Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson explains the German Zustandspassiv (state passive) for A1 learners. It teaches how to form the passive using 'sein' plus the past participle to describe a state resulting from a prior action. Key verbs like schlie2en, verkaufen, and vorbereiten are used with examples such as 'Das Postamt ist geschlossen.' The lesson highlights the difference between Zustandspassiv and the English passive or adjectives, helping learners describe how something is in a clear and structured way.
  1. The Zustandspassiv is formed with the conjugated form of "sein" (to be) and the past participle of the verb.
  2. The Zustandspassiv (stative passive) describes the state that has resulted from an action. It answers the question: How is something?
Formel (formula)Verb (verb)Beispiele (Examples)

 

sein + Partizip II (be + past participle)

schließenDas Postamt ist geschlossen.
verkaufenDie Häuser sind verkauft
vorbereitenDas Essen ist vorbereitet.

Exercise 1: Das Zustandspassiv im Deutschen

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

ist, geöffnet, organisiert, ist geschlossen, ist organisiert, geschlossen, sind, gepflegt, sind gegossen

1. Öffnen:
Das Fitnessstudio ... auch Sonntags ....
(The gym is also open on Sundays.)
2. Gießen:
Die Blumen ....
(The flowers have been watered.)
3. Schließen:
Die Schule ....
(The school is closed.)
4. Öffnen:
Krankenhäuser ... immer ....
(Hospitals are always open.)
5. Organisieren:
Das Büro ... gut ....
(The office is well organised.)
6. Schließen:
Die Universitäten ... für heute ....
(The universities are closed for today.)
7. Organisieren:
Die Bücherei ....
(The library is organised.)
8. Pflegen:
Der Garten ... gut ....
(The garden is well maintained.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Die Post ist heute ________.

(The post office is ________.)

2. Das Geschäft ist schon ________.

(The shop is already ________.)

3. Die Fenster sind ________.

(The windows are ________.)

4. Das Essen ist ________.

(The food is ________.)

5. Die Dokumente sind ________.

(The documents are ________.)

6. Die Türen sind ________.

(The doors are ________.)

Understanding the German Zustandspassiv (State Passive)

This lesson introduces the Zustandspassiv in German, an important grammatical form used to describe a state resulting from a past action. At the A1 level, learners will explore how to express conditions or states using specific verb structures.

How is the Zustandspassiv Formed?

The Zustandspassiv is constructed using the verb sein (to be) combined with the past participle (Partizip II) of the main verb. This differs from the more common Vorgangspassiv (process passive), which uses werden.

  • Formula: sein + Partizip II
  • Example: Das Postamt ist geschlossen. (The post office is closed.)

Function and Usage

This form is used to describe the current condition of something, answering the question: How is it? For instance:

  • Die Häuser sind verkauft. (The houses are sold.)
  • Das Essen ist vorbereitet. (The food is prepared.)

Key Verbs in This Lesson

Some useful verbs to recognize and use in Zustandspassiv include:

  • schließen – closed
  • verkaufen – sold
  • vorbereiten – prepared

Important Notes on Usage

In German, the Zustandspassiv focuses on the state or condition rather than the action itself. This contrasts with English, which often uses simple adjectives or the passive voice but does not differentiate as explicitly between the ongoing process and resulting state. For example, "The door is closed" can be translated as Die Tür ist geschlossen, emphasizing the door’s current state rather than the action of closing.

Common phrases related to Zustandspassiv include:

  • ist geöffnet – is open
  • ist geputzt – is cleaned
  • ist verschlossen – is locked

Understanding this concept helps learners describe states and conditions clearly and correctly in German.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 15/07/2025 02:54