Passive Of Two-Object Verbs

Level 4

In Danish, verbs that take two objects (like 'give' or 'offer') can be turned into passive sentences in two ways: by making the thing (Direct Object) the subject, or by making the person (Indirect Object) the subject.

How It Works

Danish allows both the direct and indirect object to become the subject in a passive sentence. The choice of passive form depends on the aspect of the action.

1. The Indirect Object as Subject (Recipient Focus)
The person receiving the action becomes the subject. This is very common when the recipient is the most important part of the information.
Example: Han blev tilbudt en stilling. (He was offered a position.)

2. The Direct Object as Subject (Theme Focus)
The item being transferred becomes the subject. The recipient can follow the verb directly or be introduced by the preposition til.
Example: Stillingen blev tilbudt (til) ham. (The position was offered to him.)

3. Choosing Between Passive Forms
The choice between blive-passive and s-passive is based on the nature of the statement:
• Use blive-passive for specific, one-time events (e.g., Han blev sendt en pakke i går).
• Use s-passive for general rules, laws, or habitual actions (e.g., Han fratages sit kørekort, hvis han kører for stærkt).

4. Common Verbs
This pattern is used with ditransitive verbs like give (give), sende (send), tilbyde (offer), nægte (deny), and fratage (deprive).

Examples (5)

  1. Han blev tilbudt en fast stilling efter praktikken.

    He was offered a permanent position after the internship.

    Word by Word: He became offered a fixed position after the-internship.

    In this specific event, the indirect object (the person) is promoted to the subject using the blive-passive.

  2. Stillingen blev tilbudt ham i morges.

    The position was offered to him this morning.

    Word by Word: The-position became offered him in morning-the.

    Here the direct object is the subject. Note that 'ham' can follow the verb directly without a preposition, which is very common in natural Danish.

  3. Man fratages sit kørekort ved promillekørsel.

    One is deprived of one's driver's license for drunk driving.

    Word by Word: One deprives-passive one's driver's-license by alcohol-driving.

    This uses the s-passive because it describes a general rule or consequence rather than a specific event.

  4. De blev frataget deres kørekort på stedet.

    They were deprived of their driver's licenses on the spot.

    Word by Word: They became deprived their driver's-licenses on the-spot.

    A specific event using the blive-passive where the recipients are the subject.

  5. Bogen blev givet til hende som en gave.

    The book was given to her as a gift.

    Word by Word: The-book became given to her as a gift.

    The preposition til is used here for emphasis or clarity, though it is not strictly required.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the s-passive for specific, one-time events.

    Han tilbydes jobbet i går.
    Han blev tilbudt jobbet i går.

    The s-passive is used for general rules, instructions, or habitual actions. For a specific event at a particular time, the blive-passive is the normal choice.

  • Putting the time expression between the recipient and the agent.

    Different MeaningBogen blev givet til ham i går af læreren.
    Bogen blev givet til ham af læreren i går.

    Both orders are grammatical. Putting the agent (af læreren) before the time expression (i går) is the smoother, more usual order.

How It Connects

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

Passive Of Two-Object VerbsLevel 4

Learn This First

To learn the passive of two-object verbs, you first need to understand how the standard 'blive' passive is formed. You also need a firm grasp of object pronouns and the use of the preposition 'til', as these elements determine how the sentence is restructured when either the direct or indirect object becomes the new subject.