The passive voice is a grammatical construction that emphasizes the object or the recipient of an action rather than the subject. In Vietnamese, we can create passive voice sentences using the words “được” and “bị.” These words help us shift the focus from the subject performing the action to the object receiving the action.
Grammar and Example
1/ "Bị"
"Bị" is a verb that expresses receiving or undergoing something unfavorable.
If the action harms the subject/ is disapproved by the subject, we use "bị".
Meaning: Express that the subject receives or undergoes something which is done or caused by another. Things going after “bị” are often not good for the subject.
Anh ấy bị ốm | He is sick |
Bố của em bị tai nạn | My father had an accident |
Máy tính của em bị hỏng | My computer is broken |
Hôm qua, em bị mất tiền. | Yesterday I lost money |
2/ "Được"
Meaning: Expresses the meaning of receiving a good thing, or indicates a favorable degree, quantity received.
If that action benefits the subject, we use "được".
Em được bố mẹ tặng quà | I got a gift from my parents |
Anh ấy được đi du lịch | He gets to travel |
Họ được khen | They are praised |
Chúng tôi được ăn món Việt. | We get to eat Vietnamese food |
Note: A passive sentence in Vietnamese is a sentence with a subject indicating a person or thing that is directed at by the activity of another person or thing;
Passive sentences in Vietnamese often add “bị/ được” before the main verb.
Words
bị ốm | get sick |
bị hỏng | get broken |
bị tai nạn | get acident |
mất | lost (lost something) |
máy tính | computer |
tặng | to gift |
quà | a gift |
khen | praise |
tiền | money |
hôm qua | yesterday |
ăn | eat |
món Việt | Vietnamese food |
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