The passive voice is used to put the focus of a sentence on the object or the action, and often avoid naming the subject at all. The formation of the German passive voice can be quite confusing, so let's go step by step.
The Vorgangspassiv is formed with the verb werden, which in these cases is not translated as "to become," but instead as "to be." These sentences answer the question of "What is being done [to X]?" The sentences below have the following structure:
Conjugation of werden + past participle
Notice that in the first sentence, the question of who is carrying out the action (making sauerkraut out of cabbage) is left completely unanswered. This is actually the case in the third sentence as well. However, as you can see in the second example, the subject (die Ereignisse) can still be integrated into a sentence in the passive voice by using the preposition von.
Es wird aus Kohl gemacht und es schmeckt sauer.
It is made from cabbage and it tastes sour.
Caption 30, Deutsch mit Eylin: Denk schnell!
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Große Erfindungen werden oft von ungewöhnlichen Ereignissen inspiriert.
Great inventions are often inspired by unusual events.
Caption 3, 200. Geburtstag: Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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Mit dem Handscanner wird jeder Koffer erfasst.
Every suitcase is registered with the handheld scanner.
Caption 40, Ab in den Urlaub: So kommt der Koffer in den Flieger
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A more complex structure is necessary when we ask, for example, "What is/was allowed to be done [to X]?", "What should be done to [X]?", or "What must be done [to X]?" Now werden is kept in the infinitive, and it is the modal verb that is conjugated. The structure for this is:
Conjugated modal verb + past participle + werden
Erst nach seinem Jahrestag im August durfte hier gefischt werden.
Only after its anniversary in August was fishing allowed here.
Caption 8, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten
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Außerdem sollen Lebensmittel ökologisch angebaut werden.
In addition, food should be organically grown.
Caption 25, Erklärvideos Nachhaltigkeit einfach erklärt
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Das heißt also, dass auch das Adjektiv dekliniert werden muss.
So this means that the adjective must also be declined.
Caption 64, Deutsch mit Eylin: Die 4 Fälle
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Further Learning
Try to remove the subject and re-construct these simple sentences using the Vorgangspassiv. Clicking on the sentence will take you to the Yabla German video that contains the answer!
1. Die Leute essen das Gericht gerne mit Kartoffelpüree.
In light of the recent death of Elizabeth II, Queen of England, we'll take a look today at the German words for royal titles. Just two days before her death, the Queen was still fulfilling her royal duties, meeting with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his successor Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle.
Aber die Königin starb bald darauf.
But the Queen died soon afterwards.
Caption 11, Märchen - Sagenhaft: Schneewittchen
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Some languages, like English, have completely different names for male and female monarchs. In German, however, most noble titles take the masculine nouns and make their feminine equivalents by giving them an -in feminine ending.
Bis 1806 trafen sich hier die Kurfürsten, um den deutschen König und Kaiser zu wählen.
Exactly. Until 1806, the electors met here to choose the German king and emperor.
Captions 68-69, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Hessen
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Der König is easy enough, but what is the difference between der König and der Kaiser? The notorious Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was forced to abdicate after the surrender of Germany in the First World War, was both the King of Prussia and the Emperor of the German Empire. Prior to the end of the monarchy in Germany, which was a result of losing the First World War, the country was comprised of many kingdoms. Each of these kingdoms was ruled by a king or a queen, but the highest ruler of the land was der Kaiser, the Emperor. The title Kaiser derives from the Latin name Caesar.
Until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, emperors were chosen by a council of nobles called die Kurfürsten. You can still see traces of this antiquated term in street names, such as the famous shopping street in western Berlin called Kurfürstendamm.
Der Prinz und die Prinzessin waren überglücklich und schnell war allen klar, dass sie sich ineinander verliebt hatten.
The Prince and the Princess were overjoyed and soon it was clear to everyone that they had fallen in love with one another.
Captions 85-86, Märchen - Sagenhaft: Dornröschen
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Der Prinz and die Prinzessin are quite easy for English speakers as the words are very close to their English equivalents.
Der bayerische Herzog Wilhelm IV war ein großer Freund des reinen Bieres.
The Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV was a good friend of pure beer.
Caption 21, Deutsches Bier: 500 Jahre Reinheitsgebot
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The royal title ranking beneath der Prinz is der Herzog, or "duke." The feminine for "duchess" is die Herzogin.
Es gibt Schilderungen, da hatte eine Gräfin von Thun ihn angefleht, auf den Knien, dass er spielt.
There are descriptions where a Countess of Thun had begged him on her knees to play.
