Chapter in 30 Seconds
Master the art of shifting focus from the actor to the action with German passive constructions.
- Construct sentences using werden + Partizip II for ongoing actions.
- Describe existing states using sein + Partizip II.
- Narrate past events using Präteritum and Perfekt passive forms.
你将学到什么
Ready to unlock a super important and cool aspect of German grammar? In this chapter, we're going to learn how to shift the focus from *who did the action* to *what happened* or *what is being done*. This will make your German sound much more natural and sophisticated, especially when discussing general events or states.
We'll kick things off with the 'Vorgangspassiv.' Here, you'll learn how to use werden + Partizip II to talk about an action that is currently happening, without needing to specify the doer. Think news reports: you'll hear 'The topic *is being discussed*' rather than 'People are discussing the topic.' Next, we'll dive into the 'Zustandspassiv' with sein + Partizip II, which is like an instant snapshot! It describes the current state of something after an action has been performed on it. For example, 'The door *is open*' means someone opened it previously, and it's currently open.
Then, we'll move to the past. For past events where the agent isn't important or is unknown, you'll learn how to form the 'Präteritum Passiv' with wurde + Partizip II; for instance, 'The building *was demolished* yesterday.' Finally, if you want to say that an action 'has been done' and is completed, you'll master the combination of ist/sind with the participle and worden. This is crucial for describing a completed process, like 'The letters *have been sent*.'
These skills will help you better understand news and official announcements, grasp more formal language when you're in a restaurant or an office, and even present yourself more professionally. By the end of this chapter, you'll confidently narrate events, describe situations, and understand complex German texts with a much richer vocabulary. Get ready to elevate your German!
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德语被动语态：关注动作本身 (Vorgangspassiv)记住这个黄金公式：用
werden加上Partizip II，让你的句子把焦点放在“发生了什么”，而不是“谁干的”！ -
状态被动语态：表达“做好了”的状态 (Zustandspassiv)用
sein加上动词的第二分词来描述事情完成后的状态。记住这两个核心词：ist fertig和sind geschlossen。 -
德语过去时被动语态 (Präteritum Passiv)Use
wurde+Partizip IIto report past actions where the 'doer' is unknown or unimportant. -
过去被动语态：ist ... worden (已被...)想表达“某事已经被做了”，德语里要用
ist/sind加上动词的过去分词，最后再加一个worden结尾。
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
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1
By the end you will be able to: Transform active sentences into passive constructions to sound more objective.
章节指南
Overview
The document is being signed.Following this, we’ll explore the Zustandspassiv (statal passive), formed with sein and the Partizip II.
The window is closed.We will then delve into the past, covering the Präteritum Passiv (imperfect passive) using wurde + Partizip II for past actions, and the perfect passive, ist/sind ... worden, which signifies a completed action or process.
How This Grammar Works
Das Buch wird gelesen(The book is being read). The Zustandspassiv, on the other hand, describes the state or condition resulting from an action. It is formed using the verb sein conjugated in the appropriate tense, followed by the Partizip II.
Das Buch ist gelesen(The book is read/finished).
Das Buch wurde gelesen(The book was read). To express a completed action or process in the past (similar to the English present perfect passive), you use the auxiliary verb sein conjugated in the appropriate tense, followed by the Partizip II of the main verb, and then worden (which is the Partizip II of werden).
Das Buch ist gelesen worden(The book has been read). This comprehensive system allows for precise descriptions of actions and their outcomes across different time frames.
Common Mistakes
- 1✗ Wrong:
Die Tür ist geöffnet.
Die Tür ist geöffnet.(or
Die Tür wurde geöffnet.)
Die Tür ist geöffnetdescribes the *state* of the door being open. If you want to convey the *action* of someone opening the door, especially as a past event, you would use the Präteritum Passiv:
Die Tür wurde geöffnet(The door was opened). Using
ist geöffnet alone can sometimes be ambiguous about whether it's describing the ongoing action or the resulting state, but typically implies the state.- 1✗ Wrong:
Ich bin gegessen worden.
