What is Impersonal Passive? (Unpersönliche Passiv)
Impersonal passive is a special form of the passive where there is no accusative object. In passive, the accusative object normally becomes the subject, but here it doesn't exist.
If a verb doesn't have an accusative object, we have to do a small trick to construct the passive voice: we add the word „es“ as a placeholder for the accusative object or use an adverbial phrase („Wann“, „Wie“, „Wo“ or „warum“ something happened). A few notes:
- The placeholder („es“ / adverbial phrase) must go in position 1.
- Any dative object remains a dative object in the passive voice. Only an accusative object can become the subject in a passive sentence.
- If „es“ is included, it must go in position 1. If you put the dative / prepositional complement in position 1, then leave „es“ out.
Impersonal Passive with Dative Complements
Examples:
„Werden“ is conjugated in the third person singular.
Impersonal Passive with Prepositional Complements
Examples:
„Werden“ is conjugated in the third person singular.
The Pronoun "man"
The impersonal pronoun „man“ doesn't exist in passive voice. It is left out or replaced by „es“.
"Es" in Normal Passive Voice
The impersonal pronoun „es“ can be used in all passive sentences. It is used when the actor can't or shouldn‘t be named.
Active:
- „Die Polizei hat den Täter gefasst.“
Passive:
- „Der Täter (von der Polizei) wurde gefasst.“
- „Es wurde der Täter (von der Polizei) gefasst.“
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Summary
- The Impersonal Pronoun „es“ is used in Passive if there is no Accusative object.
- But it is not obligatory! We can leave it out, but the conjugation of the verb „werden“ is always based on „es“ - third person singular.
- If we leave „es“ out, there is no subject in the sentence (and here that's ok!).
Your Native Language
- How do you form the Impersonal Passive in your language?
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Related Topics:
Entire lesson in German only: Das unpersönliche Passiv
You can find more lessons on Verbs here:
- Was sind Verben? (What are Verbs?)
- Starke Verben (Strong Verbs)
- „sein“ und „haben“ ("sein" and "haben")
- Reflexive Verben (Reflexive Verbs)
- Trennbare & Untrennbare Verben (Separable & Inseparable Verbs)
- Modalverben (Modal Verbs)
- Partizip 1 (Present Participle)
- Partizip 2 (Past Participle)
- Das Verb „werden” (Verb "werden")
- Das Verb „lassen” (Verb "lassen")
- Imperativ (Imperative)
- Konjunktiv 1 (Subjunctive 1)
- Konjunktiv 2 (Subjunctive 2)
- Das Passiv (Passive Voice)
- Vorgangspassiv (Process Passive)
- Das Passiv in allen zeitformen (Process Passive in all tenses)
- Verben ohne Passiv (Verbs without Passive voice)
- Zustandpassiv (Status Passive)
- Verben mit Ergänzungen (Verbs with Complements)
- Verben mit Nominativ (Verbs with Nominative)
- Verben mit Akkusativ (Verbs with Accusative)
- Verben mit doppeltem Akkusativ (Verbs with double Accusative)
- Verben mit Dativ (Verbs with Dative)
- Verben mit Akkusativ & Dativ (Verbs with Accusative & Dative)
- Verben mit Genitiv (Verbs with Genitive)
- Verben mit Präpositionen (Verbs with Prepositions)
Lists on the topic of German verbs:
- Die 30 wichtigsten Verben mit Vokalwechsel (The 30 most important verbs with vowel change)
- Untrennbare Präfixe (Inseparable Prefixes)
- Wechselpräfixe (Two-case Prefixes)
- Unregelmäßige Partizip 2 Formen (Irregular Participle 2 forms)
- Nomen-Verb-Verbindungen (Noun-Verb compounds)
You can find an overview of all topics under German Grammar.
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