Captions 14-16, Ludwig van Beethoven: 250. Geburtstag
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Apparently Beethoven wasn't particularly fond of the aristocracy, since according to this anecdote, he refused to play for her based solely on her rank. The masculine equivalent of die Gräfin is der Graf: "the count."
Eine Lösung für dieses Mobilitätsproblem hatte Karl Freiherr von Drais.
A solution for this mobility problem was found by Baron Karl von Drais.
Caption 7, 200. Geburtstag: Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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Der Freiherr is "baron" in English and feminine equivalent of "baroness" is die Freifrau. German also occasionally uses der Baron and die Baronin as well!
Further Learning
Extend your knowledge of German noble titles by reading the Wikipedia Adelstitel ("noble titles") page. Then you can go to Yabla German and search for some other videos using the words you learned for German titles of nobility.
This week's topic could be sung to the tune of the Kraftwerk song "Autobahn," but never mind cars—let's talk about bicycles! Spring is in the air and it's time to get that bike out and ready for the road. Here are some bicycle-related topics to help get you motivated.
First a bit about bicycle history:
Das Tretkurbelveloziped war auf der Pariser Weltausstellung 1867 ein Publikumsmagnet und Verkaufserfolg.
The foot pedal velocipede at the Paris World's Fair in 1867 was a crowd magnet and commercial success.
Captions 12-13, 200. Geburtstag: Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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Es folgte Ende der 187oer-Jahre das Sicherheitsniederrad mit gleich großen Rädern, Kettenantrieb, Übersetzung aufs Hinterrad und luftbefüllten Reifen.
At the end of the 1870s followed the safety bicycle, with equally large wheels, chain drive, transfer to the back wheel and tires filled with air.
Captions 17-20, 200. Geburtstag: Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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Heutzutage ist die neueste Innovation das E-Bike.
Today, the newest innovation is the E-Bike.
Caption 30, 200. Geburtstag: Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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And now some more about bicycle maintenance and repair:
Frühlingszeit ist Fahrradzeit, also raus mit dem Drahtesel und ab auf die Piste.
Springtime is bike time, so get out your "wire donkey" and hit the road.
Captions 1-2, Fahrrad: Frühjahrs-Check
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The slang word der Drahtesel is a term of endearment for your beloved bike.
Ganz, ganz wichtig ist im Frühjahrscheck sowohl als auch im Wintercheck, dass man halt sich die kompletten Sicherheitsmerkmale von einem Rad noch mal anguckt.
Very, very important, with the springtime check, as well as with the winter check, is that you just look again at the complete safety features of the bike.
Captions 7-8, Fahrrad: Frühjahrs-Check
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Wie sehen die Bremsbeläge aus?
How do the brake pads look?
Caption 10, Fahrrad: Frühjahrs-Check
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Zu einem kompletten Frühlingscheck gehört auch die Kontrolle der Speichen.
A complete springtime check also includes checking the spokes.
Caption 16, Fahrrad: Frühjahrs-Check
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Beleuchtung, ein ganz wichtiges Thema, ja? Dass halt alle Lampen wirklich so funktionieren...
Lighting, a very important topic, right? That all the lights just really function the way they should function....
Captions 20-21, Fahrrad Frühjahrs-Check
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Further Learning
Learn the bicycle terms above (OK, you can probably skip the velocipede one!) and see if you can guess the meaning of the following parts of a bicycle before looking in a dictionary:
Die Bremse, der Bremshebel, die Felge, die Gabel, das Kabel, die Kette, der Lenker, die Luftpumpe, die Nabe, der Rahmen, der Sattel
Now go to German Yabla and watch the two videos above, then see if you can find some more videos that mention das Fahrrad. Happy bicycling from us at Yabla!
These German adverbs answer the question of how often something happens or is the case — Wie oft? Let's take a look at how to describe the most frequent to least frequent occurrences.
First of all, we have immer, or "always." Like in English, there are different options for the placement of adverbs in German sentences. In this first sentence, the word einfach is also serving as an adverb, and both adverbs are placed after the verb.
Es ist einfach immer was los und man ist in einer halben Stunde hier oben.
There is simply always something going on and you are up here in half an hour.
Caption 20, 48 h in Innsbruck - Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps
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Meistens, häufig and oft describe a relatively common or frequent occurrence. Note that, in this particular example, meistens is in the first position with the verb immediately following, which gives it extra emphasis. In the other two examples, the adverb comes after the verb (although not the participle!).
Meistens sind ja die Fenster dann auch noch recht schmal.