Ich wurde gegessen. (or Ich bin gegessen worden.)
ist/sind ... worden is used for the perfect passive, indicating a completed action or process. Ich bin gegessen wordenis grammatically correct, meaning
I have been eaten.However, it's very rare and often sounds unnatural in everyday conversation unless in a very specific, perhaps metaphorical, context. For a simple past action,
Ich wurde gegessen is more direct. The confusion arises from trying to directly translate English perfect passive structures without considering the nuance of the German forms.
Real Conversations
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Quick FAQ
When should I use the Vorgangspassiv versus the Zustandspassiv?
Use the Vorgangspassiv (werden + Partizip II) to describe an action that is happening or being performed. Use the Zustandspassiv (sein + Partizip II) to describe the resulting state or condition after an action has been completed.
How do I form the passive voice in the future tense?
The future passive is formed using the future tense of werden plus the Partizip II. For example:
Das Problem wird gelöst werden(The problem will be solved).
Cultural Context
关键例句 (8)
Wir können gehen, das Handy ist endlich aufgeladen.
我们可以走了，手机终于充好电了。
状态被动语态：表达“做好了”的状态 (Zustandspassiv)Das iPhone wurde 2007 von Steve Jobs vorgestellt.
The iPhone was introduced by Steve Jobs in 2007.
德语过去时被动语态 (Präteritum Passiv)Die Pizza wurde vor 10 Minuten geliefert.
The pizza was delivered 10 minutes ago.
德语过去时被动语态 (Präteritum Passiv)技巧与窍门 (4)
核心引擎 "werden"
werden 是被动语态的灵魂。如果忘记变位，整个句子就垮啦！比如：“Das Auto wird heute gewaschen.”“已经”测试法
schon (已经) 且意思通顺，那通常就要用 sein。例如：Die Tür ist schon abgeschlossen.
Focus on the object
Worden 还是 Geworden？
geworden 表示“变得”（比如 Er ist alt geworden他变老了），而
worden 专门用于被动语态。如果你在被动语态里看到单词中间有个 ge-，那通常是错的！核心词汇 (5)
Real-World Preview
Official Announcement
Review Summary
- werden + Partizip II
- sein + Partizip II
- wurde + Partizip II
- ist ... worden + Partizip II
常见错误
German uses 'sein' + 'worden' for Perfekt passive, not 'haben' or 'gewesen'.
Passive requires a participle, not just an adjective.
Passive with agent uses 'von' + Dative, not 'durch'.
本章规则 (4)
Next Steps
You've conquered the passive voice! Keep practicing in your daily reading, and soon it will feel like second nature.
Watch a German news report (Tagesschau) and note passive sentences.
快速练习 (10)
Find and fix the mistake:
{die|f} Hausaufgaben werden macht.
machen 的过去分词是 gemacht，而且因为 Hausaufgaben 是复数，我们要用 werden。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 德语被动语态：关注动作本身 (Vorgangspassiv)
Mein Fahrrad ist gestohlen ...
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 过去被动语态：ist ... worden (已被...)
{Die|f} Hausaufgaben ___ schon gemacht. (作业已经做好了。)
sein (复数用 sind) 来表示工作已经完成。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 状态被动语态：表达“做好了”的状态 (Zustandspassiv)
Which is correct?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 德语过去时被动语态 (Präteritum Passiv)
Find and fix the mistake:
Die Häuser wurde gebaut.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 德语过去时被动语态 (Präteritum Passiv)
Find and fix the mistake:
{Der|m} Laden wird geschlossen am Sonntag. (意思是：周日全天关门。)
ist 而不是 wird。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 状态被动语态：表达“做好了”的状态 (Zustandspassiv)
Find and fix the mistake:
Die Pizza hat bestellt worden.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 过去被动语态：ist ... worden (已被...)
Das Paket ___ gestern geschickt worden.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 过去被动语态：ist ... worden (已被...)
{das|n} Auto ___ repariert.
Das Auto 是第三人称单数 (es)，所以我们用 wird。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 德语被动语态：关注动作本身 (Vorgangspassiv)
Der Brief ___ geschrieben.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 德语过去时被动语态 (Präteritum Passiv)
Score: /10
常见问题 (6)
werden，然后把第二分词（Partizip II）放在句末。比如：“Das Buch wird gelesen.”schlafen (睡觉) 就不太行，因为 ist geschlafen 听起来毫无意义。
