Passive voice
Passiv
We use the passive voice when it is irrelevant who performs the action, we don't know who peforms the action or we do not want to mention it. The passive voice focuses on the activity (or state) being performed and the thing / person affected by the activity (or state).
Examples of sentences in the passive voice
Deine Bestellung wird bearbeitet.
- Translation
- Your order is being processed.
- Explanation
- It is irrelevant who is peforming the action, but it is relevant who the object of the action is (the order) and what action is being performed (is being processed).
Zehn Demonstranten wurden verhaftet.
- Translation
- Ten demonstrators were arrested.
- Explanation
- It is irrelevant who is peforming the action, but it is important who the object of the action is (ten demonstrants) and what action was performed (were arrested).
Construction and applications
Construction of sentences in the passive voice
Passive voice when describing an ongoing activity
Subjekt + werden + ... + Partizip II
The Subjekt is the subject (the person or thing that passively experiences the action being performed) that we put at the beginning of the sentence, then the conjugated auxiliary verb werden, and at the end of the sentence the verb in the Partizip II (past participle). If we want to mention who/what is performing the action (i.e. the object Objekt), then we use the constructions von + Dativ + person/thing or durch + Akkusativ + thing.
The construction von + Dativ + person/thing is used when we want to specify by whom or what an action is performed (most often it is a person).
The construction durch + Akkusativ + thing is used to specify by what (wodurch?) or how (mittels?) an action is performed (most often it is a thing).
Thomas wird operiert.
- Translation
- Thomas is being operated on.
- Explanation
- The construction of the passive voice from the active voice is done in the following way: the object (the person or thing that either experiences the activity performed by the subject or is the subject of the activity) becomes the subject (a person or thing that passively experiences the activity performed), and it is omitted or becomes a complement and is then mentioned with the word von or the word durch . The verb werden is an auxiliary verb and the other verb is in the form Partizip II .
Thomas ist operiert worden.
- Translation
- Thomas was operated on.
- Explanation
- Tense: Perfekt, subject: Thomas + auxiliary verb sein in the appropriate form (third person, Singular, Perfekt tense): ist + another verb in the form Partizip II: operiert + worden at the end of the sentence.
Thomas wurde von einem Wildschwein angegriffen.
- Translation
- Thomas was attacked by a boar.
- Explanation
- Tense: Präteritum, subject: Thomas + auxiliary verb werden in the correct form (third person singular, tense Präteritum): wurde + complement: von einem Wildschwein + verb in the Partizip II form at the end of the sentence: operiert.
- von [+Dativ] einem Wildschwein (der Wildschwein - a boar (some random boar) hence the ein article; we add the -em ending in the dative case Dativ)
- The object was mentioned in this sentence because it was relevant to the sense of the sentence. In case of another sentence: Thomas wurde angegriffen., it wouldn't be obvious whom Thomas was attacked by (could be a human, animal or a robot that attacked him).
Unser Erfolg wurde durch eine Zusammenarbeit aller Mitarbeiter erreicht.
- Translation
- Our success has been achieved through the collaboration of all employees
- Explanation
- In this case we have to use the construction durch + Akkusativ.
- Tense: Präsens, subject: Unser Erfolg + auxiliary verb werden in the appropriate form (third person, Singular, Präteritum tense): wurde + another verb in the form Partizip II at the end of the sentence: erreicht.
Conjugation of the auxiliar verb werden
| Person |
Präsens |
Präteritum |
| ich |
werde |
wurde |
| du |
wirst |
wurdest |
| er/sie/es |
wird |
wurde |
| wir |
werden |
wurden |
| ihr |
werdet |
wurdet |
| sie/Sie |
werden |
wurden |
Passive voice when describing a state (a completed action)
Subject + sein + ... + Partizip II
The Subject is the subject (the person or thing that passively experiences the action being performed) that we put at the beginning of the sentence, then the conjugated auxiliary verb sein, and at the end of the sentence the verb in the form Partizip II (past participle). If we want to mention who/what is performing the action (i.e. the complement Object), then we use the constructions von + Dativ + person/thing or durch + Akkusativ + thing.
The construction von + Dativ + person/thing is used when we want to specify by whom or what an action is performed (most often it is a person).
The construction durch + Akkusativ + thing is used to specify by what (wodurch?) or with what (mittels?) an action is performed (most often it is a thing).
Thomas ist verletzt.
- Translation
- Thomas is injured.
- Explanation
- Subject: Thomas + auxiliary verb sein in the appropriate form (third person, Singular, Präsens tense): ist + another verb in the form Partizip II at the end of the sentence: verletzt.
Thomas war verletzt.
- Translation
- Thomas was injured.
- Explanation
- Subject: Thomas + auxiliary verb sein in the appropriate form (third person, Singular, Präteritum tense): war + another verb in the form Partizip II at the end of the sentence: verletzt.
Die Luft ist durch Abgase verschmutzt.
- Translation
- The air is polluted by exhaust fumes.
- Explanation
- In this case we have to use the construction durch + Akkusativ.
- Subject: Die Luft + auxiliary verb sein in the appropriate form (third person, Singular, Präsens tense): ist + another verb in the form Partizip II at the end of the sentence: verschmutzt.
