Passiva

/ˈpasɪva/
passive voice

Im Deutschen werden Passiva oft mit dem Verb 'werden' gebildet.

In German, the passive voice is often formed with the verb 'werden'.


formal

The form of a verb in which the subject receives the action, as opposed to performing it.

Der Brief wurde von ihr geschrieben.

The letter was written by her.

Im Passiv steht das Objekt im Vordergrund.

In the passive voice, the object is emphasized.

The Passiva in German includes both the 'Vorgangspassiv' (action passive) and 'Zustandspassiv' (state passive).

Finance
formal

Liabilities in accounting, the opposite of assets.

Die Passiva der Bilanz umfassen Schulden und Eigenkapital.

The liabilities on the balance sheet include debts and equity.

Used in financial statements to denote what a company owes.

Collocations

Passiv bildento form the passive voiceim Passiv stehento be in the passive voice

Related Phrases

Passivkonstruktionphrase
passive construction

Pro Tip

Passiv vs. Aktiv

Remember that the Passiv emphasizes the action's recipient (object), while the Aktiv emphasizes the doer (subject).

Gold Rule

Passivbildung im Deutschen

The passive voice in German is formed with 'werden' (for actions) or 'sein' (for states) + past participle. Example: 'Das Haus wird gebaut' (The house is being built).

Word Origin

From Latin *passivus* (passive), from *patior* (to suffer, endure), via French *passif*.

Usage Notes

In German, the term 'Passiva' is plural and refers to liabilities in accounting. For the grammatical term, 'Passiv' (neuter) is more commonly used in modern contexts.

Word Breakdown

Passiv
passive
root
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