The German 'werden' passive with transitive and instransitive verbs
The German 'werden' passive with transitive and instransitive verbs
Introduction
The passive enables us to talk about an action without mentioning who is doing it. This exercise provides practice in using the appropriate forms of 'werden'-passive with both transitive and intransitive verbs.
Activity 1: The 'werden'-passive with transitive verbs
In this activity you will practise selecting the correct form of 'werden' for passive constructions formed from transitive verbs (verbs which take a direct object in the accusative).
Instruction
Select the correct form of 'werden' needed to fill the gaps in the passive constructions. Use the same tense as in the active sentence in each case. Then read the feedback. Open the help section first if you would like some guidance on the passive.
If you would like to a reminder of how to form the passive, open this link to view or download a short explanation:
the passive (pdf 32KB). You may find it helpful to print this sheet out.
1. active: Seine Freunde pflanzen den Baum.
Der Baum wird gepflanzt.
'Der Baum' (third person singular) is the subject of the passive sentence, and the sentence is in the present tense.
2. active: Die Regierung baut drei neue Gefaengnisse.
Drei neue Gefaengnisse werden gebaut.
The 'Gefaengnisse' (third person plural) are the subject of the passive sentence, and the sentence is in the present tense.
3. active: Meine Tante hatte die Wand neu gestrichen.
Die Wand war neu gestrichen worden.
The active sentence is in the pluperfect, and 'worden' is used instead of 'geworden' for the passive in the perfect and pluperfect tenses.
4. active: Jemand toetete seine Katze.
Seine Katze wurde getoetet.
The subject of the passive sentence is 'Katze' (third person singular) and the sentence is in the simple past.
5. active: Mein Vater putzte die Fenster.
Die Fenster wurden geputzt.
'Die Fenster' (third person plural) is the subject of the passive sentence, and the sentence is in the simple past.
6. active: Die Polizei benutzt schusssichere Westen kaum.
Schusssichere Westen werden kaum benutzt.
The sentence is in the present tense, and the subject of the passive sentence is 'schusssichere Westen' (third-person plural).
7. active: Dein Bruder hat das Fahrrad gestohlen.
Das Fahrrad ist gestohlen worden.
The sentence is in the perfect tense and 'worden' is used instead of 'geworden' for the passive in the perfect and pluperfect tenses.
8. active: Wir verkauften das Auto
Das Auto wurde verkauft.
The sentence is in the simple past, and the subject of the passive sentence is 'Das Auto' (third person singular).
Activity 2: The passive with intransitive verbs
In this activity you will practise forming passive sentences with intransitive verbs.
Instruction
Choose the correct options from the drop-down list to complete the passive sentences. Then read the feedback. Open the help section first if you would like some guidance on the passive.
If you would like a reminder of how to form the passive, open this link to view or download a short explanation:
the passive (pdf 32KB). You may find it helpful to print out this sheet,
1. active: Meine Familie half uns viel.
passive: ____________ viel geholfen.
Uns wurde viel geholfen.
"Uns" is in the dative in the active sentence, so it remains in the dative in the passive. As there is no direct object in the active sentence, "werden" takes the third personal singular form in the passive.
2. active: Die Menschen in dieser Stadt hoffen auf ein Wunder.
passive: In dieser Stadt ____________ gehofft.
In dieser Stadt wird auf ein Wunder gehofft.
The prepositional object, "auf ein Wunder", of the active sentence must remain in the same form in the passive. As the active sentence doesn't have a direct object in the accusative, the passive sentence doesn't have a subject, and the third person singular form of "werden" is used.
3. active: Meine Eltern glauben ihr immer.
passive: ____________ immer geglaubt.
Ihr wird immer geglaubt.
The dative object of the active sentence - 'ihr' - must remain in the dative in the passive construction. As the active sentence doesn't contain a direct object in the accusative, the passive sentence is subjectless and the third person singular form of 'werden' is used.
4. active: Heute gedenken viele Menschen der Holocaustopfer.
passive: Heute ____________ gedacht.
Heute wird der Holocaustopfer gedacht.
