Passive with essere
Describe completed process steps and keep the affected material clear.
Form and agreement
Build the passive with a form of essere plus a past participle. The participle agrees with the grammatical subject: la carta è stata raccolta, i fogli sono stati raccolti, le schede sono state compilate. In the CartaLuce case, this form is useful for reporting completed steps, not for claiming that every sheet was checked.
- La carta è stata raccolta lunedì.· The paper was collected on Monday.
- I fogli sono stati tagliati dopo l’essiccazione.· The sheets were cut after drying.
- Le schede sono state compilate dal gruppo qualità.· The record sheets were completed by the quality group.
- Il primo lotto è stato registrato questa mattina.· The first batch was recorded this morning.
Active, passive, and the agent
An active sentence names who acts. In a passive sentence the affected thing becomes the subject; da can name the agent when it matters. Compare «Gli operatori hanno raccolto la carta» with «La carta è stata raccolta dagli operatori». Omit the agent when the stage matters more than the worker, but do not hide a responsible group when a report needs it.
- Gli operatori hanno raccolto la carta.· The workers collected the paper.
- La carta è stata raccolta dagli operatori.· The paper was collected by the workers.
- Cinque fogli sono stati esaminati dal gruppo qualità.· Five sheets were examined by the quality group.
- Il lotto difettoso è stato isolato prima della distribuzione.· The defective batch was set aside before distribution.