What is the Passive Voice?
In linguistics, the passive voice is a grammatical construction that is used to focus on the action being performed rather than who is performing it. This has an effect on the order of the subject and object.
In fact, in the passive voice, the subject of the sentence becomes the recipient of the action, while the performer of the action can either be omitted or included as an optional element.
Let me show you an example:
- Active voice
Il cuoco ha cucinato la carne.
The chef cooked the meat.
- Passive voice
La carne è stata cucinata dal cuoco.
The meat was cooked by the chef.
As you can see, the passive voice in Italian is typically formed using the auxiliary verb essere (to be). However, the passive voice with venire (to come) is also common. In both cases, the verb is followed by the past participle of the main verb.
In this article, I will focus on the passive voice of the Italian modal verbs: dovere,potere, volere, and sapere.
Passive Voice of Italian Modal Verbs
Italian Modal Verbs
The Italian modal verbs dovere (to have to), potere (can, to be able to), volere (to want), and sapere (to know, to know how to) are almost always followed by a verb in the present infinitive, like in the examples below:
Io devo studiare.
I have to study.
Non posso uscire oggi.
I can’t go out today.
Vorrei mangiare la pizza.
I would like to eat pizza.
Quando ero piccolo sapevo sciare.
When I was a child I knew how to ski.
How to Form the Passive Voice of Italian Modal Verbs
Before I dive into the details of the construction of the passive voice of the Italian modal verbs, I want to explain something that I find very relevant for the topic.
As you know now, you need the auxiliary verb essere (to be) to form the passive voice. I am confident that you also know at this point of your Italian learning path, that modal verbs are considered auxiliary verbs as well.
This means that forming the passive voice of Italian modal verbs involves a combination of two auxiliary verbs: the modal verb itself and the auxiliary verb essere (to be). Of course, you also need the past participle of the main verb.
Here’s the general structure:
Conjugated modal verb + infinitive essere + past participle of the main verb
An important aspect to keep in mind when creating the passive voice of Italian modal verbs is that the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence when using.
This is a pattern that always occurs when we are using the auxiliary verb essere.
This means that past participle will end in -o, -a, -i, or -e depending on whether the subject is masculine or feminine, and singular or plural.
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine Singular | Il libro deve essere letto. | The book must be read. |
| Feminine Singular | La lettera deve essere letta. | The letter must be read. |
| Masculine Plural | I libri devono essere letti. | The books must be read. |
| Feminine Plural | Le lettere devono essere lette. | The letters must be read. |
Passive Voice of Italian Modal Verbs: Examples
Dovere
The passive voice with the verb dovere is more common than with the other verbs. It is typically used in rules, orders, and ways of doing things, like in the examples below:
- Active
Devo fare i compiti
I must do the homework.
- Passive
I compiti devono essere fatti.
The homework must be done.
Other examples with the passive voice:
Le tasse devono essere pagate da tutti.
Taxes have to be paid by everyone.
I bambini devono essere portati a casa prima delle 8.
Children have to be taken home before 8.
Il grano deve essere piantato prima della primavera.
The wheat must be planted before spring.
Potere
We use the passive voice with potere when we’re giving permission to do something, as you can see in the examples:
- Active
Posso leggere il libro.
I can read the book.
- Passive
Il libro può essere letto.
The book can be read.
Other examples with the passive voice:
Il parcheggio può essere usato dai residenti.
The parking can be used by residents.
I diplomi possono essere ritirati in segreteria.
Diplomas can be collected at the administrative office.
Il documento può essere tradotto soltanto da un traduttore ufficiale.
The document can only be translated by an official translator.
Volere
We use the passive voice of volere when we talk about someone’s desire:
- Active
Voglio aiutare i bambini.
I want to help the children.
- Passive
I bambini vogliono essere aiutati.
The children want to be helped.
Other examples with the passive voice:
Non voglio essere portata in ospedale.
I don’t want to be taken to the hospital.
Non vogliono essere distubati da nessuno.
They don’t want to be bothered by anyone.
Vogliamo essere trattate bene.
We want to be treated well.
Sapere
Unlike the other modal verbs, sapere is not commonly used in the passive voice. This is because this verb is generally a stative verb, meaning that it describes a state of being or knowledge, rather than an action that can be passively received.