The genitive object of the active sentence - 'der Holocaust' - must remain in the genitive within the passive sentence. As the active sentence doesn't contain a direct object in the accusative, the passive sentence is subjectless and the third person singular form of 'werden' is used.
5. active: In diesem Land reden wir staendig ueber die Vergangenheit.
passive: In diesem Land ______ staendig ____________ geredet.
In diesem Land wird staendig ueber die Vergangenheit geredet.
The prepositional object of the active sentence - 'ueber die Vergangenheit' - must remain in its original form within the passive sentence. As the active sentence doesn't contain a direct object in the accusative, the passive construction is subjectless as the third-person singular form of 'werden' is used.
6. active: Jemand hat bei mir eingebrochen.
passive: ____________ eingebrochen ______.
Bei mir ist eingebrochen worden.
The prepositional object of the active sentence - 'bei mir' - must remain in its original form in the passive. As there is no accusative direct object in the active construction, the passive sentence is subjectless and the third-person singular form of 'werden' is used. Within passive constructions, the past participle of 'werden' is 'worden' (rather than 'geworden').
7. active: Meine Freunde sagen mir immer, dass ich mehr trinken muss.
passive: ____________ immer gesagt, dass ich mehr trinken muss.
Mir wird immer gesagt, dass ich mehr trinken muss.
The dative object of the active clause - 'mir' - must remain in the dative within the passive construction. As the active clause does not have a direct object in the accusative, the passive clause is subjectless and the third-person singular form of 'werden' is used.
8. active: Alle lachen viel ueber seine Erzaehlungen.
passive ____________ viel gelacht
Ueber seine Erzaehlungen wird viel gelacht.
The prepositional object of the active sentence - 'ueber seine Erzaehlungen' - must remain in the same form within the passive construction. As the active sentence does not contain a direct object in the accusative, the passive construction is subjectless and the third-person singular form of 'werden' is used.
Activity 3: The passive - mixed examples.
These examples contain a mixture of transitive and intransitive verbs.
Instruction
Put a tick next to the correct passive sentences. In some cases, more than one correct version may be given. Then read the feedback. Open the help section first if you would like some guidance on the passive.
If you need a reminder of how to form the passive, open this link to view or download a short explanation:
the passive (pdf 32 KB). You may find it helpful to print this sheet out.
1. active: Ihre Freundinnen erzaehlen ihr alles.
Correct options: Ihr wird alles erzaehlt and Alles wird ihr erzaehlt.
As ihr is the dative object of erzaehlen, it must remain in the dative within the passive construction. Werden agrees with the subject of the passive sentence - alles - which is the direct object of the active sentence.
2. active: Der junge Mann fragte mich, ob das Leben einen Sinn hat.
Correct answer: Ich wurde gefragt, ob das Leben einen Sinn hat.
As mich is the direct object of the active formulation, ich becomes the subject of the passive construction.
3. active: Mein Exfreund hatte mir wenige Minuten zuvor gedroht.
Correct answers: Mir war wenige Minuten zuvor gedroht worden and Wenige Minuten zuvor war mir gedroht worden.
As mir is the dative object of the active sentence, it has to stay in the dative within the passive construction. As the active sentence doesn't contain a direct object in the accusative, the passive sentence is subjectless and the third-person singular form of werden (here in the pluperfect) is used.
4. active: Seine Eltern schenken ihm viele Buecher.
Correct answer: Ihm werden viele Buecher geschenkt.
Ihm is the dative object of the active sentence, so it has to remain in the dative within the passive construction. Buecher is the accusative direct object in the active sentence, so it becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and determines the form of werden used within the passive sentence.
5. active: Der Artzt untersucht die Frau.
Correct answer: Die Frau wird untersucht.
Die Frau is the accusative object of the active sentence, so it becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
6. active: Heutzutage denken wir zu wenig ueber die Probleme anderer nach.
Correct answers: Heute wird zu wenig ueber die Probleme anderer nachgedacht and Zu wenig wird heute ueber die Probleme anderer nachgedacht.
Die Probleme anderer is the prepositional object of the active sentence, so it remains in its original form within the passive construction. As the active sentence does not contain a direct object, the passive sentence is subjectless, and the third person singular form of werden is used.