Learning German: Unpacking the Passive Voice in Politics

Berlin – Week 3 of trying to navigate this amazing, chaotic city, and let me tell you, German is hard. I’m finally starting to understand a little more, and it’s not just “Bitte” and “Danke,” although those are definitely essential! Today, I’m tackling something a little more complex: the formal passive construction and how it’s used, particularly when talking about democracy.

It all started with a conversation with two colleagues, Herr Müller and Frau Schmidt, during a coffee break at the office. I’d been trying to understand why German political discussions feel so… distant sometimes. It’s like everyone’s talking around the actual problem rather than directly addressing it.

“Guten Tag, Herr Müller. Könnten Sie mir bitte erklären, was die formale passive Konstruktion in Bezug auf die Demokratie bedeutet?” (Good day, Mr. Müller. Could you please explain what the formal passive construction means in relation to democracy?) I asked, feeling a little intimidated. My German isn’t fluent by any means.

Herr Müller, a very serious man, took a sip of his coffee and replied, “Guten Tag, Frau Schmidt. Natürlich. Die formale passive Stimme wird oft verwendet, um die Verantwortung für Entscheidungen zu betonen, die von Institutionen oder Regierungen getroffen werden.” (Good day, Mrs. Schmidt. Of course. The formal passive voice is often used to emphasize the responsibility for decisions made by institutions or governments.)

He gave an example: “Die Menschenrechte werden von der Regierung geschützt.” (Human rights are protected by the government). I found this incredibly interesting, but honestly, it felt a little… cold?

“Ich finde das sehr interessant,” (I find that very interesting) I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Könnten Sie mir ein Beispiel geben, wie die Bürgerrechte durch eine formale passive Aussage in einem politischen Kontext dargestellt werden könnten?” (Could you give me an example of how citizen’s rights could be portrayed through a formal passive statement in a political context?)

Herr Schmidt, who was much more approachable, added, “Ich denke, es wäre beispielsweise: ‘Die Meinungsfreiheit wird durch das Gesetz garantiert.’” (I think it would be, for example: ‘Freedom of expression is guaranteed by law.’) “Das unterstreicht, dass die Rechte nicht von den Bürgern selbst, sondern durch ein Gesetz geschützt werden. Es wird eine gewisse Distanz geschaffen.” (This emphasizes that rights are not protected by citizens themselves, but by law. It creates a certain distance.)

That’s when it clicked a little. It’s like they were deliberately avoiding saying who was responsible. It’s a good point, Herr Weber, another colleague who joined the conversation. Often you hear, “Die Rechte der Minderheiten werden von der Verfassung respektiert.” (The rights of minorities are respected by the constitution.) “Das impliziert, dass die Respektierung nicht von der Mehrheit, sondern von der Verfassung selbst ausgeht.” (This implies that respect is not from the majority, but from the constitution itself.)

I was struggling to fully grasp it, but I started to see the pattern. “Ja, ich verstehe. Es scheint, dass die formale passive Stimme dazu dient, die Objektivität und Neutralität zu betonen, wenn man über demokratische Prinzipien und Menschenrechte spricht.” (Yes, I understand. It seems that the formal passive voice is used to emphasize objectivity and neutrality when talking about democratic principles and human rights.) “Wäre es nicht so, dass die Betonung der Verantwortung der Institutionen wichtig ist, um die Stabilität der Demokratie zu gewährleisten?” (Wouldn’t it be that emphasizing the responsibility of institutions is important to ensure the stability of democracy?)

Herr Müller, surprisingly, agreed. “Absolut. Die formale passive ist ein wichtiges Instrument, um die Legitimität staatlicher Handlungen in Bezug auf die Einhaltung von Menschenrechten zu betonen. Man könnte sagen: ‘Die Gesetze werden von den Gerichten angewendet.’” (Absolutely. The formal passive is an important instrument to emphasize the legitimacy of state actions regarding the observance of human rights. You could say: ‘Laws are applied by the courts.’) “Und es verhindert, dass die Verantwortung persönlich gemacht wird, was in der Diskussion über politische Entscheidungen oft ein Problem ist.” (And it prevents responsibility from being personal, which is often a problem in discussions about political decisions.)

My First Mistakes – And How to Avoid Them

It’s been incredibly humbling! I’ve already made a couple of mistakes. I tried to say “Ich habe die Aufgabe erledigt” (I completed the task) to my boss last week, and he looked utterly bewildered. He patiently explained that using the passive construction – “Die Aufgabe wurde erledigt” (The task was completed) – is much more standard in formal situations. He even explained that constantly using the active voice makes you seem too… assertive.

Practical Application – Ordering a Kaffee in a More Formal Way

Today, I went to a Kaffeehaus near the Hackescher Markt (Hackescher Market) to practice. I wanted to order a Latte and a Brötchen (bread roll). I fumbled through the order: “Ich möchte einen Latte und ein Brötchen, bitte.” (I would like a latte and a bread roll, please). The barista, a young woman with bright pink hair, responded, “Die Bestellung wird aufgenommen.” (The order is being recorded). It felt so… official! I realised then that it wasn’t just about understanding the meaning, it was about using the correct structure to sound more natural and appropriate.

Next Steps – Continued Learning

I’m going to keep practicing, focusing on building my vocabulary and, crucially, learning when and how to use this formal passive voice. I’m also going to try to listen more carefully to conversations around me – especially those involving Herr Müller and Frau Schmidt! This feels like a really important piece of the puzzle for understanding German politics and, ultimately, feeling more comfortable and confident in this amazing, but definitely challenging, city. “Auf Wiedersehen!” (Goodbye!)