The Passive Without a Subject

Level 5

Latvian can use a passive with no subject to say that an activity happened: Par to tika daudz runāts (There was a lot of talk about it). English often says there was or people did.

How It Works

1. A passive with no subject. In passive tikt + -ts, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject: Māja tika uzcelta (The house was built). A verb with no object can still form a passive, and that passive simply has no subject:

  • Par to tika daudz runāts. (There was a lot of talk about it.)
  • Svētkos tika dziedāts un dejots. (At the festival there was singing and dancing.)

2. The form. The helper verb is third person and the participle is masculine singular in -ts. Use tikt for the event and būt for a result that has built up, as in passive būt + -ts:

  • Šeit tiek smagi strādāts. (People work hard here.)
  • Šeit ir daudz strādāts. (A lot of work has been done here.)
  • Par to vēl tiks domāts. (This will still be thought about.)

3. People's activities. This passive is used with verbs for things that people, or sometimes animals, do. It is not used for weather or for things that just happen, such as snigt (to snow).

4. No word for it. A clause can follow without any subject word: Tika nolemts, ka sapulce notiks rīt (It was decided that the meeting would take place tomorrow). Latvian needs no word for English it here.

5. A similar choice. For habits and general statements, Latvian can also use a third-person verb with no subject, as in generic third person: Šeit nesmēķē (People don't smoke here).

Examples (6)

  1. Par to tika daudz runāts.

    There was a lot of talk about it.

    Word by Word: About that was much talked.

  2. Šeit ir daudz strādāts.

    A lot of work has been done here.

    Word by Word: Here is much worked.

  3. Svētkos tika dziedāts un dejots līdz rītam.

    At the festival there was singing and dancing until morning.

    Word by Word: Festival-in was sung and danced until morning.

  4. Tika nolemts, ka sapulce notiks rīt.

    It was decided that the meeting would take place tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Was decided, that meeting will-take-place tomorrow.

  5. Šajā telpā netiek smēķēts.

    There is no smoking in this room.

    Word by Word: This room-in not-is smoked.

  6. Par šo jautājumu vēl tiks domāts.

    This question will still be thought about.

    Word by Word: About this question still will-be thought.

Common Mistakes

  • Giving the participle a feminine or plural ending.

    Par to tika daudz runāta.
    Par to tika daudz runāts.

    There is no subject for the participle to agree with, so it stays masculine singular: runāts.

  • Making the participles plural because two activities are named.

    Svētkos tika dziedāti un dejoti.
    Svētkos tika dziedāts un dejots.

    Each participle stands for an activity, not for a plural subject, so both stay masculine singular.

  • Using this passive for the weather.

    Naktī tika snigts.
    Naktī sniga.

    This passive is only for things that people, or sometimes animals, do. Snowing is weather, so use the plain verb: sniga.

How It Connects

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

The Passive Without a SubjectLevel 5

Learn This First

The passive can have no subject.