10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.

ro

I. Passive Voice

Diateza Pasiva in limba engleza se formeaza in acelasi fel ca in limba romana din verbula fi
(TO BE) care trebuie sa stea la acelasi timp ca verbul din Diateza Activaplus Participiul
Trecut (Verbul la forma a-III-a sau cu -ed) al verbului de la Diateza Activa. In acelasi timp se
foloseste ca Subiect gramatical unul dintre complemente (direct sau indirect) iar subiectul
propozitiei devine complement de agent (subiectul logic care face actiunea) introdus de BY.

S + TO BE + VB. III/ -ED

She gave me a flower. (me este complement indirect iar a flower este
complement direct)(Ea mi-a dat mie o floare)

I was given a flower (by her). (Mie mi s-a dat o floare de catre ea.)

A flower was given to me (by her). (O floare mi-a fost data mie de catre ea.)

(Pentru ca timpul de la Diateza Activa este la Past Simple, atunci verbul TO BE trebuie sa
stea tot la Past Simple => WAS in acest caz)

!!!!!! (se prefera sa se puna persoana in fata si nu obiectul, deci daca aveti o grila in care aveti
atat persoana cat si obiectul pe post de subiect gramatical, alegeti grila cu persoana ca
subiect)

e.g. They have given Mary a book. (Ei i-au dat lui Mary o carte.)

a) Mary was given a book. (nu este grilaa pentru ca to be [care este la Past Simple aici]
nu este la acelasi timp ca cel de la diateza activa din propozitia data [care este la
Present Perfect Simple])

b) A book has been given to Mary. (nu este aleasa grilab pentru ca subiectul gramatical
este exprimat printr-un obiect)

c) Mary has been given a book. (este corecta grila c pentru ca persoana (Mary) este
subiectul gramatical iar to be este la acelasi timp ca cel de la Diateza Activa)

d) A book had been given to Mary. (nu este aleasa grilad pentru ca to be [care este la
Past Perfect Simple aici] nu este la acelasi timp ca cel de la diateza activa din propozitia
data [care este la Present Perfect Simple])

I ... flowers and he ... a book by our teacher. (la genul acesta de grile trebuie sa folositi
cunostintele de la timpurile verbului si sa vedeti ce timp la diateza pasiva trebuie ales)

a) Have been given/ was given

b) Have been given/ has been given (ambele timpuri trebuie sa fie la Present Perfect pentru
ca nu este dat timpul cand actiunile au fost facute)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 1

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
c) Was given/ was given

d) Had given/ has given

(Mie mi s-au dat flori iar lui i s-a dat o carte de catre profesorul nostru.)

Schimbarea verbului de la Diateza Activa la Diateza Pasiva se face dupa cum urmeaza:

Present Simple: She washes her car every week. (Ea isi spala masina in fiecare
saptamana.) =>

The car is washed (by her) every week. (Masina este spalata in fiecare
saptamana.)

(!!Atentie: complementul de agent nu se mai pune atunci cand este exprimat printr-un pronume
.)

Present Continuous: They are cleaning the room now. (Ei curata camera acum.) =>

The room is being cleaned (by them) now. (Camera este curatata de
catre ei acum.)

Present Perfect Simple: They have sent for the doctor. (Ei au trimis dupa doctor.)
=>

The doctor has been sent for. (S-a trimis dupa doctor)

!!! Atentie: daca verbul este urmat de o prepozitie atunci aceasta se pastreaza atunci
cand verbul trece la Diateza Pasiva.

E.g. The doctor has operated on the patient. (Doctorul a operat pacientul.)

a) The patient was operated on. (nu este corecta grila a pentru ca timpul verbului TO BE
nu este acelasi ca cel al verbului de la Diateza Activa)

b) The patient has been operated. (nu este corecta grila b pentru ca nu are prepozitiaon
dupa verb)

c) The patient is being operated on. (nu este corecta grila c pentru ca timpul verbului TO
BE nu este acelasi ca cel al verbului de la Diateza Activa)

d) The patient has been operated on. (Pacientul a fost operat.)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 2

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
(este corecta grila d pentru ca prepozitia on s-a pastrat si timpul lui TO BE este acelasi
ca cel al verbului de la Diateza Activa, adica Present Perfect Simple)

Past Simple: He stole a book last week. (El a furat o carte saptamana trecuta.) =>

A book was stolen last week. (O carte a fost furata saptamana trecuta.)

Past Continuous: The police were following him. (Politia il urmarea pe el.) =>

He was being followed (by the police). (El era urmarit de politie.)

Past Perfect Simple: She had bought a house. (Ea cumparase o casa. )=>

A house had been bought. (O casa fusese cumparata.)

