Passive with venire, andare and passive si
Distinguish routine action, requirement, and general process.
Venire for an action; andare for a requirement
Venire plus past participle in a simple tense often highlights an action in a regular process: i campioni vengono controllati. Andare plus past participle can state what must be done: la scheda va compilata. In the fictional CartaLuce procedure, the five-sheet sample is routine and recording a batch is an internal requirement. Do not present P-4 as a law.
- Cinque fogli vengono controllati per ogni lotto.· Five sheets are checked for each batch.
- I materiali estranei vengono separati.· Foreign materials are separated.
- Ogni lotto va registrato prima della lavorazione.· Each batch must be recorded before processing.
- La scheda va compilata dal gruppo qualità.· The record sheet must be completed by the quality group.
Passive si and agreement
Passive si presents a general action without naming an agent. With a plural thing being acted on, use a plural verb: si raccolgono i fogli. With a singular thing, use a singular verb: si registra il lotto. In these examples the thing is the grammatical subject. Contrast them with an explicit worker when responsibility matters.
- Si raccolgono i fogli nelle scuole.· Sheets are collected at the schools.
- Si registra ogni lotto all’arrivo.· Each batch is recorded on arrival.
- Si separano i punti metallici dalla carta.· Staples are separated from paper.
- Il gruppo qualità controlla cinque fogli per ogni lotto.· The quality group checks five sheets from each batch.