B1 Passive & Reported Speech 7 min read मध्यम

Passive Construction

Use '-s' for formal/general actions and 'bli' for specific events where the 'doer' is secondary.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The passive voice shifts focus from who does the action to what is happening, usually by adding '-s' to the verb.

  • Add '-s' to the infinitive or present tense to form the S-passive: 'måla' becomes 'målas'.
  • Use 'bli' + past participle for dynamic actions: 'Han blev biten' (He was bitten).
  • Use 'vara' + past participle for states or results: 'Fönstret är krossat' (The window is broken).
Object + Verb-s (+ av + Agent) 🔄

Overview

## What is the Passive Voice?
In Swedish, the passive voice (passiv diates) is a way of structuring a sentence so that the object of an action becomes the subject. Why do we do this? Usually, it is because the person or thing performing the action (the 'agent') is unknown, obvious, or simply less important than the action itself.
For example, in the sentence Bilen lagas (The car is being repaired), the focus is entirely on the car and the repair process, not on the mechanic.
Swedish is unique among Germanic languages because it has two primary ways to form the passive: the morphological S-passive (adding an -s) and the periphrastic passive (using an auxiliary verb like bli). Understanding when to use which is a key milestone for B1 learners. The S-passive is the hallmark of formal Swedish, found in newspapers, legal documents, and recipes.
The bli-passive is more common in everyday storytelling and spoken language. Mastering these forms allows you to sound more professional and precise, especially when writing reports or describing events where the 'who' is less relevant than the 'what'.
## How to Form the S-Passive
Forming the S-passive is generally straightforward but requires attention to the verb group.
  1. 1Present Tense: For Group 1 verbs (ending in -ar), simply replace the -r with -s. Example: målar → målas. For Group 2 and 3 verbs (ending in -er or a vowel), replace the -er with -s or just add -s. Example: läser → läses, sytt → sys.
  2. 2Past Tense (Preteritum): Add -s to the past tense form. Example: målade → målades, läste → lästes.
  3. 3Perfect/Pluperfect: Add -s to the supine form. Example: har målat → har målats.
  4. 4Infinitive: Add -s to the infinitive. Example: att måla → att målas.
Negative Form: Place inte after the verb in main clauses. Huset målas inte.
Question Form: Invert the subject and verb. Målas huset?
Note that some verbs are 'deponent'—they end in -s but are active in meaning (e.g., andas - to breathe, hoppas - to hope). Do not confuse these with passive forms!
## When to Use Passive vs. Active
In real-world Swedish, you will encounter the passive in several specific contexts.
Formal Writing & News: Journalists use the S-passive to maintain objectivity. En man greps i natt (A man was arrested tonight).
Instructions & Recipes: Instead of saying 'You should mix the flour,' Swedish recipes use the passive: Mjöl och mjölk blandas (Flour and milk are mixed).
Job Interviews & Professionalism: When describing company processes, use the passive to sound more objective: Besluten fattas av styrelsen (The decisions are made by the board).
Social Media & Texting: Here, the passive is rarer. Instead of Maten lagas av mig, you would simply say Jag lagar mat (I am cooking) or use the man construction: Man lagar mycket god mat här (They cook very good food here).
If you want to mention who did the action in a passive sentence, use the preposition av (by). Boken skrevs av August Strindberg.
## Common Pitfalls to Avoid
The most frequent mistake for English speakers is overusing the bli-passive because it mirrors the English 'to be' passive. While Bilen blev stulen (The car was stolen) is correct, using bli for a general rule like Svenska blir talat här is wrong; it should be Svenska talas här.
Another error is forgetting the -s in the present tense for Group 2 verbs. Learners often write läser-s instead of läses.
Finally, beware of deponent verbs. If you say Jag hoppas, you are saying 'I hope' (active). If you try to make it 'passive' by adding another s, it becomes nonsensical.
Conversely, some learners see andas (breathe) and think it's passive, leading to confusion in translation. Always check if an -s verb is a deponent verb or a true passive.
## S-Passive vs. Bli-Passive
This is the most nuanced part of Swedish passives.
S-Passive is used for:
  • Habitual actions: Dörren låses varje kväll. (The door is locked every night).
  • Formal instructions: Medicinen intages tre gånger dagligen. (The medicine is taken three times daily).
  • General facts: Svenska talas i Finland. (Swedish is spoken in Finland).
Bli-Passive is used for:
  • Specific, sudden events: Han blev biten av en hund. (He was bitten by a dog).
  • Changes of state: Han blev vald till president. (He was elected president).
Think of the S-passive as a 'process' or 'state of being' in a formal sense, while the bli-passive is a 'happening' or an 'event'. If you can imagine a video of a specific moment, use bli. If you are describing a general rule or a formal document, use -s.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: In A1, we don't use the passive much. We usually say 'Jag äter äpplet' (I eat the apple). But sometimes you see 'Säljes' (For sale) on signs.
This is a passive word. It means 'This is being sold'. You might also see 'Stängt' (Closed), which describes a state.
At this level, just remember that '-s' at the end of a verb can mean 'is being done'.
A2: In A2, you start using 'bli' + a describing word (participle). For example: 'Jag blev glad' (I became happy) or 'Han blev biten' (He was bitten). You also learn the 'man' construction, like 'Man talar svenska här' (One speaks Swedish here).
This is a very common way to avoid the passive in Swedish. You should start recognizing the '-s' ending in simple instructions.
B1: At B1, you must master the S-passive for writing. You need to know that 'målar' becomes 'målas' in the present and 'målades' in the past. You should understand the difference between 'Dörren öppnas' (The door is opening/is opened regularly) and 'Dörren blev öppnad' (The door was opened just now).
You also learn to use 'av' to say who did the action, like 'Boken läses av eleven'. This level focuses on moving from active to passive in formal texts.
B2: At B2, you distinguish between the dynamic passive (bli), the resultative passive (vara), and the formal S-passive. You understand that the S-passive can also imply a reciprocal action (e.g., 'vi ses' - we see each other), which is different from the passive voice. You can use the passive to write formal reports, news summaries, and academic essays with correct register and nuance, choosing the S-passive for objective descriptions.
C1: C1 learners use the passive to control the flow of information (thematic progression). You use the passive to keep the same subject across sentences even when the 'doer' changes. You are aware of subtle stylistic choices, such as using the S-passive to sound authoritative or using the 'vara'-passive to emphasize a completed state in a narrative.
You also handle complex modal passives like 'bör göras' (ought to be done) or 'måste meddelas' (must be notified) fluently.
C2: At C2, you have near-native intuition for the passive. You recognize archaic passive forms in legal texts and can manipulate the passive for rhetorical effect. You understand the historical development of the '-s' suffix from the reflexive 'sig' and how this affects modern usage.
You can effortlessly switch between 'man', S-passive, and 'bli'-passive to match the precise pragmatic needs of any context, from high-level diplomacy to dialectal nuances.

