Language/Malayalam/Grammar/Passive-Voice
As a Malayalam language teacher with 20 years of experience, I'm excited to teach you about the passive voice in Malayalam sentences. In this lesson, you will learn how to construct sentences in which the subject of the sentence is acted upon. This is an important aspect of grammar in Malayalam and will help you better express yourself in a variety of situations.
Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Compound Sentences & Past Tense Verbs.
What is Passive Voice?
Passive voice in Malayalam is used when the subject of the sentence is not the person or thing performing the action. Instead, the subject of the sentence is receiving the action by the object in the sentence. In English, passive voice is formed with the helping verb "to be" along with the past participle of the main verb, and in Malayalam, passive voice is formed by using the suffix -യായി -ayi or -വും -vum.
Formation of Passive Voice
In Malayalam, passive voice is formed by adding the suffix -യായി -ayi or -വും -vum to the verb stem. The suffix used depends on the verb's structure. The suffix -ayi is used for verbs that end in a consonant or a vowel other than -a, while -vum is used for verbs that end in -a.
Examples:
Let's look at examples of the passive voice in action using the verb കഴി -kazhi (to eat) in the present tense.
| Malayalam | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഞാൻ കഴിക്കുന്നു | njān kazhikkunnu | I am eating |
| കഴിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു | kazhikkappetunnu | it is being eaten |
As you can see in the example above, the subject pronoun ഞാൻ -njān (I) changes to the passive pattern കഴിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു -kazhikkappetunnu (it is being eaten).
Using Passive Voice
Passive voice is used in Malayalam for several reasons, including to emphasize the object or recipient of the action, or when the agent of the action is unknown or unimportant. Passive voice is also commonly used in scientific or technical writing.
Examples:
- സൗരവന്മാർ വഴി കാലത്തെ താപനില - sauravanmār vazhi kālatte tāpanila (The Earth's temperature is affected by solar radiation)
- സസ്യങ്ങൾ വെട്ടല്ലേ നീരാവിയിൽ നിന്നും തേങ്ങാപ്പാൽ നിറഞ്ഞു കിടക്കുന്നു - sasyaṅṅal veṭṭalle nīrāviyil ninnuṁ tēṅṅāppāl niṟaññu kiṭakkunnu (Plants absorb nutrients from water and coconut milk)
Active vs Passive Voice
It's important to note that while the active voice is preferred in many cases, passive voice can be used to create variety in writing and speaking. In the active voice, the subject of the sentence is the one performing the action, while in the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is receiving the action. A sentence in active voice is often shorter and more direct than a sentence in passive voice.
Examples:
- Active voice: ആർക്കും പ്രശ്നമില്ലാത്ത പ്രകൃതിയിൽ പുലിയെ കണ്ടു - ārkkum praśnam illātta prakṛtiyil puliye kaṇṭu (A tiger was spotted in nature without any problems)
- Passive voice: പ്രകൃതിയിൽ കണ്ടുകയറി പുലിക്കൊടുവിൽ പഴയ വഴികൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു - prakṛtiyil kaṇṭukayari pulikkoṭuvil paḻaya vazhikaḷ uṇṭākkappetirunn (Old paths were created by the tigers when they were spotted in nature)
I hope this lesson helped you better understand the passive voice in Malayalam sentences. As always, practice is key - so make sure to practice constructing sentences with passive voice until you feel confident using it in your everyday conversations!
Other Lessons
- Conjunct Consonants
- Syllable Structure
- Vowel Markers
- 0 to A1 Course
- Direct and Indirect Speech
- Adjectives
- Future Tense Verbs
- Conditional Mood
- How to Use Be
Sources
- Active and Passive voice with explanations in Malayalam - YouTube
- Malayalam | South Asia Studies
- Passive voice | OET Essential Grammar Class-2 | Malayalam ...
Videos
Active and Passive voice with explanations in Malayalam - YouTube
Passive voice | OET Essential Grammar Class-2 | Malayalam ...
Spoken English Class in Malayalam Active and Passive - YouTube