Vietnamese Grammar Bank

VIETNAMESE PASSIVE VOICE

Vietnamese speakers usually use a positive passive voice when they want to stay humble and show their respect to the other person or to express their honor by doing something. 

We guide you through the structure and usages of được and bị, helping you express actions from a recipient’s perspective.

POSITIVE PASSIVE VOICE

AFFIRMATIVE

When you want to express the action being done by someone/something in a positive way, please follow either 1 or 2 patterns below:

PATTERN #1

Subject + được + Verb + bởi + someone/something

PATTERN #2

Subject + được + someone/something + Verb

For example:

VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Ba dắt tôi đi bơi Tôi được dắt đi bơi bởi ba tôi

Tôi được ba dắt đi bơi
Dad takes me to go swimming (1) I am taken to go swimming by dad 

(2) I am (by dad) take to go swimming
Mẹ dạy tôi nấu ăn Tôi được dạy nấu ăn bởi mẹ tôi

Tôi được mẹ dạy nấu ăn
Mom teaches me how to cook(1) I am taught how to cook by mom

(2) I am (by mom) taught how to cook
View More Examples
VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Tôi làm bánh cho bạn trai tôi ăn Bạn trai ăn bánh được làm bởi tôi

Bạn trai được tôi làm bánh cho ăn
I bake a cake for my boyfriend to eat (1 )My boyfriend eats a cake baked by me

(2) My boyfriend has me baked a cake for him to eat
Tôi đọc sách cho em gái nghe Em gái nghe sách được đọc bởi tôi

Em gái được tôi đọc sách cho nghe
I read book for my sister to listen(1) My sister listens to a book read by me

(2) My sister has me read book for her to listen

NEGATIVE

You just need to add “không” (means “not”) before “được” to make a negative sentence: 

PATTERN #1

Subject + không được+ Verb + bởi + someone/something

PATTERN #2

Subject + không được + someone/something + Verb

Examples:

VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Ba không dắt tôi đi bơi Tôi không được dắt đi bơi bởi ba tôi

Tôi không được ba dắt đi bơi
Dad does not take me to go swimming (1) I am not taken to go swimming by dad 

(2) I am (by dad) not taken to go swimming
Mẹ không dạy tôi nấu ăn Tôi không được dạy nấu ăn bởi mẹ tôi

Tôi không được mẹ dạy nấu ăn
Mom does not teach me how to cook(1) I am not taught how to cook by mom

(2) I am (by mom)  not taught how to cook
View More Examples
VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Tôi không làm bánh cho bạn trai tôi ăn Bạn trai ăn bánh không được làm bởi tôi

Bạn trai không được tôi làm bánh cho ăn
I don’t bake a cake for my boyfriend to eat (1) My boyfriend eats a cake  not baked by me

(2) My boyfriend not have me baked a cake for him to eat
Tôi không đọc sách cho em gái nghe Em gái nghe sách không được đọc bởi tôi

Em gái không được tôi đọc sách cho nghe
I don’t read book for my sister to listen(1) My sister listens to a book  not read by me

(2) My sister not have me read book for her to listen

NEGATIVE PASSIVE VOICE

Vietnamese speakers usually use a negative passive voice when highlighting the bad cause or negative passive situation such as being cut by the knife, being harmed by someone, etc

AFFIRMATIVE

When you want to express the action being done by someone/something in a negative way, please follow either 1 or 2 patterns below:

PATTERN #1

Subject + bị + Verb + bởi + someone/something

PATTERN #2

Subject + bị + someone/something + Verb

For example: 

VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Ba la tôi Tôi bị la bởi ba tôi

Tôi bị ba la
Dad scrolls meI am scrolled by dad
 
I have dad scrolled me
Mẹ đánh tôi Tôi bị đánh bởi mẹ tôi

Tôi bị mẹ đánh
Mom hits meI am hit by mom

I have mom hit me
View More Examples
VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Bạn trai chia tay tôi Tôi bị bạn trai chia tay My boyfriend broke up with me I was broken up with my boyfriend
Con dao cắt tay tôi Tay tôi bị cắt bởi con dao

Tay tôi bị con dao cắt
The knife cut my fingerMy finger was cut by the knife

My finger had cut by the knife

NEGATIVE

You just need to add “không” (means “not”) before “được” to make a negative sentence: 

PATTERN #1

Subject + không bị + Verb + bởi + someone/something

PATTERN #2

Subject + không bị + someone/something + Verb

For example:

VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Ba không la tôi Tôi không bị la bởi ba tôi

Tôi không bị ba la
Dad does not scroll meI am not scrolled by dad

I have dad not scrolled me
Mẹ không đánh tôi Tôi không bị đánh bởi mẹ tôi

Tôi không bị mẹ đánh
Mom does not hit meI am not hit by mom

I have mom not hit me
View More Examples
VietnameseEnglish
Active PassiveActive Passive
Bạn không chia tay tôi Tôi không bị bạn trai chia tay My boyfriend did not break up with me (2) I was not broken up with my boyfriend 
Con dao không cắt tay tôi Tay tôi không bị cắt bởi con dao

Tay tôi không bị con dao cắt
The knife did not cut my finger(1) My finger was not cut by the knife
(2) My finger had not cut by the knife 

INTERROGATIVE

You just need to add the question words to the passive voice sentence to turn the affirmative sentence into an interrogative one.

Here are examples of questions in passive voice:

VietnameseEnglish
Em được ba dắt đi bơi không?Are you taken to the swimming pool by your dad?
Ai được trao học bổng?Who was awarded with the scholarship?
Em được chở đi đâu chơi?Where are you driven to?
Em được ba dạy học môn gì?What are you taught by your dad?
Tay em bị đứt khi nào?When was your finger cut?
Vì sao tay em bị đứt?Why was your finger cut?

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FAQs

How to form the passive voicce in Vietnamese?

The passive voice is typically formed using “bị” (when the action has a negative outcome) or “được” (when the action has a positive or neutral outcome) before the main verb. For example, “Tôi bị mắng” (I was scolded) and “Tôi được khen” (I was praised).

Should I use “bị” or “được” in the passive voice?

Use “bị” when the action has an undesirable effect on the subject (e.g., “Tôi bị mất ví” – “I had my wallet stolen”). Use “được” when the action benefits the subject or is neutral (e.g., “Tôi được tăng lương” – “I got a raise”).

Is the passive voice commonly used?

The passive voice is less common in Vietnamese compared to English. Active voice is preferred unless it’s necessary to focus on the subject receiving the action.

Can passive be used with all verbs?

No, the passive voice is generally used with transitive verbs (verbs that can take a direct object). Not all verbs in Vietnamese can form a passive sentence.

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