B1 · Intermediate Chapter 33

Passive Voice Constructions

4 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of passive expression in Lao to sound more sophisticated and precise.

  • Identify when to use 'thuk' for negative outcomes.
  • Apply 'dai-rap' for positive experiences or receiving actions.
  • Construct sentences that highlight the recipient rather than the performer.
Shift your focus: mastering the Lao passive voice.

What You'll Learn

Understanding the 'thuk' and 'dai-rap' constructions. Explains when and why passive is used.

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'thuk' to express negative experiences or accidents accurately.

Tips & Tricks (2)

💡

Use for Positives

Only use dai-rap for positive or neutral things. If it's bad, use thuk.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive 'Dai-rap'
💡

Check the mood

Before using 'thuk', ask: is this a bad thing? If no, don't use it.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agentive Passive

Key Vocabulary (5)

ຖືກ (thuk) passive marker (negative) ໄດ້ຮັບ (dai-rap) to receive / passive marker (positive) ໂດຍ (doi) by (agent) ລົງໂທດ (long-thot) to punish ຍ້ອງຍໍ (yong-yo) to praise

Real-World Preview

briefcase

At the Office

Review Summary

  • Subject + thuk + Verb
  • Subject + dai-rap + Noun/Verb
  • Passive Verb + doi + Agent
  • Varies by context

Common Mistakes

Thuk is for negative things. You cannot be 'thuk' a gift.

Wrong: ຂ້ອຍຖືກຂອງຂວັນ (I was gifted - wrong usage of thuk)
Correct: ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ຮັບຂອງຂວັນ (I received a gift)

Lao prefers active voice if the subject is known.

Wrong: ວຽກຖືກເຮັດໂດຍຂ້ອຍ (The work was done by me - unnatural)
Correct: ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ເຮັດວຽກນັ້ນ (I did that work - active voice is preferred)

The subject must come before the marker.

Wrong: ຖືກລົງໂທດຂ້ອຍ (Was punished me - wrong syntax)
Correct: ຂ້ອຍຖືກລົງໂທດ (I was punished)

Next Steps

You have conquered the passive voice! Keep practicing these structures in your daily writing to make them second nature.

Read a short news article and highlight passive sentences.

Continue to: Reported Speech

Quick Practice (10)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Khoy dai-rap ngern
Subject-Verb-Object.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive 'Dai-rap'

Is this passive?

ຂ້ອຍຖືກລົບກວນ

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yes
Thuk is present.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agentive Passive

Fill in the blank.

ລາວ ___ ຕຳ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຖືກ
Thuk is the passive marker.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agentive Passive

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຂ້ອຍຖືກຕີ
Subject + thuk + verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agentive Passive

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ຂອງຂວັນ
Thuk is for negative events.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Nuances

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Khoy thuk khong-khwan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Khoy dai-rap khong-khwan
Thuk is for negative.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive 'Dai-rap'

Fill in the agent marker.

ລາວຖືກຈັບ ___ ຕຳຫຼວດ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ໂດຍ
Doi is the agent marker.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agentive Passive

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

ຂ້ອຍຖືກໃຫ້ເງິນ (I was given money).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ຮັບເງິນ
Passive is for negative events.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agentive Passive

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

ລາວຖືກໄປໂຮງຮຽນ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ລາວໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
Intransitive verbs cannot be passive.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Nuances

Fill in the blank with 'thuk'.

ລາວ ___ ຕີ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຖືກ
Thuk is the passive marker.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Nuances

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

It means to receive or get something.
No, use 'thuk' for negative things.
No, 'thuk' is for negative or involuntary events.
The agent follows the verb.
No, only for passive, involuntary, or negative events.
Mostly, yes. It implies the subject is suffering or experiencing something unwanted.
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Conditional Statements
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Reported Speech
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