In a previous lesson, we talked about forming the passive voice with the verb venire (to come) instead of the usual verb essere (to be). We mentioned that it is similar to using "get" in English (although using "get" this way is frowned upon by some grammar experts). 

In this lesson, we'll talk about another verb used to form the passive. This time we use the verb andare (to go) and although the procedure is roughly the same as for venire and essere, the context and purpose, as well as the meaning, are slightly different. 

We use andare to form the passive voice when something has to be done, must be done. Whereas with venire, we might be talking about something done regularly, or about how something is carried out, here, with andare, we're talking about obligation. And, we can think of it as often referring to something in the future. Again, the verb andare (in its passive voice role) is always in the third person and is followed (perhaps an adverb in between) by the past participle of a transitive verb.

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One of the most common verbs to put in the passive voice with andare is the verb fare (to do). Because there are always so many things we have to do or should have done! In this first example, Andromeda could also have used venire to say, "this is how it is done," but she evidently wanted to stress that ice cream has to be made with fresh ingredients, because they are ingredients that can go bad (dairy products and eggs). 

Il gelato è un prodotto molto nutriente, va fatto con ingredienti freschi, freschissimi.

Ice cream is a very nutritious product; it has to be made with fresh, very fresh ingredients.

Captions 6-7, Andromeda in - Storia del gelato - Part 2

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Prova a verificare se ci sono persone che possiedono serpenti da quelle parti. Vanno denunciati, mi pare, no?

Try to see if there are people who possess snakes around those parts. They should be reported, I think, right?

Captions 78-80, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP5 Rione Serra Venerdì - Part 7

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Here, the meaning is clear. Zamagna is a doctor who had to remove some tumors.

Zamagna sa quello che fa. Se l'ha fatto, vuol dire che andava fatto.

Zamagna knows what he is doing. If he did it, it means it had to be done.

Captions 31-32, La linea verticale EP3 - Part 3

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The next example features the conditional form of andare, which indicates uncertainty. So in this case, it's not strongly obligatory.

E, capisco signora, vede, eh... questa cucina andrebbe rifatta tutta da capo.

And, I understand, Ma'am, you see, uh... this kitchen should be done over from scratch.

Captions 31-32, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 7

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 Let's keep in mind that to form the negative, we just put non before the verb andare.

Una porta chiusa non la puoi aprire, perché dietro chissà cosa sta facendo il personale medico, che non va disturbato per nessuna ragione.

You can't open a closed door, because behind it, who knows what the medical personnel is doing, who mustn't be disturbed for any reason.

Captions 62-64, La linea verticale EP 5 - Part 4

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There are different ways to translate these passive phrases, but the main thing is to get a sense of when venire and andare work better than essere in expressing meaning and tone. And we hope you feel better prepared to understand when you are encountering these unusual passive forms. 

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