The Passive Voice with -ся
In English, we use the passive voice when the object receiving the action is more important than the person doing it (e.g., "The fabric is sold here"). In Russian, one of the most common ways to express this is by adding the reflexive particle -ся to an imperfective verb.
In this construction, the object receiving the action becomes the grammatical subject of the sentence (in the nominative case), and the verb simply agrees with it.
Conjugating Passive Verbs
To use these verbs, conjugate the base verb normally, then attach the reflexive particle at the very end. The rule for the particle is simple:
- Add -ся if the conjugated verb form ends in a consonant.
- Add -сь if the conjugated verb form ends in a vowel.
Because passive sentences usually talk about objects or concepts (it/they), you will primarily use the third-person forms. The third-person singular and plural endings both finish with the consonant -т, meaning they will always take -ся.
Describing Habitual Processes
This passive construction is specifically used with imperfective verbs to describe ongoing, general, or habitual processes. It is perfect for discussing how garments are normally tailored, how fabrics like silk and cotton are used, or where things are regularly sold.
Using Passive Verbs in the Infinitive
Just like active verbs, passive verbs can remain in the infinitive when paired with another conjugated verb (like wanting or being able to do something). Notice that the infinitive ends in the soft sign ь, which is treated as a consonant, so it also takes -ся.
