Passive in Past Perfect
The passive voice in the past perfect (Plusquamperfekt) uses 'war' (past tense of 'sein') + past participle + 'worden'.
This form describes an action that was completed before another past action.
This lesson covers how to form and use the passive voice in the past perfect tense.
Explanation
Form: war/warst/waren (past tense of sein) + past participle + worden.
Conjugation: ich war ... worden, du warst ... worden, er/sie/es war ... worden, wir waren ... worden, ihr wart ... worden, sie waren ... worden.
Example: 'Das Buch war gelesen worden' (The book had been read).
This tense is used to express that a passive action was completed before another past event.
Passive Formation - Past Perfect
| Subject | war (conjugated) | Past Participle | worden | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| das Buch | war | gelesen | worden | Das Buch war gelesen worden. | The book had been read. |
| der Brief | war | geschrieben | worden | Der Brief war geschrieben worden. | The letter had been written. |
| die Tür | war | geöffnet | worden | Die Tür war geöffnet worden. | The door had been opened. |
| die Häuser | waren | gebaut | worden | Die Häuser waren gebaut worden. | The houses had been built. |
| die Pakete | waren | geliefert | worden | Die Pakete waren geliefert worden. | The packages had been delivered. |
| die Regeln | waren | erklärt | worden | Die Regeln waren erklärt worden. | The rules had been explained. |
Examples
Das Buch war gelesen worden, bevor ich es kaufte.
The book had been read before I bought it.
Die Tür war geöffnet worden.
The door had been opened.
Das Auto war repariert worden.
The car had been repaired.
Das Haus war von dem Architekten gebaut worden.
The house had been built by the architect.
Common Mistakes
Das Buch war gelesen geworden
Das Buch war gelesen worden
In passive past perfect, use 'worden', not 'geworden'. 'Geworden' is only when 'werden' means 'to become'.
Das Buch hatte gelesen worden
Das Buch war gelesen worden
Passive past perfect uses 'war' (from 'sein'), not 'hatte' (from 'haben'), as the auxiliary verb.
Practice Exercises
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which article to use?
German articles (der, die, das) depend on the gender of the noun. While there are some patterns, many nouns must be memorized. Practice and exposure to German will help you learn them naturally.
What's the difference between definite and indefinite articles?
Definite articles (der, die, das) mean 'the' and refer to specific things. Indefinite articles (ein, eine) mean 'a/an' and refer to non-specific things. Both must match the noun's gender: use 'ein' for masculine/neuter and 'eine' for feminine.
Are there rules for determining noun gender?
While there are some helpful patterns (e.g., words ending in -ung are usually feminine), there are many exceptions. The best approach is to learn nouns with their articles from the beginning.
What happens if I use the wrong article?
While using the wrong article is a common mistake, native speakers will usually still understand you. However, using the correct article is important for sounding natural and fluent in German.