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Flip to reveal answersHow do you form the passive in Italian?
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All 14 Flashcards — The passive & si passivante
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Question
How do you form the passive in Italian?
Answer
essere (or venire) + past participle, which agrees with the subject: «la casa è venduta».
Question
«Il sindaco inaugura la biblioteca» → passive?
Answer
La biblioteca è inaugurata dal sindaco. (object → subject, doer after «da»)
Question
Make it passato prossimo: «Hanno venduto le case.»
Answer
Le case sono state vendute. («sono state» + participle agreeing fem. pl.)
Question
What does the past participle agree with in the passive?
Answer
The subject — in gender and number: -o / -a / -i / -e (sono state costruite).
Question
When can you use «venire» for the passive?
Answer
In simple tenses only (present, imperfect, future): «viene aperta», «verrà restaurato» — never in compound tenses.
Question
Which preposition introduces the doer (the agent)?
Answer
«da» (da+il = dal, da+la = dalla): «scritto da Calvino» — never «di».
Question
What is the si passivante?
Answer
«si» + a 3rd-person verb, an impersonal passive: «si vende una casa» / «si vendono biglietti».
Question
«Si vende ___ biglietti» — which verb form?
Answer
«si vendono biglietti» — plural noun → plural verb.
Question
«Non si ___ qui» (fumare) — no smoking.
Answer
Non si fuma qui. (si passivante, singular verb)
Question
essere vs venire vs si — which is neutral?
Answer
«essere» is the neutral all-purpose passive; «venire» stresses the action; «si» is impersonal (people in general).
Question
Passive of «Restaureranno il museo.» (futuro)
Answer
Il museo sarà restaurato / verrà restaurato. (essere or venire in the future)
Question
Common error: «Le mele sono comprato.» Fix it.
Answer
Le mele sono state comprate. (agree fem. pl. + «state» in the passato prossimo)
Question
Turn into a notice: «People speak Italian here.»
Answer
Qui si parla italiano. (si passivante, impersonal)
Question
Why use the passive at all?
Answer
To focus on the thing/result, not the doer, and to give a formal, report-like tone; add «da» only to name the doer.
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Full study notes for The passive & si passivante
Topic 3.3 hub
Mood, voice & pronouns
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Italian B exam skills
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