in The Passive Voice is not widely used in the Serbian language. That's why it doesn't have some special morphological means to express it, but uses the following:

1. Auxiliary + passive participle (-n/-t endings)
Stolica je polomljeNA. = The chair is broken.

2. Reflexive forms (impersonal structures with the impersonal pronoun 'se')
Novine se štampaju svaki dan. = Newspapers are printed every day.

3. Active forms (passive in deep structure)
Ovde piše da ... = It is written (Someone has written) that ...

Since the first structure is called 'Passive Voice' in Serbian, let's practise it!

Turn the following sentences into the Passive (I'm using only -N endings)
RULE: TO BE * + Infinitive Stem (usually) or Present Stem (prezentska osnova)** and -N suffixe
Sg. Fem. -na
Sg. Masc. -n
Sg. Neuter -no
Pl. Fem. -ne
Pl. Masc. -ni
Pl. Neuter -na

EXAMPLE:
I ate a hamburger= Ja sam pojeo hamburger.
Hamburger je pojeden.

1. Mi smo primili pismo.
2. Sonja je ispravila imeil.
3. Ja sam popila vodu.
4. Sestra je istukla brata.
5. Marko je zaprosio Anu.


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* TO BE (sam, si, je, smo, ste, su)
** Present Stem is formed by omitting the suffix in the Present Simple third person plural

The passive shifts attention from the doer to the action or result, especially when the doer is unknown or unimportant. Begin with Most je izgrađen početkom prošlog veka.; its scene gives the new language somewhere concrete to stand.

Test through a clear trail in passive voice in serbian

The passive shifts attention from the doer to the action or result, especially when the doer is unknown or unimportant. Compare the five examples for meaning before analysing their forms. In Prozor je razbijen tokom oluje., identify the word that carries the central idea; then notice how the remaining words make its person, place or time precise.

Five sentences that belong only to passive voice in serbian

LatinicaĆirilicaEnglish
Most je izgrađen početkom prošlog veka.Мост је изграђен почетком прошлог века.The bridge was built at the beginning of the last century.
Sva mesta su rezervisana unapred.Сва места су резервисана унапред.All seats are reserved in advance.
Prozor je razbijen tokom oluje.Прозор је разбијен током олује.The window was broken during the storm.
Nagrade će biti uručene u petak.Награде ће бити уручене у петак.The prizes will be presented on Friday.
Ova pesma se često peva na proslavama.Ова песма се често пева на прославама.This song is often sung at celebrations.

From Sva mesta su rezervisana unapred. to independent speech

Read Ova pesma se često peva na proslavama. once as a statement with real intention. Next, change the subject or time phrase and repair every form affected by that choice. Finish by linking your new sentence to Sva mesta su rezervisana unapred. in a two-line exchange that could genuinely happen.

A five-step challenge shaped by Prozor je razbijen tokom oluje.

  1. Give the English meaning of Most je izgrađen početkom prošlog veka..
  2. Reconstruct in Serbian: “All seats are reserved in advance.”
  3. Write Prozor je razbijen tokom oluje. in Cyrillic.
  4. Change one grammatical detail in Nagrade će biti uručene u petak..
  5. Ask a natural question that could produce Ova pesma se često peva na proslavama. as an answer.

Answers waiting beyond Nagrade će biti uručene u petak.

  1. The bridge was built at the beginning of the last century.
  2. Sva mesta su rezervisana unapred. / Сва места су резервисана унапред.
  3. Прозор је разбијен током олује.
  4. More than one answer is possible; all connected forms must remain in agreement.
  5. Questions vary, but the final Serbian sentence must answer them naturally.