The Past Passive Participle

Level 3Sounds Like minalo stradatelno pričastie

Вратата е отворена. (The door is open.) The participle says what has been done to the door.

How It Works

1. Forming it. Start from the aorist form for аз (see the aorist):

  • -ах/-ях → -ан/-ян: написах → написан, видях → видян, чаках → чакан
  • -их → -ен: отворих → отворен, купих → купен, направих → направен
  • consonant + -ох → -ен: прочетох → прочетен, донесох → донесен, пекох → печен
  • -т after some short roots and verbs in -на: измих → измит, взех → взет, започнах → започнат

Only verbs that take a direct object have this participle.

2. Agreement. It changes exactly like an adjective, including the article (see articles on adjectives): написан, написана, написано, написани; написаният, написаната, написаното, написаните.

3. Before a noun. It works as an ordinary adjective: счупен прозорец (a broken window), печени чушки (roasted peppers), отворената врата (the open door).

4. With съм. Съм plus the participle describes a result or forms the passive: Вратата е отворена. (The door is open.) Магазинът е затворен в неделя. (The shop is closed on Sundays.) See the passive with съм.

5. Two different participles. Do not confuse it with the л-participle, which is active: Той е прочел книгата. (He has read the book.) versus Книгата е прочетена. (The book has been read.)

Examples (6)

  1. Вратата е отворена.

    The door is open.

  2. Писмото е написано на ръка.

    The letter is written by hand.

    Писмо is neuter, so the participle is написано.

  3. Чиниите са измити.

    The dishes are washed.

    Измит is one of the participles in -т.

  4. Обичам печени чушки.

    I love roasted peppers.

    Before a noun, the participle works like an adjective.

  5. Счупеният прозорец още не е сменен.

    The broken window has not been replaced yet.

  6. Магазинът е затворен в неделя.

    The shop is closed on Sundays.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the active л-participle where a passive meaning is intended.

    Книгата е прочела.
    Книгата е прочетена.

    Прочела is active and would mean that the book did the reading. For something that has been read, use прочетена.

  • Not making the participle agree with the noun.

    Вратата е отворен.
    Вратата е отворена.

    The participle agrees like an adjective. Врата is feminine, so the form is отворена.

How It Connects

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The Past Passive ParticipleLevel 3

Learn This First

The past passive participle needs agreement and the aorist.

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Patterns that build on this one.