7. Ways of translating the Passive Voice into Ukrainian.

The passive verb-forms can be translated into Ukrainian:

• by verbs with the particle –ся (сь)

e.g. His voice was heard at the door.

Біля дверей почувся його голос.

• by combinations of the verb бути with Past Participle Passive or predicative verbal forms ending in –но, -то

e.g. That house was built last year.

Той будинок було збудовано/був збудований торік.

• by verbs in the Active Voice in indefinite-personal sentences

e.g. She had not been seen.

Її не бачили.

• by the verb in the Active Voice in a definite-personal sentence only if the subject of the action of a passive construction is mentioned

e.g. They were invited by my friend.

Їх запросив мій друг.

Appendix

Prepositional verbs in the Passive Voice

account for – to give an explanation or reason for

His foolish behaviour could not be accounted for.

arrive at – (a decision, conclusion, agreement) – to reach, to come to

After many hours’ talk the decision was arrived at.

ask for – to make a request for

Have I been asked for at the hotel?

approve of – to consider good, right, wise (disapprove of – to consider bad, wrong, unwise)

His request was disapproved of.

His behaviour can’t be approved of.

break into – to enter by force: to break into a house

Their house was broken into last night but nothing was stolen.

bring up – to educate and care for the family until grown up, to bring up children

It was clear that the child had been brought up.

call for – to demand, to call for the waiter, to call for the bill

At the end of the meal the bill was called for.

comment on – to make a remark, give an opinion

The election results were widely commented on in the newspapers.

deal with – to do business

This store has been dealt with for twenty years.

depend on – to trust (usually someone)

You’ll be depended on to do it.

hear from – to receive news from (someone) usually by letter

He hasn’t been heard of since he telephoned.

hear of – to know of (a fact, existence of something or somebody), to hear about

This young tennis player has been heard of quite a lot lately.

insist on (upon) – to declare firmly (when opposed)

His going away was insisted on.

interfere with – to get in the way of another, to prevent from happening

He doesn’t like to be interfered with while he is working.

laugh at – to treat as foolish, worthless or an object of fun

Don’t say such foolish things! You’ll be laughed at.

listen to – to give attention in seeing

He was listened to attentively.

look at – to give attention in seeing

She was looked at with surprise.

look after – to take care of someone or something

Are you being well looked after?

look for – to try to find

The boy who disappeared from home last week is still being looked for.

look into – to examine the meaning or causes of something

The matter will be looked into in the near future.

mock at – to laugh at (someone or something) when it is wrong to do so

His strange way of expressing himself is always mocked at.

object to – to be against something or someone

His proposal was strongly objected to.

pick on – to choose something or someone

Any student can be picked on to answer the examiners’ questions.

provide for – support, supply with necessary things

She was well provided for in her husband’s will.

read to – to say printed or written words especially to give pleasure to others

Little children like to be read to.

refer to – mention, speak about

Later the Minister’s report was referred to.

rely on – to trust someone to do something

He can be relied on to help you.

send for – to give a command, request

When they found her lying on the floor the doctor was sent for.

shout at – to give a loud cry, speak or say very loudly

I hate to be shouted at. I like people to be nice to me.

- to think highly (well, little, poorly) of someone or somebody – to have a good (bad, etc) opinion of someone or something

He was highly thought of in his town.

wait for – to stay somewhere without doing anything until somebody or something comes or something happens

Hurry up. You are being waited for downstairs.

write to – to produce and send (a letter)

Will Rill be written to and introduced about the changes?

Phrasal verbs in the Passive Voice

blow down – to fall by blowing

Several trees were blown down by the storm last night.

call up – to order (someone) to join the armed forces

He was called up in 1996.

give up – to stop believing that someone can be saved especially from death

The boy was given up for lost.

hold up – delay

The building of the new road has been held up by bad weather.

knock down – to destroy a building (bridge) by means of blows

Our house is being knocked down to give way for a new road.

let down – to cause (someone0 to be disappointed in one’s loyalty, fail to keep a promise to someone

It was difficult to believe that he had been let down by his friend.

point out – to draw attention to something or someone

Not all the mistakes in Bob’s written test were pointed out.

pull down – to break to pieces and destroy something

Half the houses in the street are being pulled down to make room for the new post-office.

put off – to move to a later date, delay

Their wedding has been put off.

run over (of a vehicle or its driver) – to knock down and pass over the top of

They had a dog but it got run over.

see off – to go to the airport, station, etc.

When he was going away he was seen off by all friends at the airport.

Phraseological units in the Passive Voice

do away with – cause to end, abolish

All these silly restrictions should be done away with.

find fault with – to complain, perhaps too much or too often

The poor child is always found fault with.

lose sight of – to cease to see, to forget

At last the ship was lost sight of.

make use of – to use well, to take advantage of

These are good examples. They should be made use of in the report.

make fun of – to laugh or cause others to laugh rather unkindly

She is often made fun of because she wears such strange hats.

pay attention to – to take notice of

All his remarks were paid little attention to.

put an end to – to stop from happening any more

This state of affairs will be put an end to.

put up with – to accept an unpleasant situation or person without complaining

Her attitude to her duties can be put up with.

set fire to – to light (something) not really meant to burn, set something on fire

The house was set fire to in the middle of the night.

take (good) care of – to be responsible for someone or something

I hope the child will be taken good care of.

take notice of – to pay attention to

She said something but her words were taken no notice of.

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