Stative Passive (sein-Passive) in German

Overview

German has two types of passive voice: the process passive (Vorgangspassiv) formed with werden, and the stative passive (Zustandspassiv) formed with sein. At the B2 level, understanding the distinction between these two is essential for precise communication. The stative passive describes a state that results from a completed action, rather than the action itself.

Compare: "Die Tür wird geschlossen" (The door is being closed -- the action is happening) versus "Die Tür ist geschlossen" (The door is closed -- the resulting state). In the first sentence, someone is actively closing the door. In the second, the closing has already happened and you are describing the current condition.

The stative passive is extremely common in everyday German. You encounter it when describing situations, environments, and completed states: Das Essen ist gekocht (The food is cooked), Der Laden ist geöffnet (The shop is open), Die Arbeit ist erledigt (The work is done). Mastering this construction gives you a natural way to describe the world around you.

How It Works

Formation

sein (conjugated) + past participle (Partizip II)

Tense	Structure	Example
Present	ist + Partizip II	Die Tür ist geschlossen.
Past (Präteritum)	war + Partizip II	Die Tür war geschlossen.
Perfect	ist ... gewesen + Partizip II	Die Tür ist geschlossen gewesen.
Future	wird ... sein + Partizip II	Die Tür wird geschlossen sein.

Stative vs. Process Passive

Type	Formation	Focus	Example
Process (Vorgangspassiv)	werden + Partizip II	The action happening	Die Tür wird geschlossen. (is being closed)
Stative (Zustandspassiv)	sein + Partizip II	The resulting state	Die Tür ist geschlossen. (is closed)

When to Use the Stative Passive

The Zustandspassiv is used when:

• The action is already completed
• You want to describe the current state, not the process
• The focus is on the result, not on who performed the action

Examples in Context

German	English	Note
Die Tür ist geschlossen.	The door is closed.	Resulting state
Das Essen ist gekocht.	The food is cooked.	Ready to eat
Der Brief war schon geschrieben.	The letter was already written.	Past state
Der Tisch ist gedeckt.	The table is set.	Ready for dinner
Das Fenster ist geöffnet.	The window is open.	Current state
Die Hausaufgaben sind gemacht.	The homework is done.	Completed state
Der Laden ist geschlossen.	The shop is closed.	Not currently open
Die Rechnung ist bezahlt.	The bill is paid.	Settlement complete
Das Auto war repariert.	The car was repaired.	Past resulting state
Die Plätze sind reserviert.	The seats are reserved.	Current arrangement
Das Problem ist gelöst.	The problem is solved.	Result of solving
Die E-Mail ist gesendet.	The email is sent.	Completed action's result

Common Mistakes

Confusing stative passive with Perfekt active

• Wrong interpretation: Das Fenster ist geöffnet = Someone has opened the window (Perfekt)
• Right interpretation: The window is in an open state (Zustandspassiv)
• Why: While the forms can look similar, the Zustandspassiv describes a state, not a completed action. Context and the verb type help distinguish them. Transitive verbs with sein + Partizip II are usually Zustandspassiv.

Using werden when describing a state

• Wrong: Die Tür wird geschlossen (when meaning it is already closed)
• Right: Die Tür ist geschlossen
• Why: Werden + Partizip II describes the process of closing. Sein + Partizip II describes the state of being closed.

Overusing the stative passive with verbs that do not produce a lasting state

• Wrong: Der Ball ist geworfen. (throwing does not produce a visible state)
• Right: Use Vorgangspassiv or active voice instead
• Why: The Zustandspassiv works best with verbs whose actions produce an observable, lasting result (open/closed, cooked/raw, broken/repaired).

Usage Notes

The stative passive is far more common in spoken German than the process passive. Germans naturally describe the world in terms of states rather than processes. In practical contexts like restaurants, shops, and offices, you will constantly hear phrases like "Ist der Platz frei?" (Is the seat free/available?), "Der Laden ist geöffnet" (The shop is open), and "Die Rechnung ist bezahlt" (The bill is paid).

Some past participles have essentially become adjectives through frequent use in the Zustandspassiv: geschlossen (closed), geöffnet (open), verheiratet (married), beschäftigt (busy). These are so common that speakers may not even think of them as passive constructions.

Practice Tips

1. Walk through your home or workplace and describe the state of things using the Zustandspassiv: "Das Licht ist eingeschaltet," "Die Tür ist geschlossen," "Das Bett ist gemacht." This builds automatic association between states and the sein + Partizip II pattern.
2. Practice transforming process passive sentences into stative passive ones: "Die Tür wird gerade geschlossen" (being closed) becomes "Die Tür ist jetzt geschlossen" (now closed). This trains you to feel the difference between ongoing action and resulting state.
3. Pay attention to restaurant and shop signs in German-speaking areas -- they frequently use the Zustandspassiv: "Geöffnet" (Open), "Geschlossen" (Closed), "Reserviert" (Reserved).

Related Concepts

• Passive Voice (Present) — the parent concept covering the werden-passive (process passive)