Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Armenian, the passive voice is created by inserting the suffix '-վ-' (-v-) before the verb ending.
- Add '-վ-' to the verb stem: 'գրել' (to write) becomes 'գրվել' (to be written).
- Conjugate the new passive verb normally across all tenses like an '-el' verb.
- The agent (the doer) is often omitted or marked with 'կողմից' (by).
Passive Conjugation of 'Գրել' (To Write) -> 'Գրվել' (To be written)
| Tense | Armenian Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
|
Present
|
Գրվում է
|
It is being written
|
|
Past Imperfect
|
Գրվում էր
|
It was being written
|
|
Simple Past
|
Գրվեց
|
It was written
|
|
Future
|
Կգրվի
|
It will be written
|
|
Perfect
|
Գրվել է
|
It has been written
|
|
Pluperfect
|
Գրվել էր
|
It had been written
|
Meanings
The passive voice is used when the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action rather than the performer.
Action Focus
Used when the action itself or the object is more important than who did it.
“Ճանապարհը կառուցվում է: (The road is being built.)”
Unknown Agent
Used when we don't know or don't want to say who performed the action.
“Ապակին կոտրվեց: (The glass was broken.)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + վ + Ending
|
Տունը վաճառվեց (The house was sold)
|
|
Negative
|
չ + Auxiliary + Passive Verb
|
Տունը չվաճառվեց (The house was not sold)
|
|
Question
|
Passive Verb + ?
|
Տունը վաճառվե՞ց (Was the house sold?)
|
|
Future
|
կ + Passive Stem + Ending
|
Այն կուղարկվի (It will be sent)
|
|
Present Continuous
|
Passive Stem + ում + է
|
Այն ուղարկվում է (It is being sent)
|
|
Perfect
|
Passive Stem + ել + է
|
Այն ուղարկվել է (It has been sent)
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Խանութը փակված է: (Business hours)
Խանութը փակվում է: (Business hours)
Խանութը փակ ա: (Business hours)
Խանութը փակ ա, պրծ: (Business hours)
The Passive Transformation
Suffix
- -վ- The key marker
Agent
- կողմից by
Focus
- Object Becomes Subject
Active vs. Passive
Is it Passive?
Is the subject doing the action?
Did you add '-վ-'?
Common Passive Verbs
Communication
- • Ասվել (be said)
- • Գրվել (be written)
- • Հայտնվել (be announced)
Creation
- • Կառուցվել (be built)
- • Պատրաստվել (be prepared)
- • Ստեղծվել (be created)
수준별 예문
Գիրքը կարդացվում է:
The book is being read.
Դուռը փակվում է:
The door is closing/being closed.
Նամակը երեկ ուղարկվեց:
The letter was sent yesterday.
Այս հացը թխվում է այստեղ:
This bread is baked here.
Այս շենքը կառուցվելու է հաջորդ տարի:
This building will be built next year.
Հարցը քննարկվել է տնօրենի կողմից:
The question has been discussed by the director.
Որոշումը ընդունվել է միաձայն:
The decision was made unanimously.
Ասվում է, որ նա լավագույնն է:
It is said that he is the best.
Օրենքը վերջնականապես հաստատվեց խորհրդարանում:
The law was finally ratified in the parliament.
Նրա աշխատանքը բարձր է գնահատվում:
His work is highly valued.
Այս տեսությունը հերքվել է բազմաթիվ փորձերի արդյունքում:
This theory has been refuted as a result of numerous experiments.
Ճշմարտությունը վաղ թե ուշ կբացահայտվի:
The truth will be revealed sooner or later.
혼동하기 쉬운
Both often use the '-վ-' suffix. For example, 'լվացվել' can mean 'to be washed' or 'to wash oneself'.
Some verbs naturally end in '-վել' but aren't passive (e.g., 'զգացվել' - to be felt).