Meanings

The passive voice is used when the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action rather than the performer. It is essential for formal writing, news reporting, and instructions.

1

S-passive (Process/General)

Formed by adding -s to the verb. Used for general truths, instructions, or formal reports.

“Huset målas varje år.”

“Dörren stängs klockan 22:00.”

2

Bli-passive (Dynamic/Event)

Formed with 'bli' (to become) + past participle. Focuses on a specific event or a change of state.

“Han blev rånad på väg hem.”

“Bilen blev reparerad igår.”

3

Vara-passive (Resultative/State)

Formed with 'vara' (to be) + past participle. Describes the state resulting from an action.

“Affären är stängd.”

“Maten är lagad.”

4

Indefinite 'Man' (Passive Alternative)

Using the pronoun 'man' (one/they) to avoid a passive construction while keeping the agent vague.

“Man säger att det ska regna.”

“Här pratar man svenska.”

S-Passive Formation by Verb Group

Group Infinitive Present Past (Preteritum) Supine
Group 1 (-ar) målas målas målades målats
Group 2a (-er) läsas läses lästes lästs
Group 2b (-er) köpas köpes köptes köpts
Group 3 (vowel) sys sys syddes sytts
Group 4 (irregular) skrivas skrivs skrevs skrivits

Bli-Passive vs. Vara-Passive

Type Auxiliary Participle Example Meaning
Dynamic bli blev målad Action/Event (was painted)
Resultative vara är målad State/Result (is painted)

Reference Table

Reference table for Passive Construction
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (S) Subject + Verb-s Bilen tvättas.
Negative (S) Subject + Verb-s + inte Bilen tvättas inte.
Question (S) Verb-s + Subject? Tvättas bilen?
Affirmative (Bli) Subject + bli + Participle Han blev biten.
Negative (Bli) Subject + bli + inte + Participle Han blev inte biten.
Question (Bli) Blev + Subject + Participle? Blev han biten?
With Agent Passive Verb + av + Agent Boken läses av mig.
Modal Passive Modal + Infinitive-s Det kan göras.

औपचारिकता का स्तर

औपचारिक
Dörren låses.

Dörren låses. (security)

तटस्थ
Dörren blir låst.

Dörren blir låst. (security)

अनौपचारिक
Man låser dörren.

Man låser dörren. (security)

बोलचाल
De bommar igen dörren.

De bommar igen dörren. (security)

The Three Swedish Passives

Passive Voice

S-Passiv

  • målas is being painted (process)

Bli-Passiv

  • blev målad was painted (event)

Vara-Passiv

  • är målad is painted (state)

Active vs. Passive Focus

Active
Katten jagar musen. The cat chases the mouse.
Passive
Musen jagas av katten. The mouse is chased by the cat.

Which Passive to Use?

1

Is it a formal instruction or general rule?

YES
Use S-Passive (-s)
NO
Next question
2

Is it a specific event that happened?

YES
Use Bli-Passive
NO
Use Vara-Passive (for states)

Common Passive Contexts

📰

News

  • • Grips
  • • Misstänks
  • • Anses
🍳

Recipes

  • • Blandas
  • • Serveras
  • • Kokas
🪧

Signs

  • • Säljes
  • • Uthyres
  • • Stängs
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Examples by Level

1

Huset är rött.

The house is red.

2

Affären är stängd.

The shop is closed.

3

Bilen säljes.

The car is for sale.

4

Här talar man svenska.

Swedish is spoken here.

1

Han blev arg.

He became angry.

2

Boken blev läst.

The book was read.

3

Huset byggdes 1990.

The house was built in 1990.

4

Maten lagas nu.

The food is being cooked now.

1

Beslutet fattas av chefen.

The decision is made by the boss.

2

Många tidningar läses på nätet.

Many newspapers are read online.

3

Han blev rånad på gatan.

He was robbed on the street.

4

Dörren måste låsas.

The door must be locked.

1

Förslaget har diskuterats flitigt.

The proposal has been discussed extensively.

2

Patienten blev opererad omedelbart.

The patient was operated on immediately.

3

Det sägs att han ska sluta.

It is said that he is going to quit.

4

Inga ändringar får göras.

No changes may be made.

1

Frågan bör belysas ur flera perspektiv.

The question ought to be highlighted from several perspectives.

2

Huset ansågs vara hemsökt.

The house was considered to be haunted.

3

Vidare bör noteras att...

Furthermore, it should be noted that...

4

Han kände sig förrådd.

He felt betrayed.

1

Lagen stadgar att så skall ske.

The law stipulates that such shall occur.

2

Det tåls att tänka på.

It's worth thinking about.

3

Härvidlag kan anföras att...

In this regard, it can be argued that...

4

Han blev sittande vid bordet.

He remained sitting at the table.

Easily Confused

Passive Construction बनाम Deponent Verbs

Verbs like 'andas' (breathe) and 'hoppas' (hope) end in -s but are active. Learners think they are passive.

Passive Construction बनाम Reciprocal Verbs

Verbs like 'ses' (see each other) or 'slåss' (fight each other) look passive.

Passive Construction बनाम Vara vs Bli

Learners use 'är' when they should use 'blev' for an action.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

✗

Bilen är säljer.

✓

Bilen säljes.

Don't use the active present tense with 'är' for passive.
✗

Jag är född.

✓

Jag föddes.

In Swedish, 'being born' is a past passive event.
✗

Dörren är stängs.

✓

Dörren stängs.

Don't combine 'är' with the S-passive.
✗

Maten lagar.

✓

Maten lagas.

Without the -s, the food is doing the cooking!
✗

Han blev bitit.

✓

Han blev biten.

Use the participle, not the supine, with 'bli'.
✗

Man blir rånad.

✓

Han blev rånad.

Don't confuse 'man' (one) with 'han' (he) when describing a specific event.
✗

Huset målar av mig.

✓

Huset målas av mig.

The agent 'av' requires a passive verb.
✗

Svenska blir talat här.

✓

Svenska talas här.

Use S-passive for general facts, not 'bli'.
✗

Jag hoppas det göras.

✓

Jag hoppas det görs.

