Learn to form and understand passive sentences in Dutch (passieve zinnen). This lesson covers passive constructions using auxiliary verbs 'worden' and 'zijn' with past participles in various tenses. It explains how passives emphasize the action or object and often omit the agent indicated by 'door'. Practical examples illustrate present, past, and perfect passive forms, helping learners recognize and use passives effectively in real contexts.
- A passive sentence often has no subject.
- A passive sentence always contains a form of the auxiliary verb worden or zijn and a past participle.
- In a passive sentence, the acting person is indicated with 'door', which can usually be omitted.
| Werkwoordstijd (Verb tense) | Actief (active) | Passief (Passive) |
|---|---|---|
| onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (present simple tense) | Jan start het videogesprek. (Jan starts the video call.) | Het videogesprek wordt gestart (door Jan). (The video call is started (by Jan).) |
| onvoltooid verleden tijd (imperfect tense) | Hij gebruikte zijn computer nauwelijks. (He hardly used his computer.) | Zijn computer werd nauwelijks gebruikt (door hem). (His computer was hardly used (by him).) |
| voltooid tegenwoordige tijd (present perfect tense) | Anna heeft het videogesprek afgebroken. (Anna has ended the video call.) | Het videogesprek is afgebroken (door Anna). (The video call has been disconnected (by Anna).) |
| voltooid verleden tijd (past perfect tense) | Ik had het gesprek gestart. (I had started the conversation.) | Het gesprek was gestart (door mij). (The conversation was started (by me).) |
Exercise 1: Passieve zinnen
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
is, werd, wordt, was
1.
De laptop ... vorige week niet goed verbonden.
(The laptop was not connected properly last week.)
2.
De uitrusting ... dagelijks schoongemaakt.
(The equipment is cleaned daily.)
3.
De verbinding ... regelmatig getest op snelheid.
(The connection is regularly tested for speed.)
4.
De verbinding ... meteen hersteld na de storing.
(The connection was immediately restored after the fault.)
5.
Het platform ... al meerdere keren getest vandaag.
(The platform has been tested several times today.)
6.
De digitale uitrusting ... geleverd door een extern bedrijf.
(The digital equipment is supplied by an external company.)
7.
De computer ... gisteren door de technicus gerepareerd.
(The computer was repaired by the technician yesterday.)
8.
Het videogesprek ... elke ochtend automatisch gestart.
(The video call is automatically started every morning.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct passive sentence. Pay attention to whether the sentence uses the correct passive form with the auxiliary verb 'worden' or 'zijn' and a past participle, and whether the sentence is grammatically correct.
1.
The auxiliary verb 'is' appears twice here, which is wrong in passive constructions.
The auxiliary verb 'is' is used twice here, which is not correct in a passive sentence.
2.
This is an active sentence without a passive form and therefore not correct within this exercise.
'By' must be followed by an agent; this is missing here, making the sentence incorrect.
3.
In this context, for present tense the auxiliary verb 'worden' should be used, not 'has'.
This is an active sentence and does not contain a passive construction.
4.
Mixing different tenses within one passive sentence is incorrect.
The addition of 'were' is grammatically incorrect and makes the sentence wrong.
