B2-22 · Describe past obligations in the passive
Globalisation
Use past modal forms with a passive infinitive to report what had to, could or was allowed to be done in a fictional supply chain.
About 5 minutes to read · 13 quiz questions
01
What had to be done
A past modal plus passive infinitive describes an obligation in the past: Die Ware musste geprüft werden. The modal carries tense and agreement; the main participle and werden form the passive infