Formal Passive and Impersonal in Vietnamese

In Brief

Formal Vietnamese does not rely on one construction equivalent to English be + past participle. It may use được in an explicit passive, an indefinite human subject such as người ta, a viewpoint expression such as có thể thấy rằng, or a compact clause in which the agent is simply unmentioned. The best choice depends on whether the writer wants to foreground the affected entity, the general opinion, the available evidence, or the procedure itself.

Overview

A passive clause presents a person or thing as undergoing an action rather than performing it: in “the decision was issued,” the decision undergoes the issuing. English marks this relationship frequently with be plus a past participle. Vietnamese has no matching participle system and often has no need to convert an active clause into a grammatical passive. Context, word order, and the choice to omit an obvious agent can do much of the work.

At B1, learners usually meet bị and được: bị often presents an unwanted effect, while được commonly presents a beneficial or neutral result. At C1, the important step is not learning another passive marker. It is learning how reports, academic prose, news, regulations, and formal announcements manage agency—who is understood to act—even when that actor is not named.

This matters especially for English-speaking learners. English naturally says “it is believed,” “it can be seen,” and “applications must be submitted.” Translating each passive mechanically can produce Vietnamese that is understandable but repetitive or stylistically unnatural. Formal Vietnamese alternates among active, passive, impersonal, and elliptical patterns instead.

How It Works

1. Explicit formal passives with được

The clearest formal passive keeps the affected entity—the patient (the person or thing affected by the action)—at the front:

patient + được + (agent) + verb phrase

• Quyết định này được ban hành ngày 15 tháng 6. — This decision was issued on June 15.
• Đề xuất đã được hội đồng thông qua. — The proposal was approved by the council.

The agent may appear directly between được and the verb: được hội đồng thông qua. Vietnamese does not need a separate word corresponding to English by. If the agent is obvious, unimportant, or intentionally withheld, it is omitted: đề xuất đã được thông qua.

In formal documents, được is often neutral rather than clearly positive. It primarily signals that the fronted item receives the action. Tense and aspect are expressed separately when needed: đã được for a completed event, đang được for an ongoing process, and sẽ được for a future event.

Time or status	Pattern	Typical meaning
completed	đã được + verb	has/have been done
ongoing	đang được + verb	is/are being done
future	sẽ được + verb	will be done
requirement	phải được + verb	must be done
possibility	có thể được + verb	can/may be done

Do not stack these words without a reason. Phải được phê duyệt expresses a requirement for approval; đã được phê duyệt reports completed approval. They answer different questions.

2. người ta as an indefinite human subject

Người ta literally refers to unspecified people: “people,” “they,” or “one.” Grammatically, it is an active subject, not a passive marker:

người ta + reporting/thinking verb + rằng/là + clause

• Người ta cho rằng biện pháp này chưa đủ hiệu quả. — It is believed that this measure is not yet effective.
• Người ta thường gọi giai đoạn này là thời kỳ chuyển đổi. — This period is commonly called the transition period.

This is useful when a belief, custom, or conventional label is widely attributed but no precise source is intended. Rằng introduces a following statement; là often introduces a name, identity, or characterization.

However, người ta is not automatically highly formal. It is common in ordinary speech too, and in careful academic writing it may sound too vague if evidence or attribution matters. A named source is stronger: Theo báo cáo của Bộ Y tế... (“According to the Ministry of Health’s report...”) or Nhiều nhà nghiên cứu cho rằng... (“Many researchers believe...” ).

3. có thể thấy rằng and related viewpoint frames

Có thể thấy rằng... presents a conclusion as visible or inferable from evidence. English often renders it as “it can be seen that,” but Vietnamese has no dummy subject equivalent to English it here:

có thể + perception/evaluation verb + rằng + clause

• Có thể thấy rằng chi phí đã giảm đáng kể. — It can be seen that costs have fallen significantly.
• Có thể nhận thấy sự khác biệt giữa hai nhóm. — A difference between the two groups can be observed.

Related expressions include có thể nhận thấy (“it can be observed”), có thể khẳng định rằng (“it can be asserted that”), and có thể nói rằng (“it can be said that”). These do not all express the same strength. Nhận thấy suggests observation; khẳng định makes a stronger claim and therefore requires stronger support.

