Passive Verbs

Passive Verbs

A brief review of passive verbs.

What is the difference between an active verb and a passive verb?

In what case is the subject of the verb?

In what case is the object of the verb?

In what case is the agent of a passive verb?

dissati, bhikkhave, kāyassa ācayo’pi apacayo’pi ādānam’pi nikkhepanam’pi (purisena) (SN12.61 assutavāsuttaṃ)

Monks, increase and decrease, taking (food) and elimination is seen for this body composed of the four great elements (by the man).

Monks, increase and decrease, taking food and elimination of this body composed of the four great elements is seen (by the man).

What is the subject(s) of this sentence?

What is the verb?

What is the object?

What is the agent?

How to form Passive Verbs

1. Root + ya > Passive Base

2. Root + iya > Passive Base

3. Root + īya > Passive Base

Passive Base + Verbal Ending > Passive Verb

Root + ya

√dis	to see	ya	dissa	dissati	is seen
√khād	to chew	ya	khajja	khajjati	is chewed
√kilis	to dirty	ya	kilissa	kilissati	is dirtied
√luj	to break	ya	lujja	lujjati	is broken
√ñā	to know	ya	ñāya	ñāyati	is known
√rup	to break	ya	ruppa	ruppati	is broken
√vad	to speak	ya	vajja	vajjati	is played

Root + iya

√dhar+ *e	to carry	iya	dhāriya	dhāriyati20	is carried
√pūj	to honour	iya	pūjiya	pūjiyati	is worshipped
√cud	to accuse	iya	codiya	codiyati	is accused
√add	to afflict	iya	aṭṭiya	aṭṭiyati	is troubled

These bases mostly exist in participle forms.

Root + īya

√har	to carry	īya	harīya	harīyati	is carried
√jīr	to get old	īya	jīrīya	jīrīyati	is aged
√kar	to do	īya	karīya	karīyati	is done
√mah	to honour	īya	mahīya	mahīyati	is honoured
√tur	to hurt	īya	turīya	āturīyati	is hurt
√add	to afflict	īya	aṭṭīya	aṭṭīyati	is troubled

Please remember that these passive bases apply to all forms of the verb and even nouns.

pr	vimuccati	is freed
aor	vimucci	was freed
fut	vimuccissati	will be free
prp	vimuccamāna	being freed
pp	vimuccita	freed
nt	vimuccana	release