passiv

Passiv (passive voice) is a grammatical voice in which the subject of the sentence is not the doer of the action but the recipient or affected entity. In passive clauses the action is typically emphasized, and the agent performing the action can be omitted or introduced with a phrase such as by someone. Passiv contrasts with the active voice, where the subject is the agent.

Across languages, passiv is formed in various ways. In English, it is built with a form of the auxiliary be plus a past participle: “The book was written” or “The book was written by the author.” The agent may be present or omitted (“The book was written.”). German uses werden to form Vorgangspassiv (“Der Bericht wird geschrieben”) and can use sein for Zustandspassiv (“Der Bericht ist gelesen worden”), with the agent introduced by von. Swedish often creates passives by adding a suffix -s or with an auxiliary verb in certain tenses: “Boken skrivs” or “Boken läses av många.” Dutch also forms passives with worden (“Het boek wordt gelezen”) and can include “door” for the agent (“door de schrijver”).

Passiv use varies by language and style. It is common in formal, scientific, or general statements to avoid naming the agent or when the agent is unknown or irrelevant; however, overuse can obscure agency and reduce clarity. The passive is one of several ways to present information in written and spoken language.