German · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 4 of 12
Science and technology
Wissenschaft und Technik
Explain how something works in German: the passive in the Perfekt and with modal verbs, ist geöffnet vs wird geöffnet, and sich lassen.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Explain the steps of a technical process
- Use the passive in the Perfekt: ist entwickelt worden
- Use the passive with modal verbs: muss entladen werden
- Tell a process from a state: wird geöffnet vs ist geöffnet
Listen
On a radio science programme, presenter Tim Seidel (44) interviews Dr Miriam Roth (39), a researcher in Jena who works on recycling batteries. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Tim Seidel
Frau Dr. Roth, in Ihrem Institut hier in Jena werden alte Akkus recycelt. Wie funktioniert das?
Dr Roth, at your institute here in Jena old batteries are recycled. How does that work?
Dr. Roth
Zuerst müssen die Akkus entladen werden, sonst ist die Arbeit zu gefährlich. Erst wenn ein Akku ganz entladen ist, kann er geöffnet werden.
First the batteries have to be discharged, otherwise the work is too dangerous. Only when a battery is completely discharged can it be opened.
Tim Seidel
Und was passiert dann?
And what happens then?
Dr. Roth
Dann wird er zerkleinert, und die Materialien werden voneinander getrennt. Das Verfahren dafür ist hier in Jena entwickelt worden.
Then it's shredded, and the materials are separated from each other. The process for that was developed here in Jena.
Tim Seidel
Welche Materialien lassen sich denn zurückgewinnen?
So which materials can be recovered?
Dr. Roth
Vor allem Metalle wie Lithium, Kobalt und Nickel. Letztes Jahr konnten so rund 90 Prozent davon zurückgewonnen werden.
Mainly metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. Last year around 90 per cent of them could be recovered this way.
Tim Seidel
Das ist beeindruckend. Warum ist das so wichtig?
That's impressive. Why is that so important?
Dr. Roth
Diese Metalle sind teuer und schwer zu bekommen. Alles, was wir hier zurückgewinnen, muss nicht neu aus der Erde geholt werden.
These metals are expensive and hard to get. Anything we recover here doesn't have to be dug out of the ground.
Tim Seidel
Gibt es denn schon viele alte Akkus?
Are there already a lot of old batteries?
Dr. Roth
Noch nicht. Die meisten Elektroautos fahren noch mit ihrem ersten Akku. Aber in zehn Jahren müssen Millionen Akkus ersetzt werden.
Not yet. Most electric cars are still running on their first battery. But in ten years' time millions of batteries will have to be replaced.
Tim Seidel
Arbeitet die Industrie schon mit Ihrem Verfahren?
Is industry already using your process?
Dr. Roth
Ja. Eine erste Anlage ist letztes Jahr in Sachsen gebaut worden, und eine zweite ist schon geplant.
Yes. A first plant was built in Saxony last year, and a second one is already planned.
Understand
The passive in the Perfekt and with modal verbs
In B1 you learned the passive in the present () and in the Präteritum (). The Perfekt passive uses + participle + : Note: , not . In speech it's common for recent events; in writing, is more usual. Both mean the same.
With a modal verb, the modal is in second position and participle + go to the end: In the past, just put the modal verb in the Präteritum:
| Tense | Passive | English |
|---|---|---|
| Present | The process is being developed. | |
| Präteritum | The process was developed. | |
| Perfekt | The process was / has been developed. | |
| with a modal | The battery has to be discharged. | |
| modal in the past | The battery could be opened. |
Process or state? wird geöffnet vs ist geöffnet
+ participle describes the process, the action happening: (the battery is being opened). + participle describes the state afterwards, the result: (the battery is open). This second form is called the .
English uses “is” for both, so pay attention to the German verb. means the plan exists now. means someone is working on the plan right now. You see the on many signs: , , .
- Das Geschäft wird um 20 Uhr geschlossen.The shop is closed (by someone) at 8 pm.
- Das Geschäft ist sonntags geschlossen.The shop is closed on Sundays.
- Erst wenn der Akku entladen ist, kann er geöffnet werden.Only when the battery is discharged can it be opened.
Other ways to say “can be done”: sich lassen, -bar
Instead of … , German often uses sich lassen + infinitive: = Both mean “which materials can be recovered?”
Many verbs also form an adjective with -bar (like English “-able”): → , → (edible), → (doable). means “that can't be done”.
- Das Problem lässt sich leicht lösen.The problem can easily be solved.
- Diese Verpackung ist recycelbar.This packaging is recyclable.
More in the grammar: The passive: wird gemacht, wurde gemacht
New words
- entladento discharge (a battery) · ; Perfekt: ; = to charge
- gefährlichdangerous · = danger
- erst wennonly when, not until · …, … = Only when … can …
- öffnento open · = , a little more formal; = open
- zerkleinernto shred, to break into small pieces · = small
- trennento separate · = from each other
- das Verfahrenprocess, method · neuter, plural:
- entwickelnto develop · Perfekt:
- zurückgewinnento recover (materials) · separable; Perfekt:
- vor allemabove all, especially
- rundaround, about (with numbers) · also “round”; = about 90 per cent
- beeindruckendimpressive · = to impress
- ersetzento replace · Perfekt: ; = earth, ground
- die Anlageplant, facility · feminine, plural:
Practise
1.Which form completes the Perfekt passive? “Das Verfahren ist in Jena entwickelt ___.”
2.Complete the passive with a modal verb.
First the batteries have to be discharged.
3.Complete with the right form of or .
The door has been open for an hour already.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Which materials can be recovered?
5.Match the words.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Which sentence means “The battery is being opened”?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Wie funktioniert das genau?
How exactly does that work?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.