Lesson 15 / 24

Passive: -ata, -ita, -ota

Say that something is being done, has been done, or will be done.

Passive participles describe the object of the action. -ata is in process: La letero estas skribata (the letter is being written). -ita is finished: La letero estas skribita (the letter has been written / is written). -ota is still to happen: La letero estas skribota (the letter is to be written). Pair them with esti in any tense: estis farita, estos farata. The doer, if you need one, comes with de: skribita de Ana.

A letter already written

Read the story. Click a word to see what it means.

tablo kuŝas . Lina.

On the table lies a letter. It is written by Lina.

Nun nova . Tomaso sidas .

Now a new letter is being written. Tomaso sits and thinks.

tria morgaŭ. Eva.

The third letter is to be written tomorrow. It will go to Eva.

Ĉiuj estos . laboro estos .

All the letters will have been sent. The work will be done.

Read this aloud

  1. Ĉu la pano estas manĝata nun? Is the bread being eaten now?
  2. Ne. Ĝi jam estas manĝita. No. It has already been eaten.
  3. Kaj la kafo? And the coffee?
  4. La kafo estas trinkota post la leciono. The coffee is to be drunk after the lesson.

esti + participle is not a new verb

estas skribita is “is written / has been written.” Do not add a second -as on the participle. The participle stays an adjective: skribitaj leteroj, skribitan leteron.

Words in this lesson

skribata being written
skribita written (done)
skribota to be written
farita done / made
manĝita eaten
de by / of / from
letero letter (mail)
post after
senditaj sent (plural, done)
pensas thinks
iros will go

Practice

Write the Esperanto sentence. Enter checks your answer.

The letter is written (finished).

-ita = the action is done.

The book is being read.

-ata = in process.

The house will be built.

estos + -ita (result in the future).

It was written by Ana.

de for the doer.

The bread has been eaten.

-ita.

It was written by Tomaso.

de.

Build the word

Type the Esperanto word.

being written

-ata.

written (finished)

-ita.

to be written

-ota.

done / made

far- + -ita.

Complete the sentences

Fill the missing ending or word.

La letero estas skrib____. (finished)

-ita.

La pano estas manĝ____ nun. (in process)

-ata.

Ĝi estis skribita ____ Ana. (by)

de = by.

La domo estos konstru____.

estos + -ita.