Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Verb Tenses, Premium Third Edition by Paola Nanni-Tate

Author:Paola Nanni-Tate
Language: spa
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Published: 2019-01-16T16:52:21+00:00

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U n i t 1 3

The Passive Voice

( Forma Passiva )

In the active voice studied so far, the subject performs the action.

In the passive voice, the subject receives the action.

Active Voice

Passive Voice

Maria legge il libro.

Il libro è letto da Maria.

Maria reads the book.

The book is read by Maria.

The passive in Italian is formed, as in English, with the verb essere and the past participle of the action verb. The passive voice of any

transitive verb is formed with the conjugated forms of the auxiliary

essere + the past participle of the verb, followed by the preposition da , if the agent is expressed. It is not always necessary to express the agent.

La macchina è stata rubata The car has been robbed by

da delinquenti.

delinquents. (By whom is

expressed.)

La macchina è stata rubata . The car has been robbed . (By whom is not expressed.)

Verbs Other than Essere to Express the Passive

Voice

Venire is often used in place of essere . The use of either verb does not change the meaning of the sentence. In general, you use venire to express carrying out an action, while essere is used to emphasize a state of being.

I loro dipinti vennero/furono

Their paintings were admired

ammirati da tutto il mondo.

by the entire world.

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Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Verb Tenses

La vostra macchina verrà riparata

Your car will be repaired next week. (action)

la settimana prossima.

Le camicie sono lavate .

The shirts are washed . (state of being)

esercizio

13-1

Answer the following questions using the passive voice and the words suggested in parentheses.

1. Quando è stato pagato il conto? (ieri)

2. Da chi è stata scritta La Divina Commedia ? (Dante Alighieri) 3. A che ora sono stati svegliati i ragazzi? (tardi)

4. Dove sono state fatte queste scarpe? (in Italia)

5. Quante fotografie sono state scattate? (molte)

6. Dove è stato pubblicato questo libro? (in America)

7. In che anno è stata scoperta l’America? (1492)

8. Dove sono stati portati i quadri? (in cantina)

esercizio

13-2

Translate the following sentences into Italian using venire in the appropriate forms.

1. The new statue will be admired in the museum’s lobby.

2. Alessandro Manzoni’s works have been studied by all Italian students.

3. The soccer team was honored for its excellent season.

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The Passive Voice

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4. The school’s roof will be repaired during the summer.

5. The contract will be signed this evening.

6. The tax return will be completed by the middle of April.

7. The museum will be closed for three months for remodeling.

8. The drapes were taken down to be cleaned.

9. The house was sold a long time ago.

The modal verbs you studied at the end of the first unit of this book do not have a passive form.

The infinitives that follow them must be put in the passive.

Il biglietto deve essere emesso

The ticket must be issued by next week.

entro la prossima settimana.

Le spese della casa possono essere

The house expenses can be

pagate piano piano.

paid little by little.

Rimanere and restare are often used in place of essere when the past participle following it describes emotions such as: deluso , stupito , meravigliato , sorpreso , chiuso , and aperto .

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