B2 Passive & Reported Speech 7 min read 中等

Formal Passive with 'Trauv Ban' (Neutral/Formal Passive)

Use Trauv Ban to create formal, neutral passive sentences in professional, academic, or journalistic Khmer contexts.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'Trauv Ban' + [Verb] to shift focus from the doer to the action, common in formal reports and news.

  • Use 'Trauv Ban' before the verb to indicate a passive action: 'ការងារត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់' (The work was finished).
  • The agent (doer) is often omitted in formal contexts to maintain neutrality.
  • For negative forms, place 'min' before 'trauv': 'ការងារមិនត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់ទេ' (The work was not finished).
Object + ត្រូវបាន (Trauv Ban) + Verb

Overview

Welcome to the world of high-level Khmer! Today, we are diving into a very special structure. It is called the formal passive.
In Khmer, we use Trauv Ban. Most beginners learn that Khmer prefers active sentences. We usually say
I ate the rice.
We rarely say
The rice was eaten by me.
However, as you reach level B2, things change.
You start reading news reports and formal documents. You might even want to write a professional email. This is where Trauv Ban becomes your best friend.
Think of it as a grammar tuxedo. It makes your sentences look sharp and professional. It shifts the focus from who did the action to what happened.
This is very common in journalism and official speeches. If you want to sound like a news anchor, you need this. It is the key to mastering neutral and formal tones.
Let's explore how to use it without sounding like a robot.

How This Grammar Works

In a normal sentence, the person doing the action comes first. In a passive sentence, the receiver of the action takes the stage. We use Trauv Ban to bridge the gap.
The word Trauv usually means to hit or to be correct. The word Ban usually means to have done or can. When they join forces as Trauv Ban, they create a passive marker. This marker tells the listener that the subject is being acted upon. It is not doing the action itself.
Unlike the simple Trauv (which often implies something bad happened), Trauv Ban is neutral. It is used for positive or factual events. It is like a spotlight.
It shines on the result of the action. You use it when the who is less important than the what. It adds a layer of distance and formality. It is very useful when you do not know who did the action.
It is also great when the doer is obvious or unimportant.

Formation Pattern

1
Creating this structure is like building a sandwich. You just need to follow these steps:
2
Start with the Receiver (the person or thing the action happens to).
3
Add the magic phrase Trauv Ban.
4
(Optional) Add the Doer (the person or thing performing the action).
5
Finish with the Action Verb.
6
For example: Sia-phou (Book) + Trauv Ban + Sorser (Write).
7
This gives you: Sia-phou trauv ban sorser (The book was written).
8
If you want to say who wrote it, just slip them in after Trauv Ban.
9
Example: Sia-phou trauv ban khnhom sorser (The book was written by me).
10
It is actually quite simple once you get the rhythm. Just remember that the verb stays the same. Khmer verbs do not change their shape for the passive. You just move the pieces of the sentence around. Think of it like a grammar puzzle. You are just rearranging the blocks for a different effect.

When To Use It

Use this pattern when you want to sound professional. It is the gold standard for news reporting. You will hear it every night on TV.
The new bridge trauv ban opened today.
It is also essential for official documents. Think about government announcements or business contracts. If a law trauv ban passed, this is the phrase they use.
Use it in academic writing too. It makes your research sound more objective and less personal. Another great time is during job interviews.
You can say,
I trauv ban promoted last year.
It sounds much more humble than bragging about yourself. It is also perfect for giving credit.
This house trauv ban built by my grandfather.
It shows respect and focuses on the achievement.
Basically, use it whenever you want to be polite, formal, or objective. It is the polite society version of Khmer grammar.

When Not To Use It

Do not use Trauv Ban for casual chats with friends. If you say
My coffee trauv ban drunk by me,
your friends will laugh. It sounds like you are reading a legal deposition at a cafe.
Keep it natural in daily life. Also, avoid using it for unpleasant accidents. If you got hit by a car, do not use Trauv Ban.
In that case, use the simple Trauv. Why? Because Trauv Ban implies a completed, often neutral or positive result.
Getting sick or losing your wallet is not a formal achievement. If you use it for bad things, it sounds very strange. It is like wearing a ball gown to go jogging. It just does not fit the vibe.
Also, do not use it for simple, reflexive actions. You do not need it to say you washed your face. Use it for significant events that deserve a bit of ceremony.
Save it for the big moments!

