Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the Zustandspassiv in German, formed with 'sein' + past participle to describe states, e.g., 'ist geschlossen' (is closed), 'ist vorbereitet' (is prepared), and 'ist verkauft' (is sold).
  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 Zustandspassiv in German

This lesson focuses on the Zustandspassiv, a specific passive construction in German used to describe a state or condition resulting from a previous action. It is a fundamental grammatical structure, especially at the A1 beginner level, that helps learners express how something "is" rather than what is being done actively.

How is the Zustandspassiv formed?

The Zustandspassiv is formed with the conjugated verb sein (to be) plus the Partizip II (past participle) of the main verb. For example, the phrase Das Postamt ist geschlossen literally means "The post office is closed," emphasizing the current state.

What does the Zustandspassiv express?

This grammatical form describes the state or condition of a subject after an action has been completed. It answers the question: Wie ist etwas? (How is something?). It highlights the result rather than the process.

Key examples to know

  • schließen (to close) – Das Postamt ist geschlossen (The post office is closed).
  • verkaufen (to sell) – Die Häuser sind verkauft (The houses are sold).
  • vorbereiten (to prepare) – Das Essen ist vorbereitet (The food is prepared).

Comparing German and English state expressions

In English, states like "is closed" are typically formed using the verb to be plus an adjective or past participle, similar to German. However, English does not formally label this as a separate passive form. In German, the Zustandspassiv explicitly uses sein + Partizip II to focus on the state, differentiating it clearly from the Vorgangspassiv, which uses werden + Partizip II to indicate an ongoing action.

Useful phrases and words

  • ist geschlossen – is closed
  • ist vorbereitet – is prepared
  • sind verkauft – are sold
  • Wie ist das Haus? – How is the house?
  • Es ist sauber. – It is clean.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 13:12