Introduction to Passive Voice in Russian Grammar

In the realm of Russian grammar, mastering the passive voice is an essential skill for fluency and eloquence. This in-depth guide will provide you with the necessary knowledge and tools to understand and construct passive sentences in Russian, boosting your overall language skills.

Formation of Passive Voice in Russian

The passive voice in Russian is formed by taking a verb in its infinitive form and adding the appropriate ending, which depends on the tense and aspect of the verb. These endings correspond to the different conjugations of the verb “to be” in English.

Present tense passive voice:

• -тся (imperfective verbs)
• -ятся (imperfective verbs ending in -ий, -чь, and -ти)
• -ят (perfective verbs)

Past tense passive voice:

• -лся / -лась (masculine / neuter)
• -лась (feminine)
• -лись (plural)

Future tense passive voice:

For future passive voice, the verb should be in the past tense passive form and preceded by the appropriate form of the verb “быть” in the future tense.

Examples of Passive Voice in Russian

Let’s explore some examples of passive sentences in Russian to bring clarity to the different forms and uses of the passive voice.

Present tense passive voice examples:

• Газета читается. (The newspaper is being read.)
• Окно открывается. (The window is being opened.)
• Дверь закрывается. (The door is being closed.)

Past tense passive voice examples:

• Письмо было отправлено. (The letter was sent.)
• Доклад был прочитан. (The report was read.)
• Правила были изменены. (The rules were changed.)

Future tense passive voice examples:

• Задача будет решена. (The task will be solved.)
• Статья будет написана. (The article will be written.)
• Город будет освобожден. (The city will be liberated.)

Usage of Passive Voice in Russian

Passive voice plays a significant role in achieving cohesion and balance in Russian speech and writing. It is typically used in the following situations:

• When the subject is unknown or unimportant: Город был освобожден. (The city was liberated.)
• When emphasizing the action itself: Скрипка была сломана. (The violin was broken.)
• When focusing on the object receiving the action: Дом был построен в 1970 году. (The house was built in 1970.)

Intermediate vs. Reflexive Passive Voice

It is also vital to distinguish between the pure passive voice and the reflexive passive voice in Russian. Reflexive passive constructions occur when a verb ends in -ся, but it is not a true passive verb. These reflexive verbs often represent reciprocal actions or general states.

The reflexive passive is formed with the addition of the reflexive pronoun “себя” in the form of -ся or -сь depending on the verb conjugation. For example:

• Они встретились в парке. (They met in the park.)
• Я готовлюсь к экзамену. (I’m preparing for the exam.)

In conclusion, mastering the passive voice in Russian is crucial in achieving higher levels of fluency and eloquence. By familiarizing yourself with the formation and usage of passive structures, you will be well-equipped to create more engaging and sophisticated Russian texts.