polski · B1 · grammar · 4 minutes
Passive with być/zostać
Use być for state/neutral passive and zostać for a completed change or event.
Understand the choice
Polish passive keeps gender/number agreement on the participle. Zostać highlights the occurrence/result of an event, while być can describe state or general process depending on tense/context.
Core rule: Passive uses być/zostać + agreeing passive participle; przez + accusative names an agent.
Notice it in context
Raport został podpisany przez dyrektorkę.
The report was signed by the director.
Został and podpisany agree with masculine raport; przez takes accusative dyrektorkę.
Dokumenty są sprawdzane codziennie.
Documents are checked every day.
Są + plural sprawdzane expresses recurring passive process.
Decyzja została ogłoszona rano.
The decision was announced in the morning.
Została/ogłoszona agree feminine with decyzja.
What to remember
- Agentless active plural/impersonal forms are often more natural in speech.
- Passive participles generally come from transitive verbs.
Common trap: Do not leave the participle masculine singular for every subject.