THE PASSIVE VOICE

Table of contents 1 What is the passive voice? 2. The passive endings 3. First conjugation 4. Second conjugation 5. Third conjugation 6. Fourth conjugation

In the active voice, the subject PERFORMS THE ACTION of the verb.

Mures placentam portant.

(The mice carry the cake.)

In the passive voice, the subject is ACTED UPON by the verb.

Placenta a muribus portatur.

(The cake is carried by the mice.)

In Latin, there are special endings to show that the verbs are in the passive voice!

First, let ’ s review the ACTIVE endings.

Present Active – “ is verbing ” 1st2nd3rd3 rd -io4 th 1portomoneoagocapioaudio 2portasmonēsagiscapisaudīs 3portatmonetagitcapitaudit 1portamusmonēmusagimuscapimusaudīmus 2portatismonētisagitiscapitisaudītis 3portantmonentaguntcapiuntaudiunt

Imperfect Active – “ was verbing ” 1st2nd3rd4 th 1mandābamtenēbamducēbamferiēbam 2mandābāstenēbāsducēbāsferiēbās 3mandābattenēbatducēbatferiēbat 1mandābāmustenēbāmusducēbāmusferiēbāmus 2mandābātistenēbātisducēbātisferiēbātis 3mandābanttenēbantducēbantferiēbant

Now we ’ ll look at the passive voice endings:

First conjugation long “ a ” verbs

portare--passive voice portor portāris portātur portāmur portāmini portantur

Second conjugation long “ e ” verbs

tenere--passive voice teneor tenēris tenētur tenēmur tenēmini tenentur

Third Conjugation the short E verbs

ducere--passive voice ducor duceris ducitur ducimur ducimini ducuntur

Third Conjugation -io verbs

capere--passive voice capior caperis capitur capimur capimini capiuntur

Fourth Conjugation long “ i ” verbs

audire--passive voice audior audīris audītur audīmur audīmini audiuntur

Present Passive – “ is being verbed ” 1st2nd3rd3 rd -io4 th 1portormoneoragorcapioraudior 2portārismonērisageriscaperisaudīris 3portāturmonēturagiturcapituraudītur 1portāmurmonēmuragimurcapimuraudīmur 2portāminimonēminiagiminicapiminiaudīmini 3portanturmonenturagunturcapiunturaudiuntur

Imperfect Passive– “ was being verbed ” 1st2nd3rd4th 1mandābartenēbarducēbarferiēbar 2mandābāristenēbārisducēbārisferiēbāris 3mandābāturtenēbāturducēbāturferiēbātur 1mandābāmurtenēbāmurducēbāmurferiēbāmur 2mandābāminitenēbāminiducēbāminiferiēbāmini 3mandābanturtenēbanturducēbanturferiēbantur

Now, let ’ s look at some active and passive verb situations:

Puella aquam potat.

Aqua a puella potatur.

Viri carmen cantant.

Carmen a viribus cantatur.

Vir panem vendit.

Panis a viro venditur

FINIS