Passive Voice in Czech

Overview

The passive voice in Czech is formed in two ways: an analytic passive using být (to be) plus a passive participle, and a reflexive passive using the particle se. At the CEFR B1 level, understanding both constructions expands your range from active narration to more formal, written, and impersonal expression.

The analytic passive (Dopis byl napsán — The letter was written) closely parallels English passive constructions. The reflexive passive (Tady se mluví česky — Czech is spoken here) is more common in everyday speech for general, agentless statements.

Czech uses the passive less frequently than English, especially in speech, where active constructions and reflexive passives are preferred. However, the passive is essential for formal, academic, and journalistic writing.

How It Works

Analytic Passive: být + Passive Participle

The passive participle is formed from the verb stem + -n/-ný or -t/-tý:

• psát → psán/psaný (written)
• dělat → dělaný (done/made)
• otevřít → otevřen/otevřený (opened)

Tense	Example	Translation
Present	Dopis je psán.	The letter is being written.
Past	Dopis byl napsán.	The letter was written.
Future	Dopis bude napsán.	The letter will be written.

The participle agrees in gender and number with the subject:

• Kniha byla přečtena. (The book was read.)
• Dopisy byly odeslány. (The letters were sent.)

Reflexive Passive with se

Used for general, agentless statements:

• Tady se mluví česky. (Czech is spoken here.)
• To se nedělá. (That's not done.)
• Jak se to řekne česky? (How is that said in Czech?)

The verb agrees with the grammatical subject: Prodávají se lístky. (Tickets are sold.)

Examples in Context

Czech	English	Note
Dopis byl napsán.	The letter was written.	analytic, past
Dům je stavěn.	The house is being built.	analytic, present
Tady se mluví česky.	Czech is spoken here.	reflexive
To se nedělá.	That's not done.	reflexive, impersonal
Kniha byla přeložena.	The book was translated.	analytic, fem.
Okno bylo otevřeno.	The window was opened.	analytic, neuter
Prodávají se lístky.	Tickets are (being) sold.	reflexive
Dveře jsou zavřeny.	The doors are closed.	analytic, plural
Tady se nesmí kouřit.	Smoking is not allowed here.	reflexive + modal
Zpráva bude zveřejněna.	The report will be published.	analytic, future

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong participle form

• Wrong: Dopis byl napsaný. (long form in passive construction)
• Right: Dopis byl napsán.
• Why: The short participle (napsán) is used with být in passive constructions. The long form (napsaný) functions as an adjective.

Forgetting gender agreement

• Wrong: Kniha byl přečtena.
• Right: Kniha byla přečtena.
• Why: Both být and the participle must agree with the subject in gender and number.

Overusing passive in speech

• Wrong: Káva byla uvařena mou matkou. (overly formal)
• Right: Máma uvařila kávu. (natural active voice)
• Why: Czech prefers active constructions in speech. Reserve analytic passive for formal writing.

Usage Notes

The reflexive passive is more common in everyday Czech than the analytic form. Formal registers (news, academic, legal writing) use the analytic passive extensively. The choice between the two can signal register: Zákon byl schválen (formal) vs. Zákon se schválil (informal).

When to Use Which Passive

Situation	Preferred form	Example
Specific agent known	Analytic passive	Dopis byl napsán ředitelem.
General/agentless statement	Reflexive passive	Tady se mluví česky.
State description	Passive as adjective	Okno je zavřené.
Formal/written	Analytic passive	Zákon byl schválen.
Spoken/informal	Reflexive or active	Zákon se schválil. / Schválili zákon.

The reflexive passive with se is the more natural choice in most spoken contexts. The analytic passive sounds formal and is characteristic of news, academic, and legal registers. In Czech, active constructions are generally preferred in everyday communication — unlike English, which uses the passive more freely in all registers.

Passive Participle vs. Adjective

The same form can function as a passive participle (in a passive construction) or as an adjective:

• Passive: Dveře jsou zavřeny. (The doors have been closed. — action)
• Adjective: Dveře jsou zavřené. (The doors are closed. — state)

The short form (zavřeny) emphasizes the action; the long form (zavřené) describes the resulting state.

Practice Tips

• Transform five active sentences into both passive types (analytic and reflexive).
• Read a Czech news article and identify all passive constructions.
• Practice passive participle formation for common verbs: dělat→dělaný, psát→psaný, říct→řečený.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Past Tense — builds the foundation for passive voice
• Next steps: Standard Written Czech — extends passive voice further