Confusing the infinitive passive with the present passive.
✗

Vi ses av varandra.

✓

Vi ses.

Reciprocal 'ses' doesn't need 'av varandra'.
✗

Det måste ha gjorts.

✓

Det måste ha gjorts.

Actually correct, but learners often struggle with perfect passive infinitives.

Sentence Patterns

Här ___ (språk) ___.

Boken ___ av ___.

Det ___ att ___.

___ måste ___ före kl 17.

Real World Usage

News Headlines constant

Bank rånades i morse.

Cooking Recipes very common

Löken bryns i smör.

Legal Documents constant

Hyran betalas i förskott.

Public Transport very common

Dörrarna stängs.

Job Descriptions common

Vi söker en person som trivs med att utmanas.

IKEA Instructions constant

Skruven dras åt medurs.

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💡

The 'By' Rule

If you can add 'by zombies' (av zombies) after the verb and it still makes sense, it's a passive construction!
⚠️

Don't Double Up

Never use 'bli' and '-s' together. It's either 'bli målad' or 'målas', never 'bli målas'.
🎯

The 'Man' Shortcut

If you're stuck in a conversation and can't remember the S-passive, just use 'man' + active verb. It's almost always natural.
💬

Softening Requests

Use the passive to make requests sound less like orders. 'Det bör göras' (It ought to be done) sounds softer than 'Du måste göra det'.

Smart Tips

Scan for 'jag' or 'man' and try to convert some sentences to S-passive to sound more professional.

Jag fattade beslutet igår. → Beslutet fattades igår.

Check if there is an object. If the 'object' is now the subject, it's passive. If not, it might be a deponent verb.

Han andas (Active - Deponent) → Bilen lagas (Passive)

Use 'vara' + participle. It's much more common than the S-passive for states.

Fönstret krossas. (It is being broken right now) → Fönstret är krossat. (It is already broken)

Use the passive to hide the agent. It's a great diplomatic tool!

Du glömde nycklarna. → Nycklarna glömdes bort.

उच्चारण

må-las

The silent -r

In the present tense S-passive, the '-r' of the active form disappears. 'Målar' /måːlar/ becomes 'målas' /måːlas/.

/s/

The -s suffix

The '-s' is always voiceless, like the 's' in 'sit'. It does not become a 'z' sound.

Passive Stress

Huset MÅLas. ↘

Emphasis on the action being performed.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

S is for 'System' or 'Standard' (S-passive for rules/systems), B is for 'Boom!' (Bli-passive for sudden events).

Visual Association

Imagine a factory where things are 'målas' (S-passive) on a conveyor belt as a rule, but then a single car 'blir krockad' (Bli-passive) in a sudden crash.

Rhyme

When the doer is gone and the action is key, add an -s or use the verb 'bli'.

Story

A chef is writing a recipe. He writes 'Löken hackas' (The onion is chopped). Suddenly, he cuts his finger! He shouts 'Jag blev skuren!' (I was cut!). One is a rule, the other is a painful event.

Word Web

målasskrivsblevavfattasstängsanvänds

चैलेंज

Look at three signs in a Swedish store or website. Identify if they use the S-passive (like 'Uthyres') and try to change them into the 'man' construction.

सांस्कृतिक नोट्स

Swedish authorities love the S-passive. It sounds objective and impartial. If you receive a letter from Skatteverket, it will be full of 'beslutas' and 'beräknas'.

The 'man' construction is often preferred over the passive in modern Swedish to sound more inclusive and less 'stiff', reflecting Swedish egalitarian values.

Public service media (SVT/SR) use the passive to avoid taking sides or blaming individuals before a trial.

The Swedish S-passive evolved from the Old Norse reflexive pronoun 'sik' (modern Swedish 'sig').

Conversation Starters

“

Vad görs i din hemstad för att hjälpa miljön?

“

Har du någonsin blivit rånad eller tappat bort något?

“

Hur firas jul i ditt land?

“

Vilka språk talas i din familj?

Journal Prompts

Write a short news report about a fictional event in your city.
Describe how to make your favorite dish without using 'jag' or 'du'.
Write about a time you were surprised by something.
Discuss the laws in your country regarding recycling.
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Test Yourself

Change the active verb to S-passive present: 'De säljer (säljer) bilen.'

