German Passive Voice
The German passive voice (Passiv) shifts focus from who performs an action to what happens. It is formed with 'werden' + past participle: 'Das Buch wird gelesen' (The book is being read).
The passive voice (Passiv) shifts the focus of a sentence from the person doing the action (agent) to the action itself or the person/thing affected. It is much more common in German formal writing than in English.
Vorgangspassiv (Process Passive) with werden
The most common passive form uses werden + past participle. It describes an action being performed:
Present: Das Buch wird gelesen. (The book is being read.)
Präteritum: Das Buch wurde gelesen. (The book was read.)
Perfekt: Das Buch ist gelesen worden. (The book has been read.) Note: in the passive Perfekt, werden becomes worden (not geworden).
Zustandspassiv (State Passive) with sein
The state passive uses sein + past participle and describes the result of a completed action: Die Tür ist geöffnet. (The door is open. — result) vs. Die Tür wird geöffnet. (The door is being opened. — process)
Expressing the Agent
The agent (who performs the action) is introduced with von + dative (for people/specific agents) or durch + accusative (for means/instruments): Das Buch wird von dem Lehrer gelesen. Die Stadt wurde durch ein Erdbeben zerstört.
Impersonal Passive
German can form a passive even with intransitive verbs using es as a placeholder: Es wird hier viel getanzt. (There is a lot of dancing here.) This construction has no English equivalent.
Passive with Modal Verbs
Modal + passive uses the infinitive passive (werden + past participle): Das muss gemacht werden. (That must be done.)
Reference Tables
Passive Voice Tenses (werden + Partizip II)
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Er liest das Buch. | Das Buch wird gelesen. |
| Präteritum | Er las das Buch. | Das Buch wurde gelesen. |
| Perfekt | Er hat das Buch gelesen. | Das Buch ist gelesen worden. |
| With modal | Er muss das Buch lesen. | Das Buch muss gelesen werden. |
Process Passive vs. State Passive
| Type | Helper | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vorgangspassiv | werden | Action in progress | Die Tür wird geöffnet. (is being opened) |
| Zustandspassiv | sein | Result of action | Die Tür ist geöffnet. (is open) |
Example Sentences
Das Auto wird repariert.
The car is being repaired.
Process passive (werden + past participle)
Das Essen wurde von meiner Mutter gekocht.
The food was cooked by my mother.
Präteritum passive with agent (von + dative)
Die Tür ist geschlossen.
The door is closed.
State passive (sein + past participle) — result, not process
Das muss bis morgen erledigt werden.
That must be done by tomorrow.
Passive with modal verb: muss + participle + werden
Common Mistakes
Das Buch ist gelesen geworden.
Das Buch ist gelesen worden.
In the passive Perfekt, use 'worden' (not 'geworden'). 'Geworden' is used only in active sentences with werden (to become).
Das Buch wird gelesen durch den Lehrer.
Das Buch wird vom Lehrer gelesen.
For personal agents, use 'von + dative' (vom Lehrer), not 'durch'. 'Durch' is used for means or instruments, not people.
Das Auto repariert wird.
Das Auto wird repariert.
In a main clause, the conjugated verb (wird) must be in position two, not at the end. Verb-last order only applies in subordinate clauses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you form the passive voice in German?
The process passive uses 'werden' (conjugated) + past participle: 'Das Buch wird gelesen.' For different tenses: present (wird gelesen), past (wurde gelesen), perfect (ist gelesen worden), with modals (muss gelesen werden).
What is the difference between Vorgangspassiv and Zustandspassiv?
Vorgangspassiv (with werden) describes an action in progress: 'Die Tür wird geöffnet' (The door is being opened). Zustandspassiv (with sein) describes the result: 'Die Tür ist geöffnet' (The door is open).
When do you use von vs. durch in the German passive?
'Von + dative' introduces the personal agent (who does the action): 'von dem Lehrer'. 'Durch + accusative' introduces means or instruments: 'durch ein Erdbeben' (by an earthquake). For people, use 'von'.
Related Grammar Topics
Related Words
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