Passive – Free Exercise

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Free Exercise

Turn the active sentences into passive sentences (processual passive). Use the same tense as in the active sentence.

  1. Ich lese das Buch.
     [The book is being read (by me).]|das Buch becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in present tense, subject is 3rd person singular → wird|irregular verb: lesen–las–gelesen|ichvon + dative
  2. Sie unterschrieb den Vertrag.
     [The contract was signed (by her).]|den Vertrag becomes the subject (article changes)|verb in simple past, subject is 3rd person singular → wurde|irregular verb: unterschreiben–unterschrieb–unterschrieben|sievon + dative
  3. Ein Auto hat mich angefahren.
     [I was hit (by a car).]|mich becomes the subject (pronoun changes)|verb in present perfect, subject is 1st person singular → bin … worden|irregular verb: anfahren–fuhr an–angefahren|ein Auto → von + dative
  4. Meine Nachbarn werden meine Blumen gießen.
     [My flowers will be watered (by my neighbour).]|meine Blumen becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in future tense, subject in 3rd person plural → werden … werden|irregular verb: gießen–goss–gegossen|meine Nachbarnvon + dative
  5. Seine Großeltern hatten das Haus gebaut.
     [The house was built (by his grandparents).]|das Haus becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in past perfect tense, subject is 3rd person singular → war … worden|regular verb|seine Großelternvon + dative

Form sentences in the processual passive. Put the dative object at the beginning of the sentence.

  1. Ich gebe dir Bescheid.
     [You’ll be informed (by me).]|The dative object moves to the 1st position but doesn’t change.|Bescheid becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in present tense, subject is 3rd person singular → wird|irregular verb: geben–gab–gegeben|ichvon + Dativ (comes after the helping verb)
  2. Er schrieb ihr zwei Briefe.
     [Two letters were written to her (by him).]|The dative object moves to the 1st position but doesn’t change.|zwei Briefe becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in present perfect, subject is 3rd person plural → wurden|irregular verb: schreiben–schrieb–geschrieben|ervon + Dativ (comes after the helping verb)
  3. Sie empfahlen mir das Restaurant.
     [The restaurant was recommended to me (by them).]|The dative object moves to the 1st position but doesn’t change.|das Restaurant becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in present perfect, subject in 3rd person singular → wurde|irregular verb: empfehlen–empfahl–empfohlen|sievon + Dativ (comes after the helping verb)
  4. Das Reisebüro hat ihm die Buchung bestätigt.
     [His booking was confirmed (by the travel agency).]|The dative object moves to the 1st position but doesn’t change.|die Buchung becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in present perfect, subject is 3rd person singular → ist … worden|irregular verb|das Reisebürovon + Dativ (comes after the helping verb)
  5. Jemand hat uns die Taschen gestohlen.
     [Our purses were stolen (by someone).]|The dative object moves to the 1st position but doesn’t change.|die Taschen becomes the subject (stays the same)|verb in present perfect, subject in 3rd person plural → sind … worden|irregular verb: stehlen–stahl–gestohlen|jemandvon + Dativ (Because jemand means someone un known, it can come after the helping verb or after the subject (die Taschen).)

Form sentences in the statal passive.

  1. (das Essen/kochen - present)  [The meal is cooked.]|3rd person singular, present → ist + past participle
  2. (die Betten/machen - present)  [The beds are made.]|3rd person plural, present → sind + past participle
  3. (die Tür/verschließen - present)  [The door is locked.]|3rd person singular, present → ist + past participle|irregular verb: verschließen–verschloss–verschlossen
  4. (alles/vorbereiten - simple past)  [Everything was prepared.]|3rd person singular, simple past → war + past participle
  5. (die Fenster/öffnen - simple past)  [The windows were opened.]|3rd person plural, past simple → waren + past participle