Online German course

Level A1 to C1

​​

Alternative Constructions to the Passive in German

​

To translate the impersonal pronoun "it" or "one":

​​

Man sagt,… = One says that… / It is said that…

​​

Man hatte ihn davor gewarnt. = He had been warned beforehand. / One had warned him beforehand.

​​

To express something that someone receives, German can use bekommen or kriegen with a passive meaning when the verb takes a dative object:

​

Er bekam das Buch geschenkt. = He was given the book (as a gift). / He received the book as a gift.

This could also be expressed as: Ihm wurde das Buch geschenkt. (passive construction)

The verb schenken (“to give as a gift”) takes a dative object, since you give something to someone.

​

Sie kriegte das Geld ausgezahlt. = She received the money. / She was paid the money that was owed to her.

This could also be expressed as: Ihr wurde das Geld ausgezahlt. (passive construction)

The verb auszahlen (“to pay out”) also takes a dative object, since a sum of money is paid to someone.

​

The passive can often be replaced by a reflexive construction (sich + verb):

​

Mein Verdacht hat sich bestätigt. = My suspicion was confirmed. / My suspicion proved to be correct.

This could also be expressed as: Mein Verdacht wurde bestätigt. (passive construction)

​

Das Buch liest sich schnell. = The book reads quickly. / The book is easy to read.

This could also be expressed as: Das Buch kann schnell gelesen werden. (passive construction)

​

To express the idea of possibility, German can use sich lassen + infinitive instead of a passive construction with können:

​

Das lässt sich leicht ändern. = This can easily be changed.

Ein Ende lässt sich nicht absehen. = The end cannot be foreseen. / There is no end in sight.

​

Construction with kommen to express that something is going to happen or is about to be completed

​​

German uses kommen together with the noun corresponding to the verb, introduced by zu.

Die Verhandlungen kommen heute zum Abschluss. = The negotiations will come to an end today.

Here, the verb abschließen (“to conclude”) is replaced by its corresponding noun, der Abschluss (“the conclusion”).

​

sein + zu + infinitif expresses possibility or obligation

​

The structure sein + infinitive with zu is used to express either what can be done or what must be done, depending on context.

Die Anträge sind im Rathaus abzuholen. = The forms can be collected at the town hall. OR The forms must be collected at the town hall.​

​

Adjectives ending with -bar as an alternative to a passive construction with kann

​

Adjectives ending in -bar can replace a passive structure with kann to express that something is possible or impossible.

 

Diese Muscheln sind nicht essbar. = These mussels are not edible. (It is not possible to eat them.)

Das Argument ist nicht widerlegbar. = The argument cannot be refuted. (It is impossible to refute it.)