자주 하는 실수
Գիրքը կարդում է:
Գիրքը կարդացվում է:
Նամակը գրել է:
Նամակը գրվել է:
Դուռը բացեց քամուց:
Դուռը բացվեց քամուց:
Ճաշը պատրաստեց մայրիկի կողմից:
Ճաշը պատրաստվեց մայրիկի կողմից:
Հարցը կքննարկի վաղը:
Հարցը կքննարկվի վաղը:
Այն ասել է բոլորի կողմից:
Այն ասվել է բոլորի կողմից:
Օրենքը հաստատել է նախագահի կողմից:
Օրենքը հաստատվել է նախագահի կողմից:
문장 패턴
___-ը կառուցվել է ___ թվականին:
Ասվում է, որ ___:
Այս աշխատանքը պետք է ___:
Real World Usage
Նոր օրենքն ընդունվեց: (The new law was passed.)
Աղը ավելացվում է վերջում: (Salt is added at the end.)
Մուտքն արգելվում է: (Entry is forbidden.)
Տունը հավաքվեց: (The house was cleaned/is cleaned.)
The 'V' Rule
Intransitive Verbs
Agent Omission
Smart Tips
Start your sentences with 'Ասվում է, որ...' (It is said that...) or 'Հաղորդվում է, որ...' (It is reported that...).
Assume it's passive or reflexive. Look for the object; if it's now the subject, it's passive.
Use the passive voice to describe a mistake without naming the person who did it.
발음
The '-v-' sound
The suffix '-վ-' is pronounced like the English 'v' in 'very'. It should be clear and not swallowed.
Passive Statement
Նամակը գրվե՜ց:
Falling intonation at the end of the passive verb indicates a completed action.
암기하기
기억법
Think of the 'V' in 'Passive' as the '-վ-' (-v-) in Armenian. No 'V', no Passive!
시각적 연상
Imagine a mirror. The active voice is looking at yourself doing something. The passive voice is the reflection where the action is happening back to the object.
Rhyme
When the doer is away, the '-վ-' comes to play.
Story
A shy artist named Vahan (starting with V) never wants to take credit for his paintings. Instead of saying 'I painted this,' he always says 'This was painted.' His name reminds everyone to use the '-վ-' suffix.
Word Web
챌린지
Look around your room and name three things using the passive voice (e.g., 'The light is turned on', 'The window is opened') in Armenian.
문화 노트
Armenian news broadcasts use the passive voice extensively to maintain a tone of formal neutrality.
Using the passive voice can be a way to be polite or indirect, especially when pointing out a mistake without blaming a specific person.
The '-v-' suffix in Armenian traces back to the Old Armenian (Grabar) period, where it was used to distinguish the passive voice from the active.
대화 시작하기
Ի՞նչ է կառուցվում քո քաղաքում:
Այս գիրքը ե՞րբ է գրվել:
Ի՞նչ լուրեր են լսվում այսօր:
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
Նամակը հիմա ___ (is being written):
Find and fix the mistake:
Ճաշը պատրաստեց խոհարարի կողմից:
Choose the correct translation:
The book will be read:
Answer starts with: Գիր...
Score: /4
연습 문제
4 exercisesՆամակը հիմա ___ (is being written):
Find and fix the mistake:
Ճաշը պատրաստեց խոհարարի կողմից:
Choose the correct translation:
The book will be read:
Score: /4
자주 묻는 질문 (6)
No, only transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object) can be made passive. You can't say 'to be slept' in Armenian.
Usually, but it can also indicate a reflexive action (doing something to oneself) or a middle voice, depending on the verb.
Use the word `կողմից` (koghmits) following a noun in the genitive case.
It sounds a bit formal. In casual speech, Armenians often use the 3rd person plural ('They opened the door') instead of the passive ('The door was opened').
They also take the `-վ-` suffix, but often require a connecting sound, like `կարդալ` becoming `կարդացվել`.
It is used very frequently in formal writing and news, perhaps even more so than in English, due to its simple formation.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ser + participio
Armenian is synthetic (one word), Spanish is analytic (two words).
être + participe passé
Armenian doesn't need an auxiliary verb like 'to be' for the passive.
werden + Partizip II
German uses a separate 'becoming' verb; Armenian uses a suffix.
-rareru (られる)
Japanese passive can also imply 'annoyance' (adversative passive), which Armenian does not.
Internal vowel change (Majhul)
Arabic uses 'vowel patterns'; Armenian uses a 'consonant suffix'.
