Formal Passive and Impersonal in Vietnamese

Overview

Formal written Vietnamese often uses passive and impersonal constructions without the explicit bị/được markers of spoken Vietnamese. Impersonal subjects like "người ta" (one/people), constructions with "có thể thấy" (it can be seen), and subjectless formal passives create the objective, detached tone expected in academic and official writing.

At the CEFR C1 level, these constructions are essential for academic papers, official reports, and formal analysis where personal involvement should be minimized.

How It Works

Pattern	Example	Meaning
người ta + verb	Người ta cho rằng...	It is believed that...
có thể + verb + rằng	Có thể thấy rằng...	It can be seen that...
được + verb (formal)	Quyết định được ban hành.	The decision was issued.
theo như + được + verb	Theo như được biết.	As far as is known.

Examples in Context

Vietnamese	English	Note
Người ta cho rằng...	It is believed that...	impersonal subject
Có thể thấy rằng...	It can be seen that...	impersonal observation
Quyết định này được ban hành.	This decision has been issued.	formal passive
Theo như được biết.	As far as is known.	impersonal knowledge
Được biết, dự án sẽ hoàn thành.	It is known the project will be completed.	passive opening
Cần lưu ý rằng...	It should be noted that...	impersonal necessity
Không thể phủ nhận rằng...	It cannot be denied that...	impersonal assertion
Nhận thấy rằng...	It is observed that...	formal observation
Vấn đề đã được giải quyết.	The problem has been resolved.	formal passive
Theo đánh giá...	According to assessment...	impersonal attribution

Common Mistakes

Using Bị/Được Too Frequently in Formal Writing

• Wrong: Overusing "được" in every formal passive sentence
• Right: Sometimes the subject + verb construction without passive markers is more natural in formal Vietnamese
• Why: Formal written Vietnamese can use subjectless constructions or "người ta" for impersonal meaning.

Treating Người Ta as a Specific Person

• Wrong: Interpreting "người ta" as referring to a specific individual
• Right: In impersonal constructions, "người ta" = "one" / "people in general"
• Why: While "người ta" can mean "someone specific" in casual speech, in formal writing it creates impersonality.

Usage Notes

Academic Vietnamese avoids first-person pronouns in favor of impersonal constructions: "Có thể kết luận rằng..." (It can be concluded that...) instead of "Tôi kết luận rằng..." (I conclude that...). This is a strong convention in Vietnamese academic writing.

Practice Tips

• Convert personal statements to impersonal form: "Tôi thấy rằng..." becomes "Có thể thấy rằng..." or "Nhận thấy rằng..."
• Read Vietnamese academic abstracts to identify impersonal construction patterns.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Passive Voice — basic bị/được passive system