

The passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the object, while reported speech allows you to convey information from a third party.

1

Passive Voice

Focusing on the receiver of the action.

“Mâncarea este gătită de bunica.”

“Scrisoarea a fost trimisă ieri.”

2

Reported Speech

Relaying someone else's statement.

“Ea a spus că vine la petrecere.”

“El a zis că nu știe nimic.”

Passive Voice Formation (Verb: a citi - to read)

Tense Auxiliary Participle Example
Present sunt/e/sunt citit(ă/i/e) Cartea este citită
Past am fost citit(ă/i/e) Cartea a fost citită
Future voi fi citit(ă/i/e) Cartea va fi citită
Imperfect eram citit(ă/i/e) Cartea era citită
Pluperfect fusesem citit(ă/i/e) Cartea fusese citită
Conditional aș fi citit(ă/i/e) Cartea ar fi citită

Reference Table

Reference table for Passive vs Active
Romanian Phrase English Translation Context/Usage
Se spune că... It is said that... General rumors or common knowledge.
Se știe că... It is known that... Widely accepted facts or truths.
Se crede că... It is believed that... Opinions or hypotheses.
Se anunță că... It is announced that... Official news or public notices.
Se zice că... They say that... Informal gossip or hearsay.
Se consideră că... It is considered that... Formal evaluations or judgements.
S-a confirmat că... It was confirmed that... Past events that are now certain.

Spectre de formalité

Formel
Raportul a fost finalizat.

Raportul a fost finalizat. (Workplace)

Neutre
Raportul e gata.

Raportul e gata. (Workplace)

Informel
Am terminat raportul.

Am terminat raportul. (Workplace)

Argot
Gata cu raportul.

Gata cu raportul. (Workplace)

Types of Passive Reporting

Reporting

Rumors

  • Se zice They say
  • Se aude It's heard

Facts

  • Se știe It's known
  • Se confirmă It's confirmed

Active vs. Passive Reporting

Active (Personal)
Oamenii spun că... People say that...
Eu cred că... I believe that...
Passive (Impersonal)
Se spune că... It is said that...
Se crede că... It is believed that...

How to Build a Reporting Sentence

1

Do you want to name the source?

YES ↓
NO
Use Active Voice (e.g., 'Mihai spune...')
2

Is it a fact or a rumor?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Se spune' or 'Se zice'
3

Is it a widely known truth?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Se știe că...'

Common Reporting Verbs

🗣️

Verbal

  • • Se spune
  • • Se zice
  • • Se afirmă
🧠

Mental

  • • Se crede
  • • Se știe
  • • Se consideră
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Examples by Level

1

Cartea este citită.

The book is read.

2

El spune că vine.

He says he is coming.

3

Masa este pregătită.

The table is prepared.

4

Ea zice că pleacă.

She says she is leaving.

1

Casa a fost construită în 1990.

The house was built in 1990.

2

El a spus că nu știe.

He said that he doesn't know.

3

Scrisoarea este scrisă de el.

The letter is written by him.

4

Ei au zis că vin mâine.

They said they are coming tomorrow.

1

Proiectul va fi finalizat săptămâna viitoare.

The project will be finished next week.

2

Ea a afirmat că nu a fost acolo.

She stated that she was not there.

3

Decizia a fost luată de comitet.

The decision was taken by the committee.

4

El a întrebat dacă suntem gata.

He asked if we are ready.

1

Se spune că vremea se va schimba.

It is said that the weather will change.

2

Mi-a spus că ar fi vrut să vină.

He told me he would have liked to come.

3

Aceste reguli sunt respectate de toți.

These rules are respected by all.

4

Ea a menționat că va fi prezentă.

She mentioned that she will be present.

1

S-a considerat că măsura este necesară.

It was considered that the measure is necessary.

2

Cartea fusese scrisă cu mult timp în urmă.

The book had been written long ago.

3

El a susținut că nu ar fi trebuit să se întâmple.

He maintained that it shouldn't have happened.

4

Această teorie este susținută de mulți experți.

This theory is supported by many experts.

1

Se zice că ar fi fost văzut în oraș.

It is said that he had been seen in town.

2

A fost declarat că legea va fi abrogată.

It was declared that the law will be repealed.

3

El a mărturisit că, deși nu dorea, a fost forțat.

He confessed that, although he didn't want to, he was forced.

4

S-a convenit ca termenul să fie prelungit.

It was agreed that the deadline be extended.

Easily Confused

Passive vs Active vs Passive vs. Reflexive-Passive

Both can express passive meaning, but reflexive-passive is more natural.

Passive vs Active vs Reported Speech vs. Direct Speech

Learners mix up the two perspectives.

Passive vs Active vs Agent marker 'de' vs 'de către'

Learners use 'de' for everything.

Erreurs courantes

✗

Cartea este citit

✓

Cartea este citită

Participle must agree with feminine noun.
✗

El spune că eu vin

✓

El spune că el vine

Pronoun shift needed.
✗

Este făcut de mine

✓

Este făcut de către mine

Use 'de către' for agents.
✗

Ea zice că el a venit

✓

Ea zice că el vine

Tense mismatch.
✗

Casa este construit

✓

Casa este construită

Gender agreement failure.
✗

El a spus că el pleacă

✓

El a spus că pleacă

Redundant pronoun.
✗

Este scris de Ion

✓

Este scris de către Ion

Formal agent marker missing.
✗

S-a spus că el va veni

✓

S-a spus că va veni

Avoid unnecessary pronouns.
✗

Proiectul este terminat de echipa

✓

Proiectul este terminat de către echipă

Agent needs correct case.
✗

El a zis că a fost acolo

✓

El a zis că fusese acolo

Sequence of tenses.
✗

Se consideră că este corect

✓

Se consideră a fi corect

More formal structure.
✗

A fost decis ca ei să pleacă

✓

A fost decis ca ei să plece

Subjunctive mood error.
✗

El a afirmat că ar fi venit

✓

El a afirmat că ar fi venit (correct)

No error, just checking.