E.g. A thief had already taken his money. (Un hot deja ii luase banii.)

a) Who has his money been taken by?

b) Who was his money taken by?

c) Who had his money been taken by? (De catre cine i se luasera banii?)

d) Who had his money been taken? (In intrebari la Diateza Pasiva trebuie sa avem
prepozitia BY la final)

Future Simple: She will help them. (Ea ii va ajuta pe ei.) =>

They will be helped. (Ei vor fi ajutati.)

Future Perfect Simple: They will have finished their homework by tomorrow. (Ei isi vor fi
terminat temele pana maine.) =>

The homework will have been finished by tomorrow. (Temele vor fi

fost terminate pana maine.)

Modal Verbs: He must tell the truth. (El trebuie sa spuna adevarul.) =>

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 3

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
The truth must be told. (Adevarul trebuie spus.)

He may have bought the car. (E posibil ca el sa fi cumparat masina.) =>

The car may have been bought. (Masina e posibil sa fi fost cumparata.) (Verbul Modal
se pastreaza)

Gerund: I hate people telling me what to do. (Urasc ca oamenii sa imi spuna ce sa fac.) =>

I hate being told what to do (by people). (Urasc sa mi se spuna ce sa fac.)

!! Verbul care cere un Gerund dupa el (de ex. hate, love, like, dislike, etc.) se pastreaza:

E.g. I love people giving me presents. (Iubesc ca oamenii sa imi dea cadouri)

a) I love to be given presents.

b) I love being given presents. (Iubesc sa mi se dea cadouri)(S-a pastrat verbul LOVE si
de asemenea TO BE are aceeasi forma ca giving care este un Gerund)

c) I love having been given presents.

d) I love to have been given presents.

TO BE GOING TO/ TO HAVE TO si USED TO urmate de un verb la Infinitiv se pastreaza

la Diateza Pasiva:

TO BE GOING TO + Vb. Inf. -> TO BE GOING TO + BE + Vb. III/ -ED

She is going to buy me a car. (Ea intentioneaza/ urmeaza sa imi cumpere mie o masina.) =>

I am going to be bought a car. ( Mie urmeaza sa mi se cumpere o masina.)

TO HAVE TO + Vb. Inf. -> TO HAVE TO + BE + Vb. III/ -ED

He has to deliver a parcel. (El trebuie sa livreze un pachet.) =>

A parcel has to be delivered. (Un pachet trebuie sa fie livrat.

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 4

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
USED TO + Vb. Inf. => USED TO + BE + Vb. III/ -ED

They used to give her flowers. =>

She used to be given flowers.

NEED + TO BE + Vb. III/ -ED = NEED + Vb. -ING

The roof needs to be mended. = The roof needs mending. (Acoperisul are nevoie sa fie
reparat.)

O propozitie normala cu subiect si predicat se poate contrage punand oprepozitie

urmata de Vb. -ing. Aceasta la randul ei se poate pune la Diateza Pasiva dupa cum
urmeaza:

Active Voice Passive Voice

After he bought the book, he left. => After buying the book, he left.=> The book being bought,
he left.

(Dupa ce a cumparat cartea, el a plecat. => Dupa cumpararea cartii, el a plecat. => Cartea
fiind cumparata, el a plecat.)

Active Voice
Passive Voice

He had given the money and then he left. => Having given the money, he left. =>The money
having been given, he left.

(El a dat banii si pe urma a plecat. => Dand banii, el a plecat. => Banii fiind dati, el a plecat.)

Diateza Pasiva in intrebari:

In intrebarile care incep cu un cuvant cu WH- (why/ who/ which/ where/ etc.) se pune cuvantul
cu WH- primul, dupa care se pune auxiliarul +S + restul verbului conjugat la Diateza Pasiva
+ prepozitia BY:

He discovered the mistake. (El a descoperit greseala.)

? Who was the mistake discovered by?/ By who was the mistake discovered?

(De catre cine a fost descoperita greseala? -> se pune BY la finalul intrebarii si nu la inceput)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 5

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
+ The mistake was discovered by him. (Greseala a fost descoperita de catre el.)

!!Atentie: La Diateza Activa verbele de mai jos cer dupa ele un verb laInfinitiv Scurt dar
cand sunt pasivizate Infinitivul Scurt devine Infinitiv Lung:

Make

Have

See + pronoun + Short Infinitive: Short Infinitive => Long Infinitive

Watch

Hear Eg. I saw her leave. -> She was seen to leave. (Am vazut-o plecand. => Ea
a fost vazuta plecand.)

I heard them laugh. -> They were heard to laugh. (I-am auzit razand.
=> Ei au fost auziti razand.)

E.g. The man heard the child cry. (Barbatul a auzit copilul plangand.)

a) The child was heard crying.

b) The child was heard to cry. (Copilul a fost auzit plangand.)

c) The child has been heard to cry.

d) The child was heard cry.

