Impersonal Passive

Question 1

What is the impersonal passive?

Answer 1

A construction that cannot be made in English

Impersonal Passive = the creation of the passive voice without a subject

Ex1. Es wurde stundenlang auf der Party Getanzt = dancing was done at the party for hours (loose translation)

Question 2

What are the two ways of rendering the impersonal passive?

Answer 2

1. Begin sentence with es

Ex1. Es wird am Wochenende oft ausgeschlafen

2. Begin sentence with preposition (es is implied)

Ex2. Am wochenende wird oft ausgeschlafen