The Dynamic Passive: Actions in Progress
In Swedish, you can form a passive sentence using a helper verb combined with a past participle. When you want to emphasize that an action is actively happening (an event or process), use the verb bli (to become/be).
This is called the dynamic passive and translates closely to "is being [done]" in English. It focuses on the action itself.
| The outside is being washed with the foam now. | Utsidan blir tvättad med skummet nu. |
| The rim is being polished by the mechanic. | Fälgen blir polerad av mekanikern. |
The Stative Passive: Results and States
When the action is already finished and you want to describe the resulting condition of the subject, use the verb vara (to be) alongside the past participle.
This is the stative passive. It tells us about the state of things after the action has occurred, translating simply to "is [done]".
| We can see that the outside is washed. | Vi kan se att utsidan är tvättad. |
| Every rim is already polished and shiny. | Varje fälg är redan polerad och blank. |
| The paintwork is waxed, so it is protected against the rain. | Lacken är vaxad, så den är skyddad mot regnet. |
Contrasting Actions and States
The choice between bli and vara entirely changes the focus of your sentence from the doing to the done. You will often see them contrasted to describe different parts of a process.
| The stain is rubbed, but the car is being washed now. | Fläcken är gnuggad, men bilen blir tvättad nu. |
These helper verbs also naturally change tense to fit the timeline of events. You can use var (was) to describe a past state, or blivit (been) as a supine verb for an action that happened previously.
| The paintwork was not shiny after having been washed. | Lacken var inte blank efter att ha blivit tvättad. |