Choose alternatives by meaning
Der Deckel lässt sich öffnen and Der Deckel ist leicht zu öffnen express practical possibility; Der Deckel ist abnehmbar describes a property. Such alternatives are useful only when the vocabulary and meaning fit. Die Rechnung ist bis Freitag zu bezahlen conveys a requirement, closer to muss bezahlt werden. It does not merely mean that payment is possible.
An active sentence with man can be clearer when the human action matters: Man prüft den Anschluss morgen. Keep the original time, negation and modal force when reformulating. A shorter sentence is not equivalent if it turns a requirement into an option.
Check the construction in context
Choose your answer before opening the explanation. Check the whole phrase as well as the form.
8. Preserve the obligation: rewrite Die Rechnung ist bis Freitag zu bezahlen with müssen.
Die Rechnung muss bis Freitag bezahlt werden. Kann bezahlt werden would weaken the requirement to a possibility.
Preserve possibility or obligation when rephrasing
First identify the message you must preserve: something can be done, something must be done, or an object has a property. Then choose a construction that fits that message and the vocabulary. Sich lassen with an infinitive often describes practical possibility. Sein with zu needs its context: leicht can support a possibility reading, while an explicit instruction can establish an obligation. A man-sentence names an unspecified human actor; it does not add necessity by itself.
Two worked examples
Die Schrift lässt sich gut lesen. This describes readability: Die Schrift kann gut gelesen werden. It does not instruct anyone to read it.
Laut Hausordnung ist der Raum nach dem Treffen aufzuräumen. The explicit rule establishes an obligation: Der Raum muss nach dem Treffen aufgeräumt werden. Keep the time relation nach dem Treffen.
Apply the pattern
Additional check 1. Keep the practical possibility: Die Datei lässt sich ohne Passwort öffnen. Choose kann or muss in Die Datei ___ ohne Passwort geöffnet werden.
Die Datei kann ohne Passwort geöffnet werden. Kann preserves the possibility of opening the file. Muss would introduce an obligation that the original does not state.
Additional check 2. Keep the stated obligation and deadline: Die Formulare sind laut Anweisung bis Montag abzugeben. Rephrase with müssen.
Die Formulare müssen laut Anweisung bis Montag abgegeben werden. The instruction establishes necessity. Müssen agrees with plural Formulare; bis Montag remains the deadline. Other word orders can preserve the same meaning.
Start with the topic overview
German werden passive: perspective, tense and subjects · Find another grammar topic
Questions about this topic
Does sein plus zu always mean can?
No. Context can make it express a requirement, as in a bill that must be paid by a deadline. Preserve the modal meaning instead of choosing a shorter formula blindly.
Sources and further learning
- IDS: Verbalkomplex
- IDS: Vertiefung — Passivfähigkeit
- IDS: Subjektloses werden-Passiv
- DeutschAkademie: Vorgangspassiv
- DeutschAkademie: Zustandspassiv
- DeutschAkademie: Passiv mit Modalverben
- DeutschAkademie: Passiv Ersatzformen
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