B1 · Intermedio Capítulo 38

The Passive Voice: When the Subject Receives

6 Reglas totales
1 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Shift the focus from the performer to the action's recipient with the Bulgarian passive voice.

  • Construct passive sentences using 'съм' and reflexive particles.
  • Identify when to shift focus away from the doer.
  • Form impersonal structures for general statements.
Master the art of the action, not the actor.

Lo que aprenderás

Learn to form and use the passive voice to emphasize the action's recipient rather than the performer. This chapter expands your sentence structure options.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Transform active sentences into passive Bulgarian structures.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Determine the appropriate context for using impersonal passive forms.

Consejos y trucos (4)

💡

The 'Result' Test

If you can add the word 'already' (вече) to the sentence and it makes sense, you should probably use the 'съм' passive.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with 'Съм' + Past Participle
💡

Check the subject

If the subject is a person, it's probably not passive. If it's an object, it's likely passive.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with Reflexive 'Се'
💡

The 'Who' Question

If you want to ask 'By whom?', always start with 'От кого...'. For example: 'От кого е написана тази книга?'
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agent in Passive Sentences (От кого/какво)
💡

Check the gender

Always check if your subject is masculine, feminine, or neuter before choosing the participle ending.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice in Different Tenses (Simple)

Vocabulario clave (5)

изграден built/constructed от by (agent) разрешен permitted/allowed резултат result използва се is used

Real-World Preview

building

Architectural Tour

Review Summary

  • съм + participle
  • verb + се
  • от + noun
  • съм (tense) + participle
  • verb (3rd pers. sg.) + се

Errores comunes

You must ensure the participle agrees with the gender and number of the subject.

Wrong: Книгата е написа от Иван.
Correcto: Книгата е написана от Иван.

Often students confuse reflexive actions with impersonal ones; ensure the context supports the lack of a specific subject.

Wrong: Тук се пуши много.
Correcto: Тук се пуши много (context dependent).

Ensure the auxiliary 'съм' is in the correct tense, but the participle remains consistent.

Wrong: Сградата беше изгражда от фирмата.
Correcto: Сградата беше изградена от фирмата.

Next Steps

You have mastered a key tool for professional writing. Keep practicing, and your Bulgarian will sound more polished every day!

Scan a Bulgarian news article and highlight all passive constructions.

Continue to: Complex Sentences: Subordinate Clauses

Práctica rápida (10)

Fix the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

Вестникът са прочетени.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Вестникът е прочетен.
Singular masculine subject requires 'е' and masculine participle.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice in Different Tenses (Simple)

Fill in the correct form of the participle.

Книгата беше ___ (напиша) от известен автор.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: написана
The participle must agree with the feminine subject 'книгата'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agent in Passive Sentences (От кого/какво)

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Аз се чете книга.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Книгата се чете.
No personal pronouns in passive.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with Reflexive 'Се'

Fill in the blank.

Тук ___ говори български.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: се
Passive marker is 'се'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with Reflexive 'Се'

Choose the correct form.

Книгата ___ чете.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: се
Passive marker is 'се'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with Reflexive 'Се'

Correct the mistake: 'Обядът е приготвена.'

Find and fix the mistake:

Обядът е приготвена.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Обядът е приготвен.
'Обяд' is masculine, so the participle should be 'приготвен'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with 'Съм' + Past Participle

Fill in the correct form of 'съм'.

Книгата ___ написана.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: е
Kнигата is singular feminine.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: When to Use the Passive Voice

Choose the correct participle for: 'Книгата е ___.' (The book is written.)

Книгата е ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: написана
'Книга' is feminine, so the participle must end in -а.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice with 'Съм' + Past Participle

Correct the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

Прозорецът е счупи.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: счупен
Needs participle.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: When to Use the Passive Voice

Fill in the blank.

Тук ___ български.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: се говори
Standard present tense.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Impersonal Passive Constructions

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

Only transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object) can be used in the passive voice. You can't say 'I was slept'.
Most verbs use -н. Verbs that end in -на or have certain roots (like бия, пия, мия) use -т. You just have to memorize the common -т ones!
Most transitive verbs can be used in the reflexive passive, but some intransitive verbs cannot.
Because it uses the same particle 'се' as reflexive verbs.
It is grammatically possible but often sounds clunky. It's much better to use the 'съм + participle' construction if you want to name the agent.
No, 'от' is a very busy preposition! It also means 'from', 'since', and 'of'. You know it means 'by' when it follows a passive participle.
Capítulo anterior
The Renarrative Mood: Reporting Others' Words
Siguiente capítulo
Complex Sentences: Subordinate Clauses
Volver a la hoja de ruta