!!!!!!!! Atentie: Verbul Let + Short Inf. se inlocuieste cu TO BE ALLOWED TO la diateza

pasiva:

They let me go yesterday. => I was allowed to go yesterday. (permission) (Ei m-au lasat sa
plec ieri. => Mi s-a permis sa plec ieri.)

LET la Diateza Pasiva inseamna TO RENT (a inchiria): The apartment was let last week.
(Apartamentul a fost inchiriat saptamana trecuta.)

Exista cateva verbe say (a spune), tell (a spune), believe (a crede), expect (a se astepta),
know (a sti), think (a crede), suppose (a presupune), deem (a considera), consider (a
considera), etc. care pot sa faca Diateza Pasiva in doua feluri:

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 6

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
1. Cu IT impersonal: People say / that she has money./ (Oamenii spun ca ea are bani.) =>It
is said / that she has money./ (in acest caz secundara ramane neschimbata) (Se spune ca
ea are bani.)
2. In mod personalizat punand pronumele din secundara in fata si apoi verbul la
Diateza Pasiva: People say / that she has money./ (Oamenii spun ca ea are bani.) =>
She is said to have money. (Ea este spusa ca are bani. - in limba romana nu suna natural
dar in limba engleza este o constructie normala) - in acest caz verbul din secundara trece
la Infinitiv Lung

Formele Infinitivului sunt:

Infinitiv: to + verb: e.g. to drink (a bea)

Infinitiv Continuu: to be + verb-ing: e.g. to be drinking ( a bea)

Infinitiv Perfect Simplu: to have + verb III/-ed: e.g. to have drunk (a fi baut)

Infinitiv Perfect Continuu: to have been + verb-ing:e.g. to have been drinking ( a fi baut)

Pentru a doua situatie trecerea timpurilor la Infinitiv se face dupa cum urmeaza:

I. Prezentul Simplu si Viitorul Simplu vor trece intr-un Infinitiv Simplu(eg. to ask):

People say /that he is handsome./(Oamenii spun ca el este frumos.) => It is said /that he
is handsome./(impersonal) (Se spune ca el este frumos.)

=> He is said to be
handsome. (personal) (El este spus ca este frumos.)

E.g. They believe that she will live in Paris. (Ei cred ca ea va locui in Paris.)

a) She is believed to have lived in Paris.

b) She is believed to live in Paris. (Ea este crezuta ca va locui in Paris.)

c) She is believed that will live in Paris.

d) She was believed to live in Paris.

II. Prezentul Continuu si Viitorul Continuu vor trece intr-un Infinitiv Continuu (to be + vb.-
ing => eg. to be sleeping)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 7

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
People say /that she is crying./ (Oamenii spun ca ea plange.) => It is said/ that she is
crying./ (Se spune ca ea plange.)

=> She is said to be crying.

(Ea este spusa ca plange.)

III. Trecutul Simplu, Prezentul Perfect Simplu si Mai Mult ca Perfectul Simplu vor trece
intr-un Infinitiv Perfect Simplu (to have +vb.III/-ed => eg. to have eaten):

People say/ that he lived in Germany./ (Oamenii spun ca el locuia in Germania.) =>It is
said/ that he lived in Germany./ (Se spune ca el locuia in Germania.)

=> He is said to
have lived in Germany.

IV. Trecutul Continuu, Prezentul Perfect Continuu si Mai Mult ca Perfectul Continuu vor
trece intr-un Infinitiv Perfect Continuu (to have been + vb.-ing => eg. to have been talking)

People say/ that they were stealing./ (Oamenii spun ca ei furau.) => It is said/ that they
were stealing./ (Se spune ca ei furau.)

= > They are said to have

been stealing.

Exista cateva verbe care exprima ideea de Diateza Pasiva dar au forma de Diateza Activa
(ele se numesc verbe ergative - ergative verbs):

The cat opened the window. (Pisica a deschis fereastra. - Diateza Activa)

The window was opened by the cat. (Fereastra a fost deschisa de catre pisica. - Diateza
Pasiva)

The window opened. (Fereastra s-a deschis. - Verb ergativ - pare ca fereastra s-a
deschis singura dar de fapt a fost deschisa de catre cineva)

Other examples (alte exemple):

These blouses sell well. (These blouses are sold well by the shop assistant.) (Aceste
bluze se vand bine. -> Aceste bluze sunt vandute bine de catre vanzator.)

I photograph well. (Sunt fotogenic)

The soup boils fast. (Supa fierbe repede)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 8

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
The snow melts in the sun. (Zapada se topeste la soare)

The book reads fast. (Cartea se citeste repede)

The letter writes that he misses us. (Scrie in scrisoare ca lui ii e dor de noi)

II. Causatives

Forma cauzativelor este: S + HAVE + OBJECT + VB. III/-ED => Cauzativele se folosesc
pentru a spune ca altcineva face actiunea pentru o persoana.

