Passiversatzformen (sich lassen, -bar, -lich)
Passiversatzformen — for English Speakers
Introduction
German offers alternatives to the passive: 'sich lassen + infinitive' ('Das lässt sich lösen' = That can be solved), adjectives ending in -bar ('lösbar' = solvable) and -lich ('verständlich' = understandable). English has similar mechanisms: '-able' adjectives (solvable, readable) and 'can be + participle'. These alternatives make German writing more dynamic and less bureaucratic, replacing clunky passive constructions with cleaner expressions.
German vs English
In German
Das Problem lässt sich lösen. (can be solved)
In English
The problem can be solved. / The problem is solvable.
Key Difference
German uses 'sich lassen'; English uses 'can be' or '-able'. Both avoid full passive.
In German
Der Text ist gut lesbar. (readable)
In English
The text is easily readable.
Key Difference
German -bar = English -able/-ible. Very parallel word formation.
Common Mistakes for English Speakers
Das lässt lösen. (missing 'sich')
Forgetting the reflexive 'sich' — this construction requires 'sich lassen', not just 'lassen'.
Das Problem ist löslich.
Confusing -bar (capable of being X-ed) with -lich (having quality of X). Not all verbs form both.
Practice Examples
Die Ergebnisse sind vergleichbar.
The results are comparable.
Das lässt sich leicht erklären.
That can be easily explained.
Die Aufgabe ist machbar.
The task is doable.
Memory Tip
SICH LASSEN = 'can be done'. -BAR = '-able'. -LICH = '-ly/-like'. All are cleaner ways to avoid clunky passive constructions.
View Grammar Rule
Passiversatzformen (sich lassen, -bar, -lich)
Passiversatzformen — C1
Practice Exercises
Passiversatzformen (sich lassen, -bar, -lich) Übungen
8 exercises
Other Languages
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