Passive Voice in German
Passive Voice in German.he passive voice in German is used to emphasize the action or the object of a sentence rather than the subject. It’s similar to the passive voice in English and is formed using the auxiliary verb “werden” (to become) along with the past participle of the main verb. The passive voice can be used in different tenses. Here’s an overview with translations:
- Present Tense
- German: Das Buch wird gelesen.
- English: The book is being read.
- Simple Past Tense
- German: Das Buch wurde gelesen.
- English: The book was read.
- Perfect Tense
- German: Das Buch ist gelesen worden.
- English: The book has been read.
- Pluperfect Tense
- German: Das Buch war gelesen worden.
- English: The book had been read.
- Future Tense
- German: Das Buch wird gelesen werden.
- English: The book will be read.
- Future Perfect Tense
- German: Das Buch wird gelesen worden sein.
- English: The book will have been read.
The agent (the doer of the action) in German passive sentences can be introduced by the preposition “von” (by). For example: “Das Buch wird von ihm gelesen” (The book is being read by him). In many cases, especially in informal speech, the agent is omitted if it’s not necessary for understanding the context. Passive voice is commonly used in formal, academic, or bureaucratic language.
Examples
Here’s a table with examples of sentences using the passive voice in German, along with their English translations:
| German Sentence in Passive Voice | English Translation in Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Das Fenster wird geöffnet. | The window is opened. |
| Das Auto wurde repariert. | The car was repaired. |
| Die Aufgaben sind erledigt worden. | The tasks have been completed. |
| Das Haus war gebaut worden. | The house had been built. |
| Der Brief wird geschrieben werden. | The letter will be written. |
| Die Präsentation wird vorbereitet worden sein. | The presentation will have been prepared. |
| Das Essen wird gerade gekocht. | The food is being cooked. |
| Die Einladungen wurden verschickt. | The invitations were sent out. |
| Die Entscheidung ist getroffen worden. | The decision has been made. |
| Die Brücke war zerstört worden. | The bridge had been destroyed. |
These examples show how the passive voice in German shifts the focus from the doer of the action to the action itself or its recipient. The passive voice is formed using the auxiliary verb “werden” in various tenses, combined with the past participle of the main verb.
Sentences
Certainly! Here are sentences using the passive voice in German, along with their English translations:
| German Sentence in Passive Voice | English Translation in Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Das Buch wird von Maria gelesen. | The book is being read by Maria. |
| Die Türen wurden automatisch geschlossen. | The doors were closed automatically. |
| Die Aufgabe ist von dem Schüler gelöst worden. | The task has been solved by the student. |
| Das Konzert war von vielen Menschen besucht worden. | The concert had been attended by many people. |
| Die Ergebnisse werden morgen bekannt gegeben werden. | The results will be announced tomorrow. |
| Die Briefe werden von ihr geschrieben worden sein. | The letters will have been written by her. |
| Die Wohnung wird gerade renoviert. | The apartment is currently being renovated. |
| Das Meeting wurde kurzfristig abgesagt. | The meeting was cancelled on short notice. |
| Der Vorschlag ist von der Kommission geprüft worden. | The proposal has been reviewed by the commission. |
| Die Straße war wegen Bauarbeiten gesperrt worden. | The road had been closed due to construction work. |
These examples illustrate the use of passive voice in German, focusing on the action or the object rather than the subject. The agent (the doer of the action), if mentioned, is usually introduced by the preposition “von” (by).
Phrases
Here are some phrases using the passive voice in German, along with their English translations:
| German Phrase in Passive Voice | English Translation in Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Das Paket wird geliefert. | The package is being delivered. |
| Die Tür wurde geöffnet. | The door was opened. |
| Die Nachrichten sind schon gesendet worden. | The news has already been sent. |
| Das Projekt war abgeschlossen worden. | The project had been completed. |
| Die Arbeit wird bald fertiggestellt werden. | The work will be finished soon. |
| Die Hausaufgaben müssen gemacht werden. | The homework must be done. |
| Die Rechnungen werden gerade überprüft. | The bills are currently being checked. |
| Die Ergebnisse wurden veröffentlicht. | The results were published. |
| Der Plan ist sorgfältig ausgearbeitet worden. | The plan has been carefully developed. |
| Die Straße wird nächste Woche repariert. | The street will be repaired next week. |
These phrases demonstrate how the passive voice in German is used to focus on the action or its result rather than on who is performing the action. This voice is commonly used in formal and written German.