The có thể pattern is structurally subjectless or has an understood generic observer. It does not need nó: Có thể thấy rằng..., not Nó có thể thấy rằng... when the intended meaning is impersonal.

4. được biết and theo như được biết

Được biết introduces information available to the speaker or writer without foregrounding its source:

• Được biết, dự án sẽ hoàn thành vào cuối năm. — It is understood/reported that the project will be completed by year-end.
• Theo như được biết, chưa có trường hợp nào tương tự. — As far as is known, there has been no similar case.

Theo như được biết limits the claim to current knowledge. Được biết at the beginning of a news sentence often signals second-hand information. Neither expression replaces a source citation where accountability matters.

When the informed person is named, the analysis changes: Tôi được biết rằng... means “I have learned/am informed that...”. The subject tôi is explicit, and được presents access to the information.

5. Agentless and compact written clauses

Official and procedural Vietnamese often omits an agent because the institution, applicant, or responsible authority is recoverable from context. Some clauses retain được; others use a bare verb phrase:

• Hồ sơ nộp tại bộ phận tiếp nhận. — Applications are submitted at the reception office.
• Nội dung chi tiết trình bày tại Phụ lục I. — Detailed content is presented in Appendix I.
• Ban hành kèm theo Quyết định này Quy chế hoạt động. — Issued together with this Decision are the Operating Regulations.

These are compressed document-style patterns, not a universal recipe for forming a passive. In a normal narrative, omitting được can make the relation unclear. Compare Báo cáo được công bố hôm qua (“The report was published yesterday”) with Báo cáo công bố hôm qua. The second can be read as “the report announces [something] yesterday” unless the document style and context make the intended ellipsis obvious.

Formal Vietnamese also often avoids the issue through an active institutional subject:

• Bộ Tài chính ban hành thông tư mới. — The Ministry of Finance issued a new circular.
• Báo cáo nêu rõ ba nguyên nhân chính. — The report clearly identifies three main causes.

This active wording is concise and fully formal. A passive is not inherently more sophisticated.

Examples in Context

Vietnamese	English	Note
Người ta cho rằng tập quán này có từ lâu đời.	It is believed that this custom has existed for a long time.	Indefinite public belief
Người ta thường gọi khu vực này là phố cổ.	This area is commonly called the old quarter.	Active in Vietnamese, naturally passive in English
Có thể thấy rằng kết quả giữa hai nhóm không giống nhau.	It can be seen that the results of the two groups are not the same.	Evidence-based observation
Từ số liệu trên, có thể nhận thấy xu hướng giảm rõ rệt.	From the data above, a clear downward trend can be observed.	Formal analytical frame
Có thể nói rằng chính sách đã đạt được mục tiêu ban đầu.	It can be said that the policy has achieved its initial objective.	Cautious evaluation
Quyết định này được ban hành ngày 15 tháng 6.	This decision was issued on June 15.	Neutral official passive
Đề xuất đã được hội đồng thông qua.	The proposal has been approved by the council.	Agent follows được directly
Các yêu cầu phải được thực hiện đầy đủ.	The requirements must be fully implemented.	Passive under obligation
Danh sách sẽ được công bố trên trang thông tin điện tử.	The list will be published on the website.	Future agentless passive
Vấn đề đang được các cơ quan chức năng xem xét.	The matter is being considered by the competent authorities.	Ongoing process with an agent
Được biết, cuộc họp đã được hoãn đến tuần sau.	It is understood that the meeting has been postponed until next week.	Reported information plus passive
Theo như được biết, chưa có quyết định chính thức.	As far as is known, there is no official decision yet.	Limits the claim to present knowledge
Hồ sơ nộp trực tiếp hoặc gửi qua đường bưu điện.	Applications are submitted in person or sent by post.	Compact procedural wording
Nội dung chi tiết trình bày tại Phụ lục II.	Detailed content is presented in Appendix II.	Bare verb in document style
Báo cáo nêu rõ nguyên nhân của sự cố.	The report clearly states the cause of the incident.	Formal active alternative

Common Mistakes

Treating every English passive as được

• Awkward: Nó được tin rằng kế hoạch sẽ thành công.
• Better: Người ta tin rằng kế hoạch sẽ thành công. / Có ý kiến cho rằng kế hoạch sẽ thành công.
• Why: English dummy it has no direct equivalent here. Vietnamese normally uses an indefinite source or another reporting frame.

