Passive voice (present)
B1 · Intermediate · Advanced Structures
The rule
werden + past participle.
How it works
The present passive is formed with werden in the present and a past participle at the end: Das Haus wird gebaut (The house is being built). It focuses on the action and the result rather than on the doer. It is common in instructions, news and formal writing, and the agent is optional.
When to use it
Describe an action without naming the doer, using werden plus the past participle in the present tense.
Use cases
- Describing a process: Das Brot wird im Ofen gebacken
- Giving instructions without a named doer: Die Tür wird geschlossen
- Describing rules or regular events: Hier wird viel gebaut
Examples
- Das Haus wird gebaut – The house is being built
- Die Briefe werden heute geschrieben. – The letters are being written today.
- Das Essen wird serviert. – The meal is being served.
- Hier wird nicht geraucht. – No smoking here.
Common mistake
Forgetting the form of werden or the participle: "Das Haus wird gebaut" is right.
Memory tip
Passive present: subject + werden + participle. Ask "What happens to …?"
Read the wider picture in our guide: German Verbs and Word Order: Tenses, Modals and Sentence Structure.