I cleaned the car. (I did it myself) (Eu am curatat masina. - Diateza Activa - fac actiunea eu
insumi/ insami)

I asked the man to clean my car. (L-am rugat pe barbat sa imi curete masina.)

I had my car cleaned (by the man, I didn’t do it myself). (Am avut masina curatata de catre
barbat - nu am facut actiunea singur)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Atentie: The verb to have must stay exactly in the same tense as the verb in
the Active Voice.

(VERBUL HAVE TREBUIE SA STEA EXACT LA ACELASI TIMP CA VERBUL DE LA

DIATEZA ACTIVA)

1. Se foloseste pentru a exprima nenorociri si accidente care s-au intamplat cuiva

(Misfortunes and accidents):

A thief broke into my house. (Un hot mi-a spart casa.) ->

I had my house broken into. (Am avut casa sparta de un hot.)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 9

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro

2. Se foloseste pentru a spune ca altcineva face actiunea pentru tine (used to say that
someone else does the action for you):

Eg. Present Simple: She cleans my house every week. (Ea imi curata casa in fiecare
saptamana.)

a) I have my house cleaned every week. (Eu am casa curatata in fiecare

saptamana.)

b) I had my house cleaned every week.

c) I have had my house cleaned every week.

d) I am having my house cleaned every week.

Present Continuous: A mechanic is repairing my car. (Un mecanic imi repara masina.)

a) I have my car repaired.

b) I have been having my car repaired.

c) I will be having my car repaired.

d) I am having my car repaired. (Am masina reparata de un mecanic.)

Present Perfect Simple: They have painted his house recently. (Ei i-au vopsit casa recent.)

a) He has been having his house painted recently.

b) He has had his house painted recently. (El a avut casa vopsita recent.)

c) He had had his house painted recently.

d) He has his house painted recently.

Present Perfect Continuous: They have been cleaning her room for two hours. (Ei curata
camera ei de doua ore.)

She has been having her room cleaned for two hours. (Ea are
camera curatata de doua ore.)

E.g. We ... the house cleaned by the maidall day. (Noi avem casa curatata de catre
servitoare toata ziua.)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 10

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro
a) have had

b) had been having

c) have been having

d) have been had

Modal Verb: She must tidy his room. (Ea trebuie sa ii ordoneze camera lui.)

He must have his room tidied. (El trebuie sa aiba camera ordonata.)

He may be mowing your lawn tomorrow. (E posibil ca el sa iti tunda peluza

maine.)

You may be having your lawn mown tomorrow. (E posibil ca tu sa ai peluza tunsa
maine.)

They should have delivered his parcel. (Ei ar fi trebuit sa ii livreze pachetul.)

He should have had his parcel delivered. (El ar fi trebuit sa aiba pachetul livrat.)

Gerund: I love her cooking my breakfast. (Iubesc ca ea sa imi gateasca micul dejun.)

I love having my breakfast cooked. (Iubesc sa mi se gateasca micul dejun.)

TO BE GOING TO: He is going to wash my shirt. (El intentioneaza sa imi spele camasa.)

I am going to have my shirt washed. (O sa am camasa spalata.)

TO HAVE TO: They have to wash her car. (Ei trebuie sa ii spele masina ei.)

She has to have her car washed. (Ea trebuie sa aiba masina spalata.)

USED TO: They used to clean my house every month. (Ei obisnuiau sa imi curate casa in
fiecare luna.)

I used to have my house cleaned every month. (Eu obisnuiam sa am casa curatata in
fiecare luna.)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 11

10. Passive Voice and Causatives www.gapol.ro

Pentru ordine si imperative se poate folosi o constructie cu GET: S + GET + OBJECT +

VB. III/-ED -> orders and imperatives

Eg. Get your clothes washed! (Da-ti hainele la spalat!)

Get your hair cut! (Tunde-ti parul!)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Exista trei verbe care pot sa fie inlocuite in felul urmator:

Insist => make : He insisted that I stay. -> Hemade me stay. (Make + Infinitiv Scurt)

(El a insistat ca eu sa stau.)

Ask => have: He asked me to stay. -> Hehad me stay. (Have + Infinitiv Scurt)

(El m-a rugat sa stau.)

Persuade => get: He persuaded me to work.->He got me to work. (Get + Infinitiv Lung)

(El m-a convins sa muncesc.)

My sister insisted that I clean all the dishes. (Sora mea a insistat sa spal vasele.)

a) My sister had me clean all the dishes.

b) My sister made me to clean all the dishes.

c) My sister got me to clean all the dishes.

d) My sister made me clean all the dishes. (Sora mea a insistat sa spal vasele.)

11.11.2019 Copyright (C) gapol.ro. For personal use only! 12