Inserting a dummy nó into impersonal expressions

• Wrong for the intended meaning: Nó có thể thấy rằng chi phí đã tăng.
• Right: Có thể thấy rằng chi phí đã tăng.
• Why: With nó, the sentence suggests that a particular “it” can see. The impersonal frame begins directly with có thể.

Assuming được always means a welcome result

• Misleading rule: được can only describe something beneficial.
• Actual formal use: Đơn khiếu nại đã được bác bỏ. — The complaint was rejected.
• Why: In administrative and informational prose, được often serves as a neutral passive marker. The verb and context carry the evaluation.

Using người ta where a source is required

• Vague: Người ta cho rằng thuốc này có hiệu quả.
• Better when evidence matters: Theo kết quả thử nghiệm, thuốc này có hiệu quả.
• Why: Người ta hides the source. That may suit a general belief, but not a claim that needs verification.

Omitting được outside a clear document pattern

• Unclear: Báo cáo công bố hôm qua.
• Clear passive: Báo cáo được công bố hôm qua.
• Clear active: Cơ quan chức năng công bố báo cáo hôm qua.
• Why: A bare verb after a noun can make that noun look like the actor. Use compression only when the genre and pattern make the relationship clear.

Usage Notes

Register is a continuum. Người ta is neutral and widespread, but it can sound conversational or evasive in research writing. Có thể thấy rằng and có thể nhận thấy are common in analytical exposition, though repeated use can become formulaic. Được biết is especially associated with reporting and formal announcements.

Agency can be a rhetorical choice. Sai sót đã được phát hiện (“Errors were discovered”) focuses on the result and leaves the discoverer out. Đoàn kiểm tra đã phát hiện sai sót (“The inspection team discovered errors”) assigns responsibility and may be more informative. Ask whether suppressing the agent serves the reader or merely avoids naming responsibility.

Negation goes before the passive or modal unit: chưa được phê duyệt (“not yet approved”), không được công bố (“is not published/must not be disclosed,” depending on context), and không thể khẳng định rằng (“it cannot be asserted that”). Notice that không được + verb can also express prohibition: Không được hút thuốc means “Smoking is not allowed/Do not smoke,” not simply “is not smoked.”

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

Formal prose often replaces a vague impersonal construction with a more precise evidential frame—wording that indicates where knowledge comes from. Compare these choices:

Frame	What it foregrounds	Typical force
Người ta cho rằng...	unspecified people	general belief
Có thể thấy rằng...	inference from visible evidence	analytical observation
Được biết,...	information received	report, source left backgrounded
Theo số liệu công bố,...	stated body of evidence	explicit attribution
Nghiên cứu cho thấy...	research as evidence	stronger, sourceable claim

Advanced writing also mixes patterns within one sentence: Theo số liệu được công bố, có thể thấy rằng tỷ lệ này đang giảm (“According to the published data, it can be seen that this rate is falling”). Here được công bố modifies số liệu, while có thể thấy rằng frames the writer’s inference.

A sequence such as đã được is not a single past-passive conjugation. Vietnamese remains analytic: đã marks prior completion or relevance, được marks the affected participant, and the main verb names the event. This is why other operators can occupy the same position: cần được xem xét (“needs to be considered”), nên được bảo tồn (“should be preserved”), and có thể được sử dụng (“can be used”).

Finally, do not label every agentless Vietnamese clause “passive.” Có thể thấy rằng... has no expressed patient promoted to subject, while người ta cho rằng... is grammatically active. “Impersonal” is often the more accurate description: the identity of the observer, believer, or actor is generalized or left unexpressed.

Practice Tips

1. Rewrite one claim four ways. Start with Các nhà nghiên cứu cho rằng..., then try Người ta cho rằng..., Có thể thấy rằng..., and Nghiên cứu cho thấy.... Note how the source and strength change.
2. Mark agent, patient, and evidence while reading. In a news report, underline who acts, circle what is affected, and box expressions such as được biết or theo báo cáo. This trains you to notice choices that English translations may hide.
3. Edit for purpose, not for maximum passivity. For each được clause you write, test an active version. Keep the passive when the affected item or result deserves focus; choose the active when the actor matters.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Passive Voice — introduces the core contrast between bị and được and the basic Vietnamese passive pattern.