Question 1

Why does this sentence use будет одобрен instead of the active voice когда проект одобрят?

Accepted Answer

The phrase будет одобрен uses the short-form passive participle. This creates a formal, professional, or bureaucratic tone, which perfectly fits a business context like getting a project approved. In everyday, casual speech, Russians strongly prefer the active voice with an unstated subject, as in Мы ждём, когда проект одобрят (literally: we are waiting when they will approve the project).

Question 2

Could we use a reflexive verb here for the passive, like когда проект одобрится?

Accepted Answer

It is much better to use будет одобрен. Reflexive passives (verbs ending in -ся) are mostly used for imperfective, ongoing processes. For a perfective, one-time completed result like a final approval, Russian requires the short-form passive participle. Using a reflexive verb here would sound quite unnatural.

Question 3

The English translation says waiting for the project to be approved, but the Russian uses ждём, когда. Why?

Accepted Answer

Russian does not have a direct equivalent to the English structure waiting for something to happen. Instead, you must split it into two clauses separated by a comma. When waiting for a specific, expected event in the future, you use ждать, когда (literally: to wait when) followed by a fully formed clause.

Question 4

Why is the word for approved written as одобрен rather than the full form одобренный?

Accepted Answer

When a passive participle acts as the main verb (predicate) of a clause, it must take the short form. You only use the full form одобренный when it acts as an adjective describing a noun directly, such as in the phrase одобренный проект (the approved project).

Мы ждём, когда проект будет одобрен.

Breakdown of Мы ждём, когда проект будет одобрен.

Questions & Answers about Мы ждём, когда проект будет одобрен.

Learn Мы ждём, когда проект будет одобрен and more in Russian