What are the different kinds of passive sentences in German?
There are two forms of passive sentences in the German language: the Zustandspassiv, passively describing a fixed condition, and the Vorgangspassiv, passively describing an ongoing process.
The Zustandpassiv is formed by a Personalform of sein and the respective Partizip II. The use of the Zustandspassiv however is usually only sensible within the Präsens and the Präteritum, since the formation of a Zustandspassiv-sentence in all other tenses can be very elaborate.
Examples:
Das Tor ist geschlossen.
Er war angekommen.
The Vorgangspassiv is formed by a Personalform of werden or sein and the respective Partizip II.
Examples:
Präsens - Der Ball wird geworfen.
Präteritum - Der Hund wurde gestreichelt.
Futur I - Das Buch wird gelesen werden.
Futur II - Der Schrank wird gekauft worden sein.
Perfekt - Sie ist bestraft worden.
Plusquamperfekt - Der Mantel war angezogen worden.
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