Passive With tapt
The Literary Passive with Tapt
Old and literary Latvian can build the passive with tapt: Tā tapa uzcelta pils (Thus the castle was built). Modern Latvian says tika uzcelta.
How It Works
1. The forms of tapt. Present es topu, tu topi, viņš top; past es tapu, tu tapi, viņš tapa; future es tapšu, viņš taps; past participle tapis, tapusi (see -is -usi -uši -ušas).
2. The old passive. Tapt + a -ts/-ta participle that agrees with the subject:
- Tā tapa uzcelta pils. = Tā tika uzcelta pils. (Thus the castle was built.)
- Vārti tapa aizslēgti. = Vārti tika aizslēgti. (The gates were locked.)
Studies of the modern language find passives only with tikt and būt. Recognize tapt in old books, hymns and stylized writing, but use tikt yourself.
3. Come into being. The living meaning today: Grāmata tapa divus gadus. (The book took two years to write.) Kā tapa šī filma? (How was this film made?)
4. Become. In literary style: Top gaišs. (It is getting light.) With a dative it matches the dative + -ams pattern: Mums tapa zināms, ka ... (It became known to us that ...). The Latvian Bible opens with Lai top gaisma. Un gaisma tapa. (Let there be light. And there was light.), using lai + present.
5. Topošais. The present active participle is common in modern Latvian: topošā māmiņa (mother-to-be), topošais skolotājs (future teacher, teacher in training).
6. Folk songs. Dainas also use tapt in the old sense to get somewhere, like tikt somewhere: Lai es varu mājās tapt (So that I can get home).
Examples (5)
- Tā tapa uzcelta pils.
Thus the castle was built.
Word by Word: Thus became built castle.
Old-style passive. Modern: Tā tika uzcelta pils.
- Vārti tapa aizslēgti, un neviens vairs netika iekšā.
The gates were locked, and nobody could get in anymore.
Word by Word: Gates became locked, and nobody anymore not-got inside.
Aizslēgti agrees with vārti, a plural noun.
- Grāmata tapa divus gadus.
The book took two years to write.
Word by Word: Book came-into-being two years.
- Lai top gaisma.
Let there be light.
Word by Word: Let becomes light.
From Genesis 1:3 in the Latvian Bible.
- Viņa ir topošā skolotāja.
She is a future teacher.
Word by Word: She is becoming teacher.
Topošais, topošā is the common modern use.
Common Mistakes
Not matching the participle to the subject.
Tā tapa uzcelts pils.Tā tapa uzcelta pils.The participle agrees with the subject. Pils is feminine, so it is uzcelta.
Using the masculine participle of tapt with a feminine subject.
Grāmata ir tapis divos gados.Grāmata ir tapusi divos gados.Grāmata is feminine, so the past participle of tapt is tapusi.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Tapt is a literary passive.
Related Patterns
- būt + -tsThe Passive with Būt
Būt + -ts describes a finished state; tapt, like tikt, described the action.
Level 4 - -is / -usi / -uši / -ušasPast Participle Agreement
The past participle of tapt is tapis, tapusi, tapuši, tapušas.
Level 4 - Dative + -ams ParticipleClear to Me: Dative with -ams
Literary mums tapa zināms uses tapt with a dative person and an -ams participle.
Level 6 - tikt: Getting SomewhereGetting Somewhere: Tikt
In folk songs tapt can mean to get somewhere, like tikt.
Level 3 - lai + Present (Let)Let Him and Long Live: Lai
Lai top gaisma uses lai with the present top.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Passive With tapt in Bubblegum
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