---
title: "Forms with Passive Meaning — German grammar C1"
description: "C1 German practice on the gerundive, bekommen/kriegen passive, and functional verb phrases with passive meaning."
canonical: "https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/c1/german-passive-meaning-gerundive-recipients-functional-verbs"
lang: "en"
learning_language: "de"
cefr_level: "C1"
updated: "2026-07-11"
alternates:
  en: "https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/c1/german-passive-meaning-gerundive-recipients-functional-verbs.md"
  fr: "https://cefra.app/fr/explore/de/grammar/c1/german-passive-meaning-gerundive-recipients-functional-verbs.md"
  pl: "https://cefra.app/pl/explore/de/grammar/c1/german-passive-meaning-gerundive-recipients-functional-verbs.md"
  ru: "https://cefra.app/ru/explore/de/grammar/c1/german-passive-meaning-gerundive-recipients-functional-verbs.md"
---

# Forms with Passive Meaning

[Cefra](https://cefra.app/en.md) › [German](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de.md) › [Grammar](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar.md) › [C1](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/c1.md) › Forms with Passive Meaning

Use the gerundive, bekommen/kriegen passive, and functional verb phrases precisely, respecting modality, recipient role, register, and agent constraints.

Last updated: July 11, 2026

## Gerundive

**zu + present participle** is attributive: _die zu prüfenden Unterlagen_. It corresponds to a passive modal relative clause (must/should/can be checked) and only works with verbs that allow a werden passive.

## bekommen/kriegen passive

The dative recipient becomes the subject: _Mir wird ein Preis verliehen → Ich bekomme einen Preis verliehen._ A recipient/dative verb is required. **kriegen** is more colloquial.

## Functional verb phrases

Fixed combinations such as _Anwendung finden, Anerkennung erfahren, zur Auswahl stehen_ can carry passive meaning. They are lexical and often formal; perspective and possible agents may differ from the werden passive.

## Rule-to-example map

| Rule                             | German example                                                    |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| gerundive necessity              | die bis morgen zu prüfenden Unterlagen                            |
| gerundive possibility            | ein kaum zu lösendes Problem                                      |
| relative-clause paraphrase       | Unterlagen, die bis morgen geprüft werden müssen                  |
| bekommen passive                 | Sie bekommt den Vertrag zugeschickt.                              |
| informal kriegen passive         | Er kriegt die Kosten erstattet.                                   |
| dative recipient becomes subject | Man schickt ihr den Vertrag. / Sie bekommt den Vertrag geschickt. |
| light-verb construction          | Der Vorschlag kommt zur Abstimmung.                               |
| passive meaning of light verb    | Der Vorschlag wird abgestimmt.                                    |

## Exercises

[Start practice](https://cefra.app/en/explore/de/grammar/c1/german-passive-meaning-gerundive-recipients-functional-verbs/practice)

1. Rewrite the passive sentence using the specified C1 structure. (10 tasks)
2. Choose the grammatically and semantically appropriate passive-meaning form. (10 tasks)