Most of the time, the windows are also really narrow.
Caption 57, Feuerwehr Heidelberg - Löschfahrzeug
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In Deutschland ist das Wetter im Herbst häufig kühl und feucht.
In Germany, the weather in autumn is frequently cool and damp.
Caption 6, Herbst - mit Eva
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Große Erfindungen werden oft von ungewöhnlichen Ereignissen inspiriert.
Great inventions are often inspired by unusual events.
Caption 3, 200. Geburtstag - Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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From manchmal to selten, the frequency of something happening or being the case decreases rapidly.
Es ist nur manchmal einfach etwas schwierig, wenn man zusammenlebt und so gut befreundet ist.
It is just sometimes a bit difficult when you live together and are such good friends.
Caption 34, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Ab und zu kann es aber auch mal ganz schön laut werden.
Once in a while it can, however, get pretty loud too.
Caption 62, Rhein-Main-TV - Badesee Rodgau
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Seinen schicken Umhang trug er gar nicht mehr,
He no longer wore his chic cloak
und mit seinem Pferd ritt er nur noch selten.
and he rode his horse only rarely.
Captions 38-39, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse
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Finally, we come to "never." It is also possible to say fast nie or "almost never."
Also, früher wollt ich nie zum Klavierunterricht gehen.
Well, at the time I never wanted to go piano lessons.
Caption 35, Deutsche Bands - Glashaus
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Further Learning
Many examples of these words can be found on Yabla German, and you can also look up the following German adverbs of definite frequency: täglich, wöchentlich, monatlich, jährlich, morgens, nachmittags, and abends. For more information on adverb placement, take a look at this helpful page.
But then you hopefully knew that already! You may not, however, be completely familiar with differences between the two words and the different meanings they can have in specific contexts.
The most common translation of the pronoun etwas is "something":
Etwas hat sich schon verändert.
Something has indeed changed.
Caption 11, 2raumwohnung - Achtung fertig
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Und doch hat diese Ausstellung etwas sehr Besonderes.
However, this exhibition has something very distinct about it.
Caption 5, DDR zum Anfassen - Ganz tief im Westen
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However, when etwas is used as an adjective pronoun (usually a possessive, or noting quantities of something), it can be translated as "a bit," "somewhat," or less commonly, the simple "some":
Planktonfresser hin oder her, ihm ist doch etwas mulmig geworden,
Plankton eaters or not, he did get a bit queasy
Caption 25, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
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Bachforellen sind etwas kleiner als die ursprünglich hier lebenden Marmoratas.
Freshwater trout are somewhat smaller than the marble trout that originally lived here.
Caption 1, Alpenseen - Kühle Schönheiten
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...verlor das Fahrrad zwischenzeitlich etwas an Bedeutung.
...the bicycle lost some of its significance for a while.
Caption 25, 200. Geburtstag - Die Geschichte des Fahrrads in 2 Minuten
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The adverb etwa can be translated as "about," "approximately" or "something like." It is most often used before a numerical measurement:
Und es sind etwa 35 Kilometer von den
And it's about 35 kilometers from the
weißen Klippen von Dover zu den Sanddünen von Calais.
white cliffs of Dover to the sand dunes of Calais.
Caption 20, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
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Jährlich werden pro Person in Deutschland etwa 160 Liter Kaffee getrunken.
Every year, approximately 160 liters of coffee are drunk in Germany per person.
Caption 5, Eva zeigt uns - wie man Kaffee kocht
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Das bedeutet etwa „Ende des Sommers“.
That means something like "end of the summer."
Caption 6, Cettina erklärt - Halloween
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The adverb etwa can also be used as a grammatical particle, which is often difficult to directly translate, but in this case lends a suggestion of disbelief to the statement:
Rauchst du etwa wieder?
Are you smoking again?
Caption 4, 12 heißt: Ich liebe dich - Kapitel 3: Erfolgreiche Vernehmung
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Zweifelst du etwa an der Aufrichtigkeit meiner Gefühle?
Are you doubting the sincerity of my feelings?
Caption 9, Küss mich, Frosch - Die Zeiten haben sich geändert
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As you see in the two examples above, etwa is not directly translated. A more literary translation of the above examples, which gives them more of an expression of disbelief on the part of the speakers, could respectively be: "But you aren't smoking again?" and "But you aren't doubting the sincerity of my feelings?"
Further Learning
Read the definition and examples given for the particle usage of etwa on Duden, and search for etwa and etwas on Yabla German to see other examples of these words used in a real-world context.
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