Conjugation of the auxiliar verb sein
| Person |
Präsens |
Präteritum |
| ich |
bin |
war |
| du |
bist |
warst |
| er/sie/es |
ist |
war |
| wir |
sein |
waren |
| ihr |
seid |
wart |
| sie/Sie |
sind |
waren |
Comparison of the passive and active voice
The construction of the passive voice from the active voice is done in the following way: the object (the person it concerns or who experiences the activity performed by the subject) becomes the subject (a person or thing that passively experiences the activity performed). The subject from the active voice is either omitted or it becomes the grammatical object and is then mentioned using the word von or the word durch. The verb werden is an auxiliary verb and the other verb is in the form Partizip II.
| Zeitform |
Aktiv |
Passiv |
Translation |
Comment |
| Präsens |
Ein Arzt operiert Thomas. |
Thomas wird (von einem Arzt) operiert. |
The doctor is operating on Thomas. 👉 Thomas is being operated on (by the doctor). |
|
| Perfekt |
Ein Arzt hat Thomas operiert. |
Thomas ist (von einem Arzt) operiert worden. |
The doctor operated on Thomas. 👉 Thomas was operated on (by the doctor). |
|
| Präteritum |
Ein Arzt operierte Thomas. |
Thomas wurde (von einem Arzt) operiert. |
The doctor operated on Thomas. 👉 Thomas was operated on (by the doctor). |
|
| Plusquamperfekt |
Ein Arzt hatte Thomas operiert. |
Thomas war (von einem Arzt) operiert worden. |
The doctor operated on Thomas. 👉 Thomas was operated on (by the doctor). |
- |
| Futur I |
Ein Arzt wird Thomas operieren. |
Thomas wird (von einem Arzt) operiert werden. |
The doctor will operate on Thomas. 👉 Thomas will be operated on (by the doctor). |
|
| Futur II |
Ein Arzt wird Thomas operiert haben. |
Thomas wird (von einem Arzt) operiert worden sein. |
The doctor will have operated on Thomas. 👉 Thomas will have been operated on (by the doctor). |
- |
Exceptions and special cases
The indirect object (Dativobjekt) remains the same
Jemand hilft dem alten Mann. 👉 Dem alten Mann wird (von jemandem) geholfen.
- Translation
- Someone is helping the old man. 👉 This old man is being helped (by someone).
- Explanation
- helfen +Dativ (helfen - half - geholfen) (to help)
The object with the preposition remains the same
Man spricht heutzutage viel über den Umweltschutz. 👉 Über den Umweltschutz wird heutzutage viel gesprochen.
- Translation
- Nowadays one speaks a lot about environmental protection. 👉 Nowadays a lot is being said about environmental protection.
- Explanation
- heutzutage - nowadays
Passive sentence cannot be built with reflexive verbs
Er hat sich über das Geschenk gefreut.
- Translation
- He was happy with the gift.
Passive sentence cannot be built with modal verbs
Er soll in die Schule gehen.
- Translation
- He should go to school.
Passive sentence cannot be built when there is not object
When there is no object in the sentence (the person or thing that either experiences the activity performed by the subject or it is the subject of performed activity), the passive voice cannot be constructed (the exception is the passive voice in the impersonal form for a few verbs).
Ich bin viel geschwommen.
- Translation
- I swam a lot.
For some verbs in sentences without an object, the passive voice may be possible using the impersonal pronoun es.
In dem Klub wird es viel getanzt.
- Translation
- One dances a lot in this club.
Es wird hier geraucht.
- Translation
- One smokes here.
Passive sentence can be built for a sentence with a modal verb and another verb.
Mein Vater kann das Auto reparieren. 👉 Das Auto kann von meinem Vater repariert werden.
- Translation
- My father can repair the car. 👉 The car can be repaired by my father.
- Explanation
- In this situation, the modal verb können is used as the auxiliary verb (werden is not conjugated).
Mein Vater hat das Auto reparieren müssen. 👉 Das Auto hat von meinem Vater repariert werden müssen.
- Translation
- My father had to repair the car. 👉 The car had to be repaired by my father.
- Explanation
- In the Perfekt tense, the verb haben is used as an auxiliary verb (the modal verb müssen is not conjugated and is placed at the end of the sentence).
Passive sentence cannot be built with verbs describing possession or reception of sth
Ich habe einen Sportwagen.
- Translation
- I have a sports car.
Ich habe ein Geschenk bekommen.
- Translation
- I received a gift.
Passive sentence cannot be built with some verbs involving motion with a change of location
Ich gehe in die Schule.
- Translation
- I am going to school.
Ich bin 20 Bahnen geschwommen.
- Translation
- I swam 20 pool lengths.
Passive sentence cannot be built when the expression es gibt (there is/are) is used
In dem Restaurant gibt es eine große Auswahl an Speisen.
- Translation
- There is a big choice (or wide selection) of dishes in the restaurant.
Passive sentence cannot be built with the verbs kennen (to be able to / to be familiar with) and wissen (to know)
Ich kenne diese Person nicht.
- Translation
- I don't know that person.
Ich weiß, dass wir es schaffen.
- Translation
- I know we can do it.
Passive sentence cannot be built with most of the impersonal verbs
Es regnet.
- Translation
- It is raining.
Es riecht nach Knoblauch.
- Translation
- It smells like garlic.
Passive sentence cannot be built with verbs describing quantity, measure or size
Das Brot kostet 2€.
- Translation
- Bread costs 2€.
Das Fahrrad wiegt 10kg.
- Translation
- The bike weighs 10kg.
Zitronen enthalten viele Vitamine.
- Translation
- Lemons contain a lot of vitamins.