Passive Voice in Swedish

The passive voice is a useful grammatical construction that allows us to shift the focus of a sentence from the subject performing the action to the object receiving the action. In Swedish, the passive voice is commonly used, especially in official documents or news articles. Understanding and being able to use the passive voice will enhance your language versatility and comprehension.

Forming the Passive Voice

To form the passive voice in Swedish, we use the auxiliary verb "bli" followed by the past participle of the main verb. The auxiliary verb must agree with the subject in number and gender.

Here's the basic formula:

Subject + blir + past participle of the main verb

Examples:

• Boken blir läst av mig. (The book is being read by me.)
• Han blir kritiserad för sitt beslut. (He is being criticized for his decision.)
• Reglerna blir ändrade varje år. (The rules are changed every year.)

Passive Voice of Reflexive Verbs

In Swedish, reflexive verbs can also be used in the passive voice. In this case, we add the reflexive pronoun before the auxiliary verb "bli."

Here's the formula:

Subject + reflexive pronoun (reflexive verb) + blir + past participle of the main verb

Examples:

• Dörren blir öppnad av sig själv. (The door is being opened by itself.)
• Han blir tvättad och klippt av frisören. (He is being washed and cut by the hairdresser.)

Important Notes on Word Order

When using the passive voice in Swedish, it's important to pay attention to the word order:

• The auxiliary verb "bli" always comes before the past participle of the main verb.
• The subject of the sentence comes after the auxiliary verb "bli."
• The agent (the one performing the action) is introduced by the preposition "av" (by) and placed at the end of the sentence.

Example:

• Active Voice: Jag äter lunch. (I eat lunch.)
• Passive Voice: Lunchen blir äten av mig. (The lunch is being eaten by me.)

Using the Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

When combining the passive voice with modal verbs, the modal verb is placed in front of the auxiliary verb "bli." The past participle of the main verb remains the same.

Example:

• Det får inte glömmas bort. (It must not be forgotten.)

Avoiding the Passive Voice

While the passive voice is common in Swedish, it's important to note that it can make sentences more complex and less concise. In some cases, it may be better to use the active voice for clarity and simplicity.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now understand how to use and form the passive voice in Swedish. Remember to pay attention to word order and auxiliary verb agreement with the subject. Practice using the passive voice in different contexts to enhance your language skills and comprehension.