Passive Heavy Constructions in Formal Text
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the -s passive to remove the subject and focus on the action in formal academic or professional Norwegian writing.
- Add -s to the infinitive for present tense: 'Det gjøres' (It is done).
- Use 'ble' + past participle for past events: 'Det ble gjort' (It was done).
- Avoid the -s passive in casual conversation; it sounds overly stiff or archaic.
Passive Construction Table
| Tense | Active | Passive (-s) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present
|
å gjøre
|
gjøres
|
Det gjøres nå.
|
|
Past
|
å gjøre
|
ble gjort
|
Det ble gjort i går.
|
Meanings
The -s passive is used to shift focus from the agent (the person doing the action) to the action itself, common in reports and formal documents.
Formal Objective
Expressing actions without naming the actor.
“Det antas at tallene er korrekte.”
“Søknaden sendes elektronisk.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + s
|
Det gjøres.
|
|
Negative
|
Verb + s + ikke
|
Det gjøres ikke.
|
|
Question
|
Gjøres + det?
|
Gjøres det?
|
|
Past
|
Ble + Participle
|
Det ble gjort.
|
|
Future
|
Vil bli + Participle
|
Det vil bli gjort.
|
|
Modal
|
Bør + bli + Participle
|
Det bør bli gjort.
|
Espectro de formalidade
Rapporten skrives. (Work report)
Man skriver rapporten. (Work report)
Vi skriver rapporten. (Work report)
Rapporten blir skrevet. (Work report)
Passive Usage Map
Usage
- Akademisk Academic
- Formell Formal
Exemplos por nível
Det gjøres.
It is done.
Det sies.
It is said.
Det skrives.
It is written.
Det sees.
It is seen.
Søknaden sendes i dag.
The application is sent today.
Det antas at det regner.
It is assumed that it rains.
Det forventes svar.
An answer is expected.
Det kreves pass.
A passport is required.
Det besluttes at vi starter.
It is decided that we start.
Det anbefales å lese boken.
It is recommended to read the book.
Det opplyses om endringer.
Information about changes is provided.
Det vurderes nøye.
It is considered carefully.
Det konkluderes med at teorien holder.
It is concluded that the theory holds.
Det henvises til vedlegg.
Reference is made to the attachment.
Det uttrykkes bekymring.
Concern is expressed.
Det tilbys gratis kaffe.
Free coffee is offered.
Det forutsettes at alle møter opp.
It is presupposed that everyone shows up.
Det fremlegges bevis for saken.
Evidence for the case is presented.
Det etterlyses mer åpenhet.
More transparency is called for.
Det poengteres at tiden er knapp.
It is pointed out that time is short.
Det anmodes om at protokollen følges.
It is requested that the protocol be followed.
Det henstilles til publikum om ro.
The public is urged to remain calm.
Det tilskrives forfatterens stil.
It is attributed to the author's style.
Det betraktes som en selvfølge.
It is regarded as a matter of course.
Fácil de confundir
Both are passive.
Erros comuns
Jeg gjøres det.
Det gjøres.
Det sies det.
Det sies.
Det ble gjøres.
Det ble gjort.
Det soves i sengen.
Man sover i sengen.
Padrões de frases
Det ___ at ___.
Real World Usage
Det konkluderes med...
Check Transitivity
Smart Tips
Use -s to sound more objective.
Pronúncia
S-sound
The -s is pronounced as a soft 's'.
Flat
Det gjøres.
Objective and neutral.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Add an S to the end, to make the subject your friend (or hide them entirely).
Associação visual
Imagine a shy person hiding behind a giant letter 'S' so they don't have to be the subject of the sentence.
Rhyme
When the subject is a mystery, add an S to make history.
Story
The king wanted to hide his orders. He didn't want to say 'I order', so he added an 'S' to every verb. Now the orders just 'happen' by themselves.
Word Web
Desafio
Write three sentences about your daily routine using only the -s passive.
Notas culturais
Used to maintain distance and objectivity.
From Old Norse middle voice.
Iniciadores de conversa
Hva gjøres for å forbedre miljøet?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
Det ___ (å si) at det er sant.
Score: /1
Exercicios praticos
1 exercisesDet ___ (å si) at det er sant.
Score: /1
Perguntas frequentes (1)
No, it sounds too formal.
Scaffolded Practice
1
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Se dice
Spanish 'se' is more flexible.
Man sagt
Norwegian uses a suffix.
On dit
Norwegian uses a suffix.
Passive form
Japanese is agglutinative.
Passive voice
Norwegian uses a suffix.
Bei construction
Norwegian uses a suffix.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Connected Grammar
Bli-passive
ContrastEssential for past tense.
