The Italian Passive Voice: Essere, Venire, Andare — Three Ways to Say 'It Was Done'
In Italian, the passive voice is more varied than in English. Where English relies almost exclusively on 'to be + past participle', Italian has three main passive constructions using essere, venire, and andare — each with a slightly different nuance. Understanding these distinctions will make your Italian sound much more natural and sophisticated, and will help you understand Italian signs, instructions, and formal writing that you encounter every day.
The basic Italian passive is formed with essere (to be) + past participle. The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject. The agent (the person doing the action) is introduced by 'da'. This construction can be used in any tense simply by conjugating essere in the desired tense.
Passive With Essere — All Key Tenses
| Tense | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present | è + p.p. | Il libro è scritto in italiano. — The book is written in Italian. |
| Imperfect | era + p.p. | La porta era chiusa. — The door was closed. |
| Passato prossimo | è stato/a + p.p. | Il film è stato premiato. — The film was awarded. |
| Future | sarà + p.p. | Il pacco sarà consegnato domani. — The parcel will be delivered tomorrow. |
| Conditional | sarebbe + p.p. | Sarebbe apprezzato. — It would be appreciated. |
Venire + past participle is an alternative passive used only in simple (non-compound) tenses. It emphasises the action as a process or habitual event rather than a state. You cannot use venire in compound tenses. Use it in the present, imperfect, future, and conditional to convey that something actively gets done or happens.
Essere vs. Venire — The Difference
| Construction | Emphasis | Example |
|---|---|---|
| La lettera è scritta. | State/result (the letter exists in a written state) | The letter is written. |
| La lettera viene scritta. | Action/process (someone is in the act of writing it) | The letter is being written / gets written. |
| Il pane è fatto ogni mattina. | State — it exists, it's made. | The bread is made every morning. |
| Il pane viene fatto ogni mattina. | Process — they make it, it happens. | The bread gets made every morning. |
Andare + past participle expresses obligation or necessity — something that must be done or must happen. It is equivalent to 'dovere essere + past participle' but is more elegant and commonly used in formal or written Italian. It is only used in simple tenses.
Andare + Past Participle — Must / Should Be Done
Questo documento va firmato.
This document must be signed.
Le istruzioni vanno lette attentamente.
The instructions must be read carefully.
Il compito andava consegnato ieri.
The homework should have been handed in yesterday.
Gli errori vanno corretti subito.
The mistakes must be corrected immediately.
The impersonal 'si' construction (si passivante) is another very common way to express the passive in Italian, especially in signs, instructions, and spoken language. It uses the third-person singular or plural of the active verb depending on the noun that follows. You will see this on signs all over Italy.
Si Passivante — Passive Si
In Italia si mangia bene.
In Italy, one eats well. / Food is eaten well in Italy.
Si parla italiano qui.
Italian is spoken here.
Si vendono case in questo quartiere.
Houses are sold in this neighbourhood.
Si accettano carte di credito.
Credit cards are accepted.
Use <strong>ESSERE</strong> for states and in all tenses including compound ones. Use <strong>VENIRE</strong> (simple tenses only) to emphasise the action or process. Use <strong>ANDARE</strong> (simple tenses only) to express that something must be done. Use <strong>SI</strong> for general or impersonal statements, rules, and signs.
The passive with by — da
Agent introduced by 'da': da Dante, da Leonardo, dall'architetto.
Note agreement: costruito (masculine, matching palazzo).
Dal = da + il (articulated preposition).
Passive voice in Italian signs and everyday life
È vietato fumare.
Smoking is forbidden.
Si prega di non fotografare.
Please do not photograph. (literally: one is asked not to photograph)
Questo film è stato premiato a Venezia.
This film was awarded at Venice.
La riunione è stata annullata.
The meeting has been cancelled.
Le prenotazioni vanno effettuate in anticipo.
Reservations must be made in advance.
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