Common Mistakes

One big mistake is overusing it. Some learners get excited and use it for every sentence. This makes your Khmer sound very stiff and translated. Remember, Khmer loves active sentences. Only use the passive when it serves a purpose. Another mistake is mixing up Trauv and Trauv Ban. Remember: Trauv is for bad luck (getting hit, getting scolded). Trauv Ban is for formal facts (being appointed, being built). Do not cross the streams! Another slip-up is the word order. Some people try to put the verb before Trauv Ban. That will confuse everyone. Always put the receiver first. Finally, do not forget the verb. Trauv Ban is not a verb by itself. It needs an action to follow it. Even native speakers mess this up when they are tired. Just take a breath and remember the Receiver first rule. It is like a grammar traffic light; it tells you when to stop and let the object go first.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

The biggest rival is the simple Trauv. As we discussed, Trauv is the Passive of Pain. It is for when life treats you poorly. Trauv Ban is the Passive of Professionalism. It is for facts and honors.
Another similar pattern is using the word Ke (They/People). In casual Khmer, we often say People say... instead of It is said... If you are at a market, use Ke. If you are at a press conference, use Trauv Ban.
There is also the word Ban used alone as a past tense marker. Do not get them confused! Ban alone just means something happened.
Trauv Ban means something was *done to* something else. It is a subtle difference, but it changes the whole flavor of the sentence. It is the difference between I did it and It was done.

Quick FAQ

Q

Is Trauv Ban always formal?

Yes, it is almost always formal or neutral. It is rarely used in slang.

Q

Can I use it for people?

Yes! Especially for titles or honors.

He trauv ban elected.

Q

Does it mean the same as was in English?

Sort of, but only for the passive voice. It is not used for I was happy.

Q

Is it okay for school essays?

Yes, it is highly encouraged in academic Khmer writing.

Q

What if I forget the Ban?

You might accidentally say something bad happened to the object!

Q

Do I always need to say who did the action?

No, you can leave the doer out if you want to be mysterious or if they are not important.

Trauv Ban Construction

Form Khmer Structure English Meaning
Affirmative
Object + ត្រូវបាន + Verb
The object is/was verbed
Negative
Object + មិនត្រូវបាន + Verb + ទេ
The object is/was not verbed
Question
Object + ត្រូវបាន + Verb + ឬទេ?
Was the object verbed?
Agentive
Object + ត្រូវបាន + Verb + ដោយ + Agent
The object was verbed by the agent

Meanings

The 'Trauv Ban' construction is the standard way to form the passive voice in Khmer, typically used for formal or objective reporting.

1

Formal Reporting

Used in news, legal, and academic writing to describe events objectively.

“ច្បាប់នេះត្រូវបានអនុម័តកាលពីម្សិលមិញ។”

“គម្រោងនេះត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់ដោយជោគជ័យ។”

2

Neutral Passive

Used when the subject is affected by an action without focusing on the actor.

“ផ្ទះរបស់គាត់ត្រូវបានលក់។”

“កាបូបត្រូវបានរកឃើញនៅកន្លែងកើតហេតុ។”

Reference Table

Reference table for Formal Passive with 'Trauv Ban' (Neutral/Formal Passive)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Obj + ត្រូវបាន + V
ផ្ទះត្រូវបានសាងសង់
Negative
Obj + មិនត្រូវបាន + V + ទេ
ផ្ទះមិនត្រូវបានសាងសង់ទេ
Question
Obj + ត្រូវបាន + V + ឬទេ?
ផ្ទះត្រូវបានសាងសង់ឬទេ?
Agentive
Obj + ត្រូវបាន + V + ដោយ + Agent
ផ្ទះត្រូវបានសាងសង់ដោយក្រុមហ៊ុន
Past
Obj + ត្រូវបាន + V + កាលពី...
ផ្ទះត្រូវបានសាងសង់កាលពីឆ្នាំមុន
Future
Obj + នឹងត្រូវបាន + V
ផ្ទះនឹងត្រូវបានសាងសង់

正式程度

正式
របាយការណ៍ត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់។

របាយការណ៍ត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់។ (Work report)

中性
របាយការណ៍នេះបានបញ្ចប់ហើយ។

របាយការណ៍នេះបានបញ្ចប់ហើយ។ (Work report)

非正式
ធ្វើរបាយការណ៍រួចហើយ។

ធ្វើរបាយការណ៍រួចហើយ។ (Work report)

俚语
ចប់ហើយរបាយការណ៍។

ចប់ហើយរបាយការណ៍។ (Work report)

Passive Voice Logic

ត្រូវបាន

Usage

  • Formal Formal
  • Objective Objective

Structure

  • Object Receiver
  • Verb Action
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按水平分级的例句

1

សៀវភៅត្រូវបានអាន។

The book was read.

2

ទ្វារត្រូវបានបើក។

The door was opened.

1

ការងារត្រូវបានធ្វើ។

The work was done.

2

អាហារត្រូវបានរៀបចំ។

The food was prepared.

1

គម្រោងនេះត្រូវបានអនុម័តដោយប្រធាន។

This project was approved by the boss.

2

កិច្ចប្រជុំត្រូវបានពន្យារពេល។

The meeting was postponed.

