Shkaktohej

Shkaktohej is an Albanian verb form that functions as the imperfect passive of the verb shkaktoj, meaning “to cause.” It translates roughly as “was caused” or “used to be caused” and is used to describe past events that occurred due to some other factor.

Usage and forms: Shkaktohej is the third-person singular imperfect passive. It is used in narrative or descriptive texts to indicate that an event or condition was the result of a prior cause. The agent or cause is often introduced with the preposition nga, as in “Ndodhia shkaktohej nga një gabim njerëzor” (The incident was caused by a human error). The passive form also appears in impersonal or generalized statements, for example “Problemi shkaktohej nga kushtet ekonomike” (The problem was caused by economic conditions). In plural contexts, the corresponding form is shkaktoheshin (they were caused).

Relation to other forms: Shkaktohej is derived from shkaktoj, with the base noun shkak meaning “cause.” The construction is typical of Albanian passive voice, where the emphasis is on the effect (what happened) rather than on the agent.

When to use: The form is common in formal, historical, or analytical writing where past causation needs to be described without specifying the doer. It contrasts with active forms (shkaktoj) when the focus shifts from the actor to the consequence.

See also: Albanian grammar, passive voice, noun shkak, verb shkaktoj.