The passive: being done to
amor, amāris, amātur: the passive endings for the first two conjugations.
LatinIntermediate Latin · The passive voiceAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Explain the difference between active and passive
- Use the passive endings -r, -ris, -tur, -mur, -minī, -ntur
- Form the present, imperfect and future passive of amō and moneō
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 10 of 35
- Intermediate Latin · Verbs: the present system
- sum: I am, I was, I shall be 3 min
- The present of amō and moneō 4 min
- The imperfect: was doing 4 min
- The future: will do 3 min
- The dative with adjectives 3 min
- The present of regō and audiō 4 min
- The imperfect of regō and audiō, and verbs that take the dative 3 min
- The future of regō and audiō 3 min
- capiō, and giving orders 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The passive voice
- The passive: being done to 3 min
- The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives 3 min
- Synopses, and the ablative of "from" 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The perfect tenses
- fuī, fueram, fuerō: the perfect tenses of sum 3 min
- The perfect active: did, have done 5 min
- Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active 3 min
- amātus sum: the perfect passive 4 min
- Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions 5 min
- possum, "I can", and the infinitive 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
- quī, quae, quod: who, which, that 4 min
- Intermediate Latin · The third declension
- rēx, rēgis: the third declension 4 min
- hostis, urbs, mare: i-stems 4 min
- vīs and iter; gender in the third declension 4 min
- omnis, ācer, pār: third-declension adjectives 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The fourth and fifth declensions
- manus, cornū: the fourth declension 3 min
- Rōmae, domī, Athēnīs: place and the locative 4 min
- diēs, rēs: the fifth declension and the ablative of time 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
- ego, tū, sē: personal and reflexive pronouns 4 min
- ipse, "himself", and īdem, "the same" 3 min
- hic, iste, ille: this and that 4 min
- aliquis, quīdam, quisque: someone, a certain, each 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Comparison
- clārior, clārissimus: comparing adjectives 4 min
- melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much" 3 min
- clārē, fortiter: adverbs and their comparison 4 min
- Intermediate Latin · Numerals
- ūnus, duo, trēs: numerals, "of" the whole, and "for how long" 5 min
- Intermediate Latin · Deponent verbs
- hortor, sequor: deponent verbs 3 min
Try first
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Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lesson XXVII ("The Passive Voice"), §§ 163–166
What it is
In the active the subject does the action: the lion kills the hunter. In the passive the subject receives it: the hunter is killed. Latin makes the passive by changing the personal endings:
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
| I | -ō / -m | -r (present: -or) |
| you | -s | -ris (or -re) |
| he, she, it | -t | -tur |
| we | -mus | -mur |
| you (pl.) | -tis | -minī |
| they | -nt | -ntur |
Tense signs stay the same:
| Present | Imperfect | |
|---|---|---|
| I | amor | amābar |
| you | amāris | amābāris |
| he, she, it | amātur | amābātur |
| we | amāmur | amābāmur |
| you (pl.) | amāminī | amābāminī |
| they | amantur | amābantur |
Future: amābor, amāberis (amābere), amābitur, amābimur, amābiminī, amābuntur.
Moneō goes the same way: moneor, monēris, monētur …
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
What does laudātur mean?
- That is laudat, active
Show answer
he is praised. -tur is the passive "he/she/it".
Why it matters
Stories and histories use the passive constantly: the town was being attacked, the land will be laid waste. The ending -r appears in almost every passive form, which makes it easy to spot.
Worked example
- Active: Rōmānī oppidum oppugnant. → The Romans attack the town.
- Passive: Oppidum oppugnātur. → The town is attacked.
- Agrī vāstābantur. → The fields were being laid waste.
- Puerī monēbuntur. → The boys will be warned.
Common mistake
Missing the passive because the stem looks familiar. Check the ending: vocant (they call) but vocantur (they are called); vocābit (he will call) but vocābitur (he will be called).
Key terms
- active voice
- the subject does the action
- passive voice
- the subject receives the action
- -tur, -ntur
- passive "he / she / it", "they"
- vāstō, vāstāre
- lay waste
- oppugnō, oppugnāre
- attack
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 5 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| active voice | the subject does the action |
| passive voice | the subject receives the action |
| -tur, -ntur | passive "he / she / it", "they" |
| vāstō, vāstāre | lay waste |
| oppugnō, oppugnāre | attack |
Practice
Sort it
Active or passive?
portat
-t: he carries.Show answer
Active. -t: he carries.
portātur
-tur: it is carried.Show answer
Passive. -tur: it is carried.
monēbāmus
-mus: we were warning.Show answer
Active. -mus: we were warning.
monēbāmur
-mur: we were being warned.Show answer
Passive. -mur: we were being warned.
amābunt
-nt: they will love.Show answer
Active. -nt: they will love.
amābuntur
-ntur: they will be loved.Show answer
Passive. -ntur: they will be loved.
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
"We are seen"
- That is active: we see
Show answer
vidēmur. Passive "we": -mur.
"You (pl.) were being called"
- Active: you were calling
Show answer
vocābāminī. Passive "you (pl.)": -minī.
Practise speaking
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You are a patient Latin tutor. Use the classical pronunciation only, never the Church one: c is always k, g is always hard, v sounds like w, ae like the ai in aisle, and long vowels are held longer. Speak slowly. Use only these Latin words: amor, amātur, amantur, laudātur, vocantur, vāstābantur, oppugnātur. Give me English phrases like 'the town is attacked', 'the fields were being laid waste' or 'we shall be praised', and I will say them in Latin with passive endings. Do 10 phrases. After each answer, tell me what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again, then tell me one thing to improve. Keep every reply under 2 sentences. If I need a name or a town, I will make one up. Speak English except for the Latin itself.
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Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. This course teaches the classical pronunciation (see lesson 1); AI voices may mix it with the Church (Italian-style) one, so ask for classical and check against lesson 1. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
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In short
- Passive = the subject receives the action.
- Endings: -r, -ris, -tur, -mur, -minī, -ntur (present "I": -or).
- Same tense signs: -bā- (imperfect), -bi- (future).
- amor, amābar, amābor: I am / was being / shall be loved.
Mastery check
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Check yourself
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Give "they are being praised".
Show answer
laudantur.
Translate Monēberis.
Show answer
You will be warned.
What does Oppidum dēlētur mean?
Show answer
The town is (being) destroyed.
Further reading
- D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lesson XXVII, §§ 163–166. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.
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