1

ច្បាប់នេះត្រូវបានដាក់ឱ្យប្រើប្រាស់កាលពីឆ្នាំមុន។

This law was implemented last year.

2

ព័ត៌មាននេះត្រូវបានផ្សព្វផ្សាយទូទាំងពិភពលោក។

This news was broadcast worldwide.

1

ការសម្រេចចិត្តនេះត្រូវបានធ្វើឡើងដោយផ្អែកលើទិន្នន័យជាក់ស្តែង។

This decision was made based on actual data.

2

សំណើនេះត្រូវបានពិនិត្យយ៉ាងល្អិតល្អន់ដោយគណៈកម្មាធិការ។

This proposal was thoroughly reviewed by the committee.

1

រាល់សកម្មភាពទាំងអស់ត្រូវបានត្រួតពិនិត្យដោយប្រព័ន្ធស្វ័យប្រវត្តិ។

All activities are monitored by an automated system.

2

សិទ្ធិមនុស្សត្រូវបានការពារដោយរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញ។

Human rights are protected by the constitution.

容易混淆

Formal Passive with 'Trauv Ban' (Neutral/Formal Passive) 对比 Active Voice

Learners use passive when active is more natural.

Formal Passive with 'Trauv Ban' (Neutral/Formal Passive) 对比 Trauv (Negative)

Learners use 'Trauv' for passive.

Formal Passive with 'Trauv Ban' (Neutral/Formal Passive) 对比 Ban (Ability)

Confusing 'Ban' (can) with 'Trauv Ban' (passive).

常见错误

✗

ខ្ញុំត្រូវបានញ៉ាំបាយ

✓

ខ្ញុំញ៉ាំបាយ

Passive is for objects, not people eating.
✗

គាត់ត្រូវបានទៅផ្សារ

✓

គាត់ទៅផ្សារ

Intransitive verbs don't take passive.
✗

វាត្រូវបានខូច

✓

វាខូច

Simple state verbs don't need passive.
✗

គេត្រូវបានវាយខ្ញុំ

✓

ខ្ញុំត្រូវបានគេវាយ

The receiver must be the subject.
✗

សំបុត្រត្រូវបានផ្ញើដោយខ្ញុំ

✓

សំបុត្រត្រូវបានខ្ញុំផ្ញើ

Agentive structure is better with 'ដោយ'.
✗

វាត្រូវបានធ្វើរួច

✓

វាត្រូវបានធ្វើរួចរាល់

Missing completion marker.
✗

រឿងនេះត្រូវបាននិយាយដោយមនុស្សគ្រប់គ្នា

✓

រឿងនេះត្រូវបានគេនិយាយតៗគ្នា

Avoid literal translation of 'by everyone'.
✗

គាត់ត្រូវបានជ្រើសរើសដោយក្រុមការងារ

✓

គាត់ត្រូវបានក្រុមការងារជ្រើសរើស

Word order preference.
✗

វាត្រូវបានមិនបញ្ចប់

✓

វាមិនត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់

Negative placement error.
✗

ការសម្រេចចិត្តត្រូវបានធ្វើដោយប្រធាន

✓

ការសម្រេចចិត្តត្រូវបានធ្វើឡើងដោយប្រធាន

Missing directional marker.
✗

បញ្ហានេះត្រូវបានដោះស្រាយដោយពួកយើង

✓

បញ្ហានេះត្រូវបានដោះស្រាយដោយយើង

Formal register mismatch.
✗

វាត្រូវបានគេឃើញថា

✓

វាត្រូវបានគេសង្កេតឃើញថា

Use more formal verbs.

句型

___ ត្រូវបាន ___ ដោយ ___

___ មិនត្រូវបាន ___ ទេ

តើ ___ ត្រូវបាន ___ ឬទេ?

Real World Usage

News Broadcast constant

ផ្លូវត្រូវបានបិទដោយសារទឹកជំនន់។

Legal Document very common

កិច្ចសន្យាត្រូវបានចុះហត្ថលេខា។

Corporate Email common

សំណើត្រូវបានអនុម័ត។

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💡

Focus on the Object

Always ensure the object is the first word in the sentence.
⚠️

Avoid Overuse

Too many passive sentences make you sound like a robot.
🎯

Use 'ដោយ' for Agents

When you must include the actor, always use 'ដោយ' (by).

Smart Tips

Use passive voice to sound objective.

ខ្ញុំបានរកឃើញកំហុស។ → កំហុសត្រូវបានរកឃើញ។

Use passive to avoid guessing the actor.

នរណាម្នាក់បានបើកទ្វារ។ → ទ្វារត្រូវបានបើក។

Front the object to emphasize it.

