Meaning & Usage
Welcome to one of the most unique and expressive parts of Vietnamese grammar! If you have studied English, you are likely familiar with the passive voice (e.g., 'The cake was eaten'). However, in Vietnamese, the passive voice isn't just a grammatical flip of the sentence; it carries a heavy emotional weight. As a B1 learner, you need to move beyond simple passive sentences and start incorporating the 'Agent' (the person or thing doing the action) into your constructions.
The two main words we use are [được and [bị. To understand these, you need a clear mental model. In English, the passive voice is often neutral. In Vietnamese, it is almost never neutral. When you use these words, you are telling the listener how the subject feels about what happened.
- Được: Think of this as 'to receive the benefit of.' It is used for positive, lucky, or desired outcomes. It comes from the Sino-Vietnamese root đắc (得), meaning to obtain or achieve.
- Bị: Think of this as 'to suffer from' or 'to be stuck with.' It is used for negative, unpleasant, or accidental outcomes. It comes from the Sino-Vietnamese root bị (被), meaning to be covered by or to suffer.
At the B1 level, we focus on the structure where the Agent is explicitly mentioned. For example, instead of just saying 'I was invited' (Tôi được mời), you will say 'I was invited by my friend' (Tôi được bạn mời). This adds specificity and is essential for storytelling and detailed descriptions in the Vietnamese Language Proficiency Test (NLTV).
While Western languages use the passive voice frequently in formal writing to sound objective, Vietnamese speakers actually prefer the active voice. We use the passive voice mainly when the person affected by the action is the most important part of the story, or when we want to emphasize the emotional impact of the event.
Structure & Formation
The structure for the passive voice with an agent is quite straightforward because Vietnamese follows a consistent Word Order (SVO). Unlike English, you do not need to change the verb form (no past participles or 'to be' conjugation). You simply insert the marker and the agent before the verb.
| Subject (Receiver) | Marker (bị/được) | Agent (Doer) | Action (Verb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tôi (I) | được (positive) | giám đốc (director) | khen (praise) |
| Anh ấy (He) | bị (negative) | mẹ (mother) | mắng (scold) |
| Cửa sổ (Window) | bị (negative) | gió (wind) | làm hỏng (break) |
Notice that the word order is very logical. You start with the person or object that experienced the action, then decide if it was a 'good' or 'bad' experience (được vs. bị), then name the person or thing responsible, and finally state the action itself. If the agent is unknown or unimportant, you can simply omit it, but at the B1 level, practicing with the agent is crucial for building complex sentences.
Example Sentences
Using 'được' for Positive Experiences
Hôm qua, tôi được anh Nam mời đi ăn tối.
Yesterday, I was invited to dinner by Mr. Nam.
Em bé rất vui vì được cô giáo tặng lời khen.
The baby is very happy because she was given praise by the teacher.
Dự án của chúng tôi đã được ban giám đốc thông qua.
Our project has been approved by the board of directors.
Tôi cảm thấy may mắn khi được gia đình ủng hộ hết mình.
I feel lucky to be fully supported by my family.
Bức tranh này được một họa sĩ nổi tiếng vẽ tặng.
This painting was painted and gifted by a famous artist.
Using 'bị' for Negative Experiences
Tôi bị cảnh sát giao thông phạt vì đi sai làn đường.
I was fined by the traffic police for driving in the wrong lane.
Con mèo của tôi bị con chó hàng xóm rượt đuổi.
My cat was chased by the neighbor's dog.
Anh ấy bị công ty sa thải do đi làm muộn quá nhiều.
He was fired by the company for being late too many times.
Chiếc xe máy của tôi bị kẻ trộm lấy mất vào đêm qua.
My motorbike was stolen by a thief last night.
Chúng tôi bị tiếng ồn từ công trường làm phiền suốt cả ngày.
We were bothered by the noise from the construction site all day.
Nuanced and Common Daily Usage
Tôi bị vợ bắt đi đổ rác ngay lúc đang xem bóng đá.
I was forced by my wife to take out the trash right while I was watching football.
Bộ phim này được rất nhiều khán giả yêu thích.
This movie is loved by many viewers.
Tôi bị bạn bè trêu chọc vì cái kiểu tóc mới này.
I was teased by my friends because of this new hairstyle.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using 'bị' for positive events
❌ Tôi bị bạn tặng một món quà rất đẹp.
✅ Tôi được bạn tặng một món quà rất đẹp.
Explanation: Even if the gift was a surprise, if it is a 'good' thing, you must use 'được'. Using 'bị' here would sound like the gift was a burden or something that caused you suffering.
Mistake 2: Overusing 'bởi' (by) like in English
❌ Cuốn sách này được viết bởi Lan.
✅ Cuốn sách này được Lan viết.
Explanation: English speakers love using the word 'bởi' (by) to match the English 'by someone.' While 'bởi' is grammatically correct in formal writing or translations, it sounds very stiff and 'foreign' in daily conversation. Natural Vietnamese simply places the agent directly after 'được' or 'bị'.
Mistake 3: Misplacing the Agent
❌ Tôi được mời bởi anh ấy.
✅ Tôi được anh ấy mời.
Explanation: In the Vietnamese passive voice, the agent must come BEFORE the verb. Think of 'được [Agent]' as a single unit that modifies the verb.
Mistake 4: Using the passive voice for every 'be' sentence
❌ Bữa tối bị nấu bởi tôi.
✅ Tôi nấu bữa tối.
Explanation: Don't use the passive voice just to sound fancy. If the action is a normal daily task like cooking or cleaning, use the active voice. Only use the passive voice when you want to highlight the subject's experience or perspective.
Cultural Notes
In Vietnamese culture, the choice between bị and được is a reflection of your social intelligence (EQ). Using được shows gratitude and politeness. For example, if you say 'Tôi được anh giúp đỡ' (I was helped by you), it sounds much warmer and more appreciative than simply saying 'Anh giúp tôi' (You helped me).
Conversely, bị can be used humorously or to soften a complaint. If a husband says 'Tôi bị vợ quản lý chặt' (I am strictly managed by my wife), it carries a sense of lighthearted resignation that is common in Vietnamese social circles. In the North, people might use these markers slightly more formally in business settings, while in the South, they are used very fluidly in rapid daily speech.
Another cultural nuance: Vietnamese people rarely use the passive voice for inanimate objects unless there's a human impact. Instead of 'The road was built by the city,' they would prefer 'The city built the road.' Use the passive voice primarily when there is a 'victim' or a 'beneficiary' involved.
Related Grammar Points
- hãy — Polite Imperative (Please Do in Vietnamese) (Grammar B1)
- cho — Let or Allow in Vietnamese (Grammar B1)
- lại — Again / Unexpectedly (Advanced) (Grammar B1)
- nhờ — Asking for a Favor in Vietnamese (Grammar B1)
- bắt — Force Someone To in Vietnamese (Grammar B1)
- mới...đã — No Sooner Than (Grammar B1)
Practice Tips
To master this at the B1 level, especially for the NLTV (VSTEP) exam, you should focus on 'Transformational Practice.' Take an active sentence like 'Mọi người rất yêu quý ông ấy' (Everyone loves him) and transform it into a passive sentence: 'Ông ấy được mọi người rất yêu quý.'
Common exam questions often ask you to rewrite sentences or choose the correct marker based on the context's 'vibe.' Always look for clues: Is the result a promotion? (Use được). Is the result a traffic fine or a broken phone? (Use bị). A great way to practice is to read Vietnamese news headlines. You will see bị everywhere in the crime section and được in the economic development section. Try to identify the 'Agent' in those headlines to see how journalists use this structure to save space and create impact.