Naming the Doer in a Passive

Level 5

Passive doer: od strane + genitive, or leave it out.

How It Works

PassiveActive
Izložba je otvorena od strane gradonačelnika.Izložbu je otvorio gradonačelnik.
Vrata su zatvorena.Neko je zatvorio vrata.

In the passive the object of the active verb becomes the subject. The doer follows od strane in the genitive. You will see this often in newspapers and official texts.

Style guides often suggest an active sentence, which usually reads simpler. Od strane and plain od both appear in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian grammars as ways to name the doer.

Often the doer is not named because it is unknown or unimportant: Utakmica je odgođena. This is a common reason to use the passive.

The instrumental alone can show a means, not a doer: pismo napisano rukom is a letter written by hand.

Examples (5)

  1. Izložba je otvorena od strane gradonačelnika.

    The exhibition was opened by the mayor.

    The doer follows od strane.

  2. Izložbu je otvorio gradonačelnik.

    The mayor opened the exhibition.

    This is the active version.

  3. Vrata su zatvorena.

    The door has been closed.

    No doer is named.

  4. Utakmica je odgođena zbog kiše.

    The match was postponed because of rain.

    The reason is given, not the doer.

  5. Pismo je napisano rukom.

    The letter was written by hand.

    The instrumental names the means.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the doer in the nominative.

    Izložba je otvorena od strane gradonačelnik.
    Izložba je otvorena od strane gradonačelnika.

    Od strane needs the genitive.

How It Connects

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Naming the Doer in a PassiveLevel 5

Learn This First

The agent in the passive.

Words in This Pattern

stranagradonačelnikotvoritizatvoritiodgoditi