German grammar: Passiv (Präsens und Präteritum)

What this grammar point covers

The passive voice (Passiv) in German is used when the focus is on the action or what happens to the object, not on who does it. In B1, you learn how to form the passive in the present (Präsens) and simple past (Präteritum).

When to use it

Use the passive when you don't know who does the action, the person is not important, or you want to focus on the result or process.

Key forms

• Präsens: werden + Partizip II (z.B. Das Buch wird gelesen.)
• Präteritum: wurden + Partizip II (z.B. Das Buch wurde gelesen.)

Examples

Tips

• Remember: Use 'werden' for the passive, not 'sein'.
• The person who does the action can be added with 'von', but it's often left out.
• The object of the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs (like 'haben', 'sein', 'gehören') are rarely used in the passive.
• Reflexive verbs usually do not form passive sentences.