The German Passive Voice in the Present Tense
In a passive sentence the action is more important than the person who does it. This lesson explains the difference between an active and a passive sentence in German, how to form the Passiv Präsens with werden and the past participle, and gives you many examples to practise.
Active vs. Passive
In an active sentence, the subject does the action: Der Koch kocht die Suppe. (The cook cooks the soup.) In a passive sentence, the focus is on the action or the object: Die Suppe wird gekocht. (The soup is being cooked.) We use the passive when the person who does the action is not important, unknown or obvious.
How to Form the Passiv Präsens
The formula is simple:
subject + werden (conjugated) + past participle (at the end)
| Pronoun | werden | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ich | werde | Ich werde eingeladen. |
| du | wirst | Du wirst gefragt. |
| er / sie / es | wird | Die Suppe wird gekocht. |
| wir | werden | Wir werden abgeholt. |
| ihr | werdet | Ihr werdet informiert. |
| sie / Sie | werden | Die Autos werden repariert. |
Need help with the participle? Read The German Perfect Tense with Haben.
From Active to Passive
To change an active sentence into a passive sentence, follow three steps:
- The accusative object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- The verb changes to werden + past participle.
- The subject of the active sentence can be added with von + dative, or you can leave it out.
| Active | Passive | Passive with the person |
|---|---|---|
| Der Mechaniker repariert das Auto. | Das Auto wird repariert. | Das Auto wird vom Mechaniker repariert. |
| Die Lehrerin erklärt die Grammatik. | Die Grammatik wird erklärt. | Die Grammatik wird von der Lehrerin erklärt. |
More Examples
You will see the passive often in everyday German, for example on signs and in the news:
- Hier wird Deutsch gesprochen.
- Das Museum wird um neun Uhr geöffnet.
- In Deutschland werden viele Autos produziert.
- Die Hausaufgaben werden morgen kontrolliert.
When to Use the Passive
Use the passive when you talk about processes, rules and instructions, and when the person who acts is not the focus. It is very common in written German such as news, instructions and recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between active and passive in German?
In an active sentence the subject does the action, in a passive sentence the action or the object is the focus: Der Koch kocht die Suppe vs. Die Suppe wird gekocht.
How do I form the Passiv Präsens?
Werden in the present tense + the past participle at the end: Das Auto wird repariert.
What happens to the object of an active sentence in the passive?
The accusative object becomes the subject: Der Koch kocht die Suppe becomes Die Suppe wird gekocht.
How do I say who does the action in a passive sentence?
Use von + dative: Das Auto wird vom Mechaniker repariert. You can also leave it out.
Does werden here mean will?
No. In the passive, werden is only an auxiliary verb. The sentence Das Auto wird repariert means the car is being repaired, not that it will be repaired.
Ready for B1 grammar? Our B1 German course takes you step by step through the passive and much more.
