| 12.2 formation of the passive voice |
Concerning the construction venire + participio passato things are a little bit more weired. Let's recapitulate.
The passive with essere + participio passato in the presente is always a static passive.
| example | ||
| Io sono eletto. | I am elected (not: I am being elected.) | 
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If one really wants to describe a process, but not the result of a process, a state, one should use the structure venire + participio passato.
| example | ||
| Io vengo eletto. | I am being elected. (not: I am elected.) |
|
| Io venni / venivo eletto. | I was being elected. (not: I was elected.) |
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In the case of the presente or the imperfetto essere can't be substituted by venire without changing the meaning of the sentence.
dynamic passive, describing a process: Io vengo eletto. <=> I am being elected.
static passive, describing the result of a process: Io sono eletto. <=> I am elected.
In the compound tenses (passato prossimo, trapassato prossimo) the construction venire + participio passato can't be used. The construction venire + participio passato can only be used in the simple tenses.
| example | ||
| correct: Io sono stato eletto. | I am elected. |
|
| wrong: Io sono venuto eletto. | ||
| correct: Io ero stato eletto. | I was elected. |
|
| wrong: Io ero venuto eletto. |
The difference between a static passive and a dynamic passive can be crucial. If you are invited to a party and the cake is already eaten, you have a big problem. If they are eating it at the moment of your arrival, the situation is much better.
| example | |
| The cake is eaten. <=> La torta è mangiata. |
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| The cake is being eaten. <=> La torta viene mangiata. |
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