pasivën

Pasivën is the term used in Albanian grammar to describe the passive voice. In this voice, the action is directed toward the subject, which often becomes the patient of the verb, while the agent performing the action may be expressed with the preposition nga (by) or omitted altogether.

In Albanian, the passive voice is primarily formed through finite verb forms that indicate a passive relation, often accompanied by the agent phrase with nga. The present passive commonly ends in -ohet or -het, as in libri lexohet “the book is read.” The past passive can be formed with the auxiliary particle u or with a past tense construction using the past participle, for example libri u lexua “the book was read.” The perfect passive uses the auxiliary është or janë with the past participle, as in libri është lexuar “the book has been read.” The future passive is expressed with do të lexohet “the book will be read.”

Active and passive constructions contrast in who performs versus who receives the action. The passive is often preferred in formal, scientific, or journalistic styles, where the focus is on the action or its result rather than on the actor. Albanian also allows stylistic variations and, in some contexts, the agentless passive use is common.

Common examples illustrate the core pattern: Libri lexohet nga nxënësit (The book is read by the students); Libri u lexua nga profesorët (The book was read by the professors). Understanding pasivën helps explain how Albanian expresses events from the viewpoint of the recipient of the action.