B1 · Intermediate Chapter 32

Passive Voice

4 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of focusing on the action rather than the person performing it.

  • Construct passive verb forms in Greek.
  • Identify when to shift focus from the actor to the result.
  • Apply passive participles to elevate your descriptive writing.
Shift the focus: Let the action take center stage.

What You'll Learn

Forming and using the passive voice. Focusing on the action rather than the actor.

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 sentences correctly.

Tips & Tricks (3)

💡

Focus on -μαι

Always look for the -μαι ending to identify passive verbs.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice Formation
💡

Check the Noun

Always look at the noun first to decide the gender and number of your participle.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Participles
💡

Use for Objectivity

When you want to sound neutral, use these verbs instead of 'I think'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive in Formal Writing

Key Vocabulary (5)

γράφεται is written αποτέλεσμα result διαβασμένος read (participle) αναφέρεται is mentioned/reported πράξη action/act

Real-World Preview

newspaper

News Report

Review Summary

  • Stem + -μαι, -σαι, -ται
  • Object -> Subject
  • Stem + -μένος
  • Passive + Impersonal verbs

Common Mistakes

You used the active voice instead of the passive. Ensure the verb matches the passive subject.

Wrong: Το βιβλίο διαβάζει από τον μαθητή.
Correct: Το βιβλίο διαβάζεται από τον μαθητή.

Passive voice doesn't usually feature the actor as the main subject. The object becomes the subject.

Wrong: Εγώ χτίστηκε το σπίτι.
Correct: Το σπίτι χτίστηκε.

Ensure the participle agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.

Wrong: Το έργο είναι τελειώμενο.
Correct: Το έργο είναι τελειωμένο.

Next Steps

You've worked hard on the passive voice. Take a moment to celebrate your progress before tackling conditionals!

Rewrite a news article from active to passive voice

Continue to: Conditional Sentences

Quick Practice (10)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is more formal?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
The passive 'Λέγεται' is the most formal option.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive in Formal Writing

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Το φαγητό είναι μαγειρεμένος.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Το φαγητό είναι μαγειρεμένο
Gender agreement.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Participles

Fill in the correct passive form.

Το σπίτι ___ (καθαρίζω) από τη Μαρία.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: καθαρίζεται
Passive voice needed.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice Formation

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Το φαγητό μαγειρεύει από τον σεφ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Το φαγητό μαγειρεύεται από τον σεφ.
Passive voice needed.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice Formation

Choose the correct form.

Η πόρτα είναι ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: κλεισμένη
Feminine noun requires feminine participle.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Participles

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Το βιβλίο γράφτηκε από εγώ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: εμένα
Need accusative case.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive vs Active

Choose the correct reported speech.

Είπε ότι ___ (έρχομαι).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: έρχεται
Third person required.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive vs Active

Fill in the correct participle.

Το γράμμα είναι ___ (γράφω).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: γραμμένο
Neuter noun requires neuter participle.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Participles

Fill in the correct passive form.

Το σπίτι ___ (χτίζω) το 1990.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: χτίστηκε
Past passive form required.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive vs Active

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Το γράμμα γράφεται.
Passive voice needed.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice Formation

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

It's when the subject receives the action.
Use -μαι endings.
No, only when you want to specify who performed the action.
It is often used in formal contexts, but also in daily life.
They describe a state resulting from an action, like 'the door is closed'.
Yes, for the passive participle. It is the standard suffix.
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Perfect Tenses
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Conditional Sentences
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