GrammarB2· Technik & Digitalisierung
Passiversatz
Alternatives to the passive
Kartoffel · your teacher
Hi! Let's look at this one together — step by step, no rush.
From what you know
Das Problem kann gelöst werden.becomesDas Problem lässt sich lösen., Das Problem ist lösbar.6 parts · about 6 min
1What & when
In one line
In one lineCan be done: lässt sich lösen or lösbar. Must be done: ist zu prüfen.
1
Before
Der Fehler kann behoben werden.
Watch the sentence change …
können with the becomes sich lassen with the . Use the plain infinitive, not the .
„Der Fehler lässt sich beheben.“ — The fault can be fixed.
Kartoffel
First, what is it?
You know the with a : Das Problem kann gelöst werden. It is correct but long. So German often swaps it for one of three shorter forms with the same meaning. They are called the Passiversatz ('passive substitute'). The three forms are sich lassen with an (lässt sich lösen), an in -bar (lösbar), and sein with zu and an infinitive (ist zu lösen).
Kartoffel
And when do you need it? More often than you'd think:
Technik & DigitalisierungYou need it whenever you say what can or must be done, and it doesn't matter who does it. That happens in IT support, instructions, status updates and work emails: – – Bis dahin sind alle Dateien lokal zu speichern. sich lassen and -bar are everyday speech. sein with zu sounds more formal; it is typical of written rules and instructions.
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