Bilen ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: säljs
In the present tense, 'säljer' becomes 'säljs' (or 'säljes' in formal contexts).
Which sentence describes a specific event that happened in the past? बहुविकल्पी

A: Huset målades varje år. B: Huset blev målat igår.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: B
Bli-passive is used for specific, one-time events.
Correct the mistake: 'Han är född i Stockholm.' (Hint: It's an event) Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Han ___ i Stockholm.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: föddes
Birth is treated as a past passive event in Swedish: 'föddes'.
Transform to passive: 'Zlatan skrev boken.' Sentence Transformation

Boken ___ av Zlatan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: skrevs
The past tense of 'skriva' is 'skrev', so the passive is 'skrevs'.
Match the active with the passive. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Ses, 2-Köptes, 3-Ska göras
These are the correct S-passive equivalents.
Which verb is NOT passive but deponent? बहुविकल्पी

A: Lagas, B: Hoppas, C: Skrivs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: B
'Hoppas' (to hope) is a deponent verb; it's active in meaning.
Complete the instruction: 'Mjölken ___ (blanda) med mjölet.'

Mjölken ___ med mjölet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: blandas
Recipes use the S-passive present.
How do you say 'It is said that...'? बहुविकल्पी

___ att han är bäst.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Det sägs
'Det sägs' is the standard reported passive.

Score: /8

अभ्यास प्रश्न

8 exercises
Change the active verb to S-passive present: 'De säljer (säljer) bilen.'

Bilen ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: säljs
In the present tense, 'säljer' becomes 'säljs' (or 'säljes' in formal contexts).
Which sentence describes a specific event that happened in the past? बहुविकल्पी

A: Huset målades varje år. B: Huset blev målat igår.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: B
Bli-passive is used for specific, one-time events.
Correct the mistake: 'Han är född i Stockholm.' (Hint: It's an event) Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Han ___ i Stockholm.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: föddes
Birth is treated as a past passive event in Swedish: 'föddes'.
Transform to passive: 'Zlatan skrev boken.' Sentence Transformation

Boken ___ av Zlatan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: skrevs
The past tense of 'skriva' is 'skrev', so the passive is 'skrevs'.
Match the active with the passive. Match Pairs

1. Ser, 2. Köpte, 3. Ska göra

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Ses, 2-Köptes, 3-Ska göras
These are the correct S-passive equivalents.
Which verb is NOT passive but deponent? बहुविकल्पी

A: Lagas, B: Hoppas, C: Skrivs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: B
'Hoppas' (to hope) is a deponent verb; it's active in meaning.
Complete the instruction: 'Mjölken ___ (blanda) med mjölet.'

Mjölken ___ med mjölet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: blandas
Recipes use the S-passive present.
How do you say 'It is said that...'? बहुविकल्पी

___ att han är bäst.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Det sägs
'Det sägs' is the standard reported passive.

Score: /8

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (8)

Use `bli` for specific, sudden events (e.g., 'He was hit'). Use `-s` for general rules, habits, or formal writing (e.g., 'Swedish is spoken here').

In spoken Swedish, yes, `man` is often more natural. But in formal writing or instructions, the S-passive is preferred.

A verb that ends in `-s` but is active, like `andas` (breathe) or `hoppas` (hope). They aren't passive!

Yes! 'Han blev biten av hunden' is perfectly correct.

Most transitive verbs (verbs that take an object) do. Intransitive verbs like 'sova' (sleep) usually don't.

It's a 'vara-passive', which describes a state (The shop is closed) rather than the action of closing.

The S-passive is `ses`. Note that `vi ses` usually means 'we'll see each other' (reciprocal).

To sound objective and formal. It removes the personal element from legal decisions.

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In Other Languages

English moderate

be + past participle

Swedish has a one-word passive (målas) which English lacks.

German high

werden/sein + Partizip II

Swedish S-passive replaces many German 'man' or 'werden' constructions.

French moderate

être + participe passé / se + verb

Swedish S-passive is a suffix, while French uses a separate pronoun 'se'.

Spanish moderate

ser + participio / se + verb

Spanish 'se' is a particle before the verb; Swedish '-s' is a suffix after the verb.

Japanese low

verb + (r)areru

Japanese passive changes the verb stem significantly; Swedish just adds -s.

Arabic none

Internal vowel change (Majhul)

Swedish is additive (adding -s), Arabic is transformative (changing vowels).

Chinese low

被 (bèi) + Agent + Verb

Swedish marks the passive on the verb itself; Chinese uses an external marker.

Previous
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