Sentence Patterns

___ este ___ de către ___.

El a spus că ___ ___.

___ a fost ___ ieri.

Se spune că ___ ___.

Real World Usage

News report constant

Legea a fost votată.

Work email very common

Raportul a fost trimis.

Social media gossip common

Se zice că s-au despărțit.

Job interview common

Am fost întrebat despre experiență.

Travel guide occasional

Castelul a fost construit în 1400.

Food delivery app common

Comanda este pregătită.

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🎯

The Rumor Mill

Use Se aude că... (It is heard that...) when you want to share juicy office gossip without getting in trouble. It’s the ultimate 'not my fault' phrase.
⚠️

Don't Pluralize!

Remember, even if you are talking about a group of people, the verb in se spune stays singular. It's a grammatical 'fixed' unit.
💬

Politeness Hack

Romanians use se to avoid sounding too direct or bossy. Instead of 'You must do this,' they might say Se recomandă... (It is recommended...).
💡

The 'Că' Connection

Think of că as the glue. Without it, your reporting sentence will fall apart. Always check for it after the verb.

Smart Tips

Use the passive voice to sound objective.

Am terminat raportul. → Raportul a fost finalizat.

Use 'se zice că' to distance yourself from the rumor.

Ei s-au despărțit. → Se zice că s-au despărțit.

Use passive to focus on the steps, not the person.

Pui făina în bol. → Făina este pusă în bol.

Shift the tense back one step.

El a spus că vine. → El a spus că venea.

Prononciation

es-te

Passive 'a fi'

Ensure 'este' is pronounced clearly as [ˈeste].

kə

Reported 'că'

The 'că' is a short, unstressed conjunction.

Declarative

Cartea este citită. ↘

Falling intonation for statements.

Reported

El a spus că vine. ↘

Falling intonation for reported facts.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Passive is 'Be' + 'Done' (a fi + participiu). Reported is 'Say' + 'That' (a spune + că).

Visual Association

Imagine a mirror: The passive voice reflects the object back to the front. Reported speech is like a telephone game where you pass the message along.

Rhyme

Passive is 'a fi' and the action done, reported speech uses 'că' for everyone.

Story

Ion was building a house. The house was built by Ion (passive). Maria saw Ion and said that the house was built by him (reported).

Word Web

a fiparticipiucăa spunea zicede către

Défi

Write 3 sentences about your day in passive voice, then report them to a friend.

Notes culturelles

Passive voice is heavily used in news and formal documents to maintain neutrality.

Often uses more reflexive-passive constructions than the standard.

Reported speech is often shortened by dropping the 'că'.

Romanian passive voice evolved from Latin 'amatus sum'.

Conversation Starters

“

Ce ai auzit despre noul film?

“

Cum este pregătită această mâncare?

“

Ce a spus șeful tău despre proiect?

“

Cum sunt luate deciziile în compania ta?

Journal Prompts

Describe a news event you heard about.
Explain how a traditional Romanian dish is made.
Write about a rumor you heard recently.
Discuss the impact of technology on society.
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Test Yourself

Choose the correct reporting phrase for a general rumor.

___ că noul iPhone va fi foarte scump.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Se zice
We need the reflexive 'se' and the singular verb 'zice' for an impersonal report.
Complete the formal announcement about a meeting.

Se ___ că ședința a fost amânată.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: anunță
The 3rd person singular 'anunță' fits the passive reporting structure.
Select the correct past tense form for 'It was believed'.

___ că pământul este plat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ambele sunt corecte
Both 'S-a crezut' (Perfect Compus) and 'Se credea' (Imperfect) can be used for reporting past beliefs.

Score: /3

Exercices pratiques

8 exercises
Complete the passive sentence.

Cartea ___ (fi) citită de el.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: toate
All tenses are grammatically possible.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Casa este construit.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Casa este construită
Gender agreement.
Select the correct reported speech. Choix multiple

El spune că ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vine
Present tense matches.
Change to passive. Sentence Transformation

Ion scrie scrisoarea.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Scrisoarea este scrisă de Ion
Passive structure.
Order the words. Sentence Building

de / este / scrisă / cartea / Ion

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cartea este scrisă de Ion
Correct word order.
Select the correct agent marker. Choix multiple

Proiectul este făcut ___ comitet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: de către
Formal agent marker.
Report the speech.

Ea a zis: 'Plec'. -> Ea a zis că ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pleacă
Pronoun/verb shift.
Fix the reported speech. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

El a spus că eu sunt gata.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: El a spus că el este gata
Pronoun shift.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

Use it when the action is more important than the person doing it.

It's okay for informal speech, but 'de către' is better for formal writing.

Use 'dacă' (if) or 'ce/cine' (what/who) after the reporting verb.

Romanian requires gender and number agreement for all adjectives and participles.

Yes, but it sounds formal. Use reflexive-passive for casual talk.

The participle must also be plural (e.g., 'Cărțile sunt citite').

It takes practice, especially with tense shifts, but it's very logical.

Some verbs don't form the passive well; use reflexive-passive instead.

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Voz pasiva

Romanian uses 'de către' for agents.

French high

Voix passive

French uses 'par' for agents.

German moderate

Passiv

German changes the auxiliary verb.

Japanese low

Ukemi (受身)

Morphological vs. Analytic.

Arabic low

Majhul (مجهول)

Vowel change vs. Auxiliary.

Chinese low

Bei (被)

Particle vs. Auxiliary.

Previous
Passive Voice Construction
Next
Passive in Formal Contexts

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