Passive sentences (1)
In Chinese, sentences with “被” (bèi) express the passive.
The pattern shows that the subject does not perform the action but undergoes it.
Such sentences often carry a sense of:
passivity;
helplessness;
an unwelcome or negative situation.
Basic Structure
Subject + 被 + doer of the action + Verb + other elements
That is: the subject is on the receiving end of someone's action.
Key Rule
Adverbs and modal verbs come before “被”.
Subject + adverb / modal verb + 被 + ……
The doer of the action after “被” can also be left out.
Examples
这本书被别人借走了
Structure
这本书 + 被 + 别人 + 借走了
this book + 被 + someone else + borrowed and took away
这本书 — this book
被 — the passive marker
别人 — someone else
借走了 — borrowed it and took it away
Here 这本书 does not perform the action — it undergoes it.
水果可能被弟弟吃了
Structure
水果 + 可能 + 被 + 弟弟 + 吃了
the fruit + probably + 被 + younger brother + ate
水果 — fruit
可能 — maybe / probably
被 — the passive marker
弟弟 — younger brother
吃了 — ate
In this sentence 可能 carries a modal sense and stands before 被.
我们俩经常被叫错名字
Structure
我们俩 + 经常 + 被 + 叫错名字
the two of us + often + 被 + called by the wrong name
我们俩 — the two of us
经常 — often
被 — the passive marker
叫错名字 — to call by the wrong name
This sentence doesn't say who does it, so the doer after 被 is left out.
Quick Rule
Subject + 被 + doer of the action + Verb + other elements
Meaning: the subject is on the receiving end of an action.
Examples:
这本书被别人借走了
水果可能被弟弟吃了
我们俩经常被叫错名字