Italian passive form

Transitive verbs (verbs with a direct object) have a passive form as well as an active form.

In the passive form it subject is not who performed the action.

The passive is formed by using the verb ESSERE (to be) + PAST PARTICIPLE OF MAIN VERB. The past participle must agree with the subject:

attivo (active)	passivo (passive)
io amo lui vedeva loro hanno regalato	io sono amato lui era visto loro sono stati regalati/e

The person or thing which does the action is preceded by the preposition DA (by).
Examples:

Il direttore è molto amato dai suoi dipendenti.
(The director is loved by his employees.)

I ladri sono stati presi dai poliziotti ieri notte.
(The thieves were caught by the police last night.)

La conferenza sarà tenuta dal Preside della Facoltà di Lettere.
(The conference will be held by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts.)

We can also use the verbs andare and venire to make the passive form.

With the verb andare it means that it must be done and it is used only with the simple tenses.

Examples:

La domanda VA presentata entro il dieci Giugno. = DEVE ESSERE presentata
(The application MUST be submitted by June 10th.)

La tassa di iscrizione ANDRÀ pagata in anticipo. = DOVRÀ ESSERE pagata
(The enrollment fee MUST be paid in advance.)

With the verb venire it has the same meaning as the auxiliary essere in simple tenses.

Examples:

Dante Alighieri viene letto in tutto il mondo.
(Dante is read all over the world.)

Il programma veniva seguito da un pubblico giovane.
(The programme was watched by a young audience.)

La lezione verrà tenuta da un docente madrelingua.
(The lesson will be held by a mother tongue teacher.)