រដ្ឋាភិបាលបានអនុម័តច្បាប់។ → ច្បាប់ត្រូវបានអនុម័តដោយរដ្ឋាភិបាល។

发音

/trəuv baːn/

Trauv Ban

Pronounce as two distinct words. 'Trauv' has a sharp 'au' sound.

Formal Statement

Object ត្រូវបាន Verb ↘

Falling intonation indicates a completed, formal fact.

记住它

记忆技巧

Think of 'Trauv Ban' as a 'Traffic Barrier'—it stops the active flow and redirects focus to the object.

视觉联想

Imagine a formal news anchor pointing at a document. The document is the star, not the anchor.

Rhyme

Trauv Ban makes it passive, formal and clear, focus on the object, the actor stays in the rear.

Story

The king signed the decree. In the news, they say: 'The decree was signed by the king.' The decree is now the hero of the sentence.

Word Web

ត្រូវបានដោយការងារបញ្ចប់អនុម័តផ្សព្វផ្សាយ

挑战

Rewrite 3 active sentences from a news article into passive 'Trauv Ban' sentences.

文化笔记

Using passive voice is a sign of respect and professional distance in government offices.

Derived from the verb 'Trauv' (to be correct/to hit) and 'Ban' (to get/obtain).

对话开场白

“

តើគម្រោងនេះត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់ឬនៅ?

“

តើច្បាប់ថ្មីត្រូវបានអនុម័តនៅពេលណា?

“

តើកិច្ចប្រជុំត្រូវបានពន្យារពេលដោយសារអ្វី?

日记主题

Describe a project you completed at work using passive voice.
Write a short news report about a local event.
Explain how a law in your country is passed.

常见错误

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct passive marker.

សំបុត្រ ___ ផ្ញើកាលពីម្សិលមិញ។

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ត្រូវបាន
The passive marker is 'ត្រូវបាន'.
Identify the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

ការងារត្រូវបានធ្វើដោយខ្ញុំ។ (Correct or Incorrect?)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Correct
This is a perfect agentive passive sentence.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះត្រូវបានសាងសង់ដោយក្រុមហ៊ុន
Object + Passive Marker + Verb + Agent.
Which sentence is more formal? 多项选择

Choose the best formal sentence.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ការងារត្រូវបានធ្វើដោយខ្ញុំ
Passive voice is more formal.

Score: /4

练习题

4 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct passive marker.

សំបុត្រ ___ ផ្ញើកាលពីម្សិលមិញ។

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ត្រូវបាន
The passive marker is 'ត្រូវបាន'.
Identify the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

ការងារត្រូវបានធ្វើដោយខ្ញុំ។ (Correct or Incorrect?)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Correct
This is a perfect agentive passive sentence.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

ត្រូវបាន / ផ្ទះ / សាងសង់ / ដោយ / ក្រុមហ៊ុន

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះត្រូវបានសាងសង់ដោយក្រុមហ៊ុន
Object + Passive Marker + Verb + Agent.
Which sentence is more formal? 多项选择

Choose the best formal sentence.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ការងារត្រូវបានធ្វើដោយខ្ញុំ
Passive voice is more formal.

Score: /4

常见问题 (6)

No, only use it when the object is more important than the actor.

No. 'Trauv' often implies a negative experience, while 'Trauv Ban' is neutral.

No, you can omit it if the agent is unknown or irrelevant.

It is used in formal speeches, but rarely in casual chats.

Add 'មិន' before 'ត្រូវបាន'.

Yes, it functions almost exactly like 'to be + past participle'.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Ser + participio

Spanish requires gender/number agreement; Khmer does not.

French high

Être + participe passé

French uses auxiliary verbs; Khmer uses a fixed marker.

German moderate

Werden + Partizip II

German has complex case endings; Khmer is isolating.

Japanese partial

-(r)eru suffix

Khmer uses a separate word (marker) instead of a suffix.

Arabic low

Internal vowel change

Khmer is analytic; Arabic is highly inflectional.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Nominalization with 'Kar' and 'Sechkdey' (Abstract Nouns)
Next
Reported Speech with 'Tha' (Indirect Discourse)

Related Grammar Rules

A2

Adversative Passive 'Treuv'
B1

Reported Speech with 'niyeay-tha' (Saying that)

Overview Ever felt like you were stuck in the middle of a game of telephone? Reporting what someone else said is a huge...
B2

Reported Speech with 'Tha' (Indirect Discourse)

Overview Ever wondered how to spill the tea in Khmer? Or maybe you just need to tell your boss what a client said durin...
C1

Formal Neutral Passive with 'Treuv-ban' (Non-adversative Passive)

Overview Welcome to the upper echelons of Khmer grammar! You have probably already met `treuv`. Usually, it is the bear...
C2

Neutral Passive Voice (treuv ban)

Overview You probably learned early on that `ត្រូវ` is the harbinger of bad news. In basic Khmer, it usually marks some...
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