Passive voice in German grammar is a way to emphasise the action being done to the subject rather than the subject performing the action. In passive voice sentences, the focus is shifted from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action. In German, the passive voice is often used to emphasize the result or the action itself, rather than who is performing it.

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The structure of a passive sentence in German is as follows:

Passive Subject (Receiver of the Action) + Verb "werden" (conjugated) + Rest of the Sentence + Past Participle

Here's a breakdown of each component:

1. Passive Subject (Receiver of the Action): This is the person, thing, or entity that is affected by the action. In passive voice, it becomes the grammatical subject of the sentence.

2. Verb "werden" (conjugated): The conjugated form of the verb "werden" (to be) is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate the passive voice.

3. Past Participle: The main verb of the active voice sentence is converted into its past participle form and placed at the end of the sentence.
    

Let's look at an example to clarify:

Active Voice: Der Maler (Subject) malt (Verb) das Bild (Direct Object).

Passive Voice: Das Bild (Subject) wird (Conjugated form of "werden") vom Maler (Agent) gemalt (Past Participle).

In the passive voice example:

• "Das Bild" is now the subject of the sentence.

• "wird" is the conjugated form of "werden."

• "vom Maler" indicates who is performing the action (optional in German, known as the agent).

• "gemalt" is the past participle of the verb "malen."
   

In passive voice sentences, the performer of the action can be included using "von" or "durch" to specify who or what carried out the action. However, the performer is often omitted in German if it is not necessary for understanding the context.

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Quick Tip: When forming passive sentences, remember to adjust the past participle of the main verb according to the subject's gender, number, and case. Also, practise using different tenses and learn the appropriate prepositions to introduce the agent if necessary.

 

Das Buch wird von mir gelesen. (The book is being read by me.)

1. Die Torte wird von meiner Mutter gebacken. (The cake is being baked by my mother.)

2. Die Straße wurde gestern von den Bauarbeitern repariert. (The road was repaired by the construction workers yesterday.)

Mastering the passive voice in German adds depth and versatility to your language skills, allowing you to express various nuances and perspectives in your communication.