B2-71 · Describe earlier changes to monuments in the past perfect passive
Cultural heritage
Use war or waren plus a participle and worden to say what had been done to monuments and historic towns before a later event.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
What had been done: war … worden
The past perfect passive describes what had been done to something before a later moment in the past. It is formed with war or waren, the participle and worden: Die Kirche war beschädigt worden. Monuments in this chapter belong to a fictional old town.
| Tense | Passive |
|---|---|
| present | Die Kirche wird restauriert. |
| simple past | Die Kirche wurde restauriert. |
| present perfect | Die Kirche ist restauriert worden. |
| past perfect | Die Kirche war restauriert worden. |
Die Kirche war im Krieg schwer beschädigt worden.
The church had been badly damaged in the war.
Das Rathaus war schon im 19. Jahrhundert umgebaut worden.
The town hall had already been remodelled in the 19th century.
Die alten Fresken waren lange vergessen worden.
The old frescoes had long been forgotten.
Die Brücke war mehrmals repariert worden, bevor man sie komplett erneuerte.
The bridge had been repaired several times before it was completely renewed.
In the passive, the participle of werden is worden, not geworden. Use waren with a plural subject. Das Denkmal means monument, umbauen to remodel and beschädigen to damage.
02
Earlier events in subordinate clauses
The past perfect passive often appears after nachdem, weil or als, while the main clause uses the simple past. In the subordinate clause, the finite verb war goes to the very end: restauriert worden war.
Nachdem das Schloss restauriert worden war, öffnete es wieder für Besucher.
After the palace had been restored, it opened to visitors again.
Nachdem die Altstadt zum Welterbe erklärt worden war, kamen mehr Touristen.
After the old town had been declared a World Heritage Site, more tourists came.
Weil das Dach jahrelang nicht gepflegt worden war, regnete es hinein.
Because the roof had not been maintained for years, rain came in.
Die Stadt feierte, als das Denkmal endlich gereinigt worden war.
The town celebrated when the monument had finally been cleaned.
The order at the end is participle, worden, war. UNESCO keeps a list of World Heritage Sites, das Welterbe, and Germany has more than 50 sites on it. Restaurieren means to restore and reinigen to clean.
03
A report on the town wall
A heritage report summarises the history of a fictional town wall before its renovation. It moves between what had happened long ago and what happened next.
Die Mauern waren im Mittelalter aus Stein errichtet worden.
The walls had been built of stone in the Middle Ages.
Ein Teil der Stadtmauer war im 18. Jahrhundert abgerissen worden.
Part of the town wall had been demolished in the 18th century.
Erst als alle Schäden dokumentiert worden waren, begann die Sanierung.
Only once all the damage had been documented did the renovation begin.
Die Expertinnen erklärten, dass die Fundamente nie untersucht worden waren.
The experts explained that the foundations had never been examined.
Errichten means to build, abreißen to demolish and dokumentieren to document. Die Sanierung is the renovation and das Fundament the foundation. In a dass-clause the verb group also ends with worden war or worden waren.
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