-ся (пассив)

Reflexive Passive with -ся

Level 4Sounds Like vozvratnyj passiv na -sâ

The reflexive passive (возвратный пассив) uses the suffix -ся (or -сь) attached to imperfective transitive verbs to show that an action is being performed on the subject. It focuses on the process rather than the result.

How It Works

The reflexive passive is a formal way to describe ongoing actions or habitual processes, primarily used with inanimate subjects. It is almost exclusively a 3rd-person phenomenon (e.g., "it is built", "they are sold").

1. Formation:
It is formed by adding the reflexive suffix -ся/-сь to an imperfective transitive verb. For conjugated verb forms (present, past, future):

  • Use -ся after consonants or -ь (e.g., строится, строиться).
  • Use -сь after vowels (e.g., строилось).

Note: Participles (verbal adjectives) are an exception and always retain the -ся suffix, even after vowels (e.g., строящаяся). Also, be careful with spelling: the 3rd person present ends in -тся (without a soft sign), while the infinitive ends in -ться (with a soft sign).

2. Syntactic Shift and Agreement:
In a passive sentence, the direct object of the active sentence (Accusative case) becomes the subject of the passive sentence (Nominative case). The verb must conjugate to agree with this new subject in number (and gender in the past tense).

3. Animate Subjects:
This construction is primarily used with inanimate subjects. If the subject is a person, everyday actions are usually understood as a direct reflexive action (self-directed) or a reciprocal action. To avoid confusion in everyday speech, use the active voice or the 3rd person plural without a subject pronoun. However, in formal, legal, or journalistic contexts, animate subjects are frequently used in the passive (e.g., Он обвиняется в преступлении - He is accused of a crime).

4. Usage and Aspect:
This form is used with imperfective verbs to denote an ongoing process. Another formal way to express this is using a present passive participle (e.g., читаемый). For a completed result, use a short passive participle with a perfective verb.

5. The Agent:
The person or force performing the action is expressed in the instrumental case. However, this is mostly found in technical writing; in speech, the agent is usually omitted.

6. Spontaneous Actions (Middle Voice):
This construction is also frequently used for actions that happen spontaneously or change state without a specific agent (e.g., Дверь открывается - The door opens; Стекло бьётся - Glass breaks). In these cases, adding an instrumental agent would be unnatural.

Examples (5)

  1. Этот вопрос сейчас обсуждается на заседании.

    This issue is currently being discussed at the meeting.

    Word by Word: This question now discusses-itself at meeting.

    The verb 'обсуждаться' is the reflexive passive of 'обсуждать'. It emphasizes the ongoing process of discussion.

  2. В нашем городе строится новая школа.

    A new school is being built in our city.

    Word by Word: In our city builds-itself new school.

    Here, 'строится' shows the process of construction. The school is the subject, but it is receiving the action.

  3. Как пишется это слово?

    How is this word spelled?

    Word by Word: How writes-itself this word?

    A common everyday use of the reflexive passive to ask about general rules or properties.

  4. Дом строится опытными рабочими.

    The house is being built by experienced workers.

    Word by Word: House builds-itself experienced workers [instrumental].

    This example shows the use of the instrumental case ('рабочими') to indicate the agent performing the action.

  5. Ошибки часто совершаются из-за невнимательности.

    Mistakes are often made due to carelessness.

    Word by Word: Mistakes often commit-themselves because-of inattentiveness.

    An example of a habitual or recurring process using the reflexive passive.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -ся with animate subjects for everyday actions, causing confusion with reflexives.

    Ребёнок моется мамой.
    Ребёнка моет мама.

    With everyday actions, using the -ся suffix with an animate subject is usually interpreted as a reflexive action (doing it to oneself). 'Ребёнок моется' sounds like 'The child washes himself.' While formal verbs allow animate subjects in the passive (e.g., 'воспитывается' - is raised), for everyday actions, it is better to use the active voice.

  • Using -ся with perfective verbs to form a passive.

    Книга скоро прочитается мной.
    Книга скоро будет прочитана мной.

    The -ся passive mostly goes with imperfective verbs. Perfective forms like «прочитается» are rare, and with an explicit agent («мной») they sound odd. For a perfective result, use a short passive participle.

  • Using a preposition like 'от' for the agent.

    Дом строится от рабочих.
    Дом строится рабочими.

    The agent in a passive construction must be in the bare instrumental case without any preposition.

How It Connects

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

-ся (пассив)Level 4Reflexive Passive with -ся

Learn This First

To understand the reflexive passive, a learner must first be familiar with the reflexive suffix -ся and how it attaches to verbs. Since this construction is primarily used with imperfective verbs to denote ongoing actions or general truths, knowledge of the imperfective aspect is essential. Finally, the learner needs to understand how the nominative case functions as the grammatical subject, as the patient of the action occupies this position in passive sentences.

Words in This Pattern

-ся