Passive: word + ge-

The Passive: Word + Ge-

Level 3

To say what is done or is being done to something, use word + the ge- form: Die huis word gebou. (The house is being built.)

How It Works

1. Active and passive. Compare:

  • Active: Die bouers bou die huis. (The builders are building the house.)
  • Passive: Die huis word deur die bouers gebou. (The house is being built by the builders.)

2. The ge- form. Use the same ge- form as in the past tense (see het + ge-). Verbs that take no ge- keep that shape here too (see verbs without ge-): Die rekening word betaal. (The bill is being paid.) Separable verbs put ge- inside: Die kinders word opgepas. (The children are being looked after.)

3. Who does it: deur. The doer is often left out: Afrikaans word hier gepraat. (Afrikaans is spoken here.) When you name the doer, use deur (by): Die brief word deur my ma geskryf. (The letter is being written by my mom.)

4. Word order. In a main clause, word stands second and the ge- form goes to the end. In a subordinate clause, both go to the end, with the ge- form first: Ek weet nie hoe dit gedoen word nie. (I don't know how it is done.)

5. Present, not past. Word + ge- is for things happening now, regularly or soon: Die winkel word om ses gesluit. (The shop is closed at six.) For a finished action in the past, use is + ge-. With a modal, word comes last: Dit moet gedoen word. (see passive with a modal).

Tip: Word on its own also means become: Dit word donker. (It is getting dark.) Word + a ge- form is the passive. Word + an adjective or noun means become (see word (become)).

Examples (6)

  1. Die huis word gebou.

    The house is being built.

    Word by Word: The house becomes built.

  2. Afrikaans word hier gepraat.

    Afrikaans is spoken here.

    Word by Word: Afrikaans becomes here spoken.

    No doer is named, which is very common in the passive.

  3. Die brief word deur my ma geskryf.

    The letter is being written by my mom.

    Word by Word: The letter becomes by my mom written.

    Deur names the doer.

  4. Die rekening word elke maand betaal.

    The bill is paid every month.

    Word by Word: The bill becomes every month paid.

    Betaal takes no ge-, so its passive form is betaal.

  5. Die kinders word deur hulle ouma opgepas.

    The children are looked after by their grandmother.

    Word by Word: The children become by their granny up-looked.

    Oppas is a separable verb, so ge- goes inside: opgepas.

  6. Ek weet nie hoe dit gedoen word nie.

    I don't know how it is done.

    Word by Word: I know not how it done becomes not.

    In a subordinate clause, the ge- form comes before word at the end.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the ge- form.

    Die huis word bou.
    Die huis word gebou.

    The passive needs the ge- form of the verb, not the plain verb.

  • Using by for the doer, as in English.

    Die brief word by my ma geskryf.
    Die brief word deur my ma geskryf.

    By means at or near in Afrikaans. The doer of a passive is introduced with deur.

  • Adding ge- to a verb that never takes it.

    Die rekening word gebetaal.
    Die rekening word betaal.

    Verbs starting with be-, ver-, ont- and similar prefixes take no ge-, in the passive too.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Passive: word + ge-Level 3The Passive: Word + Ge-

Learn This First

The present passive uses word with a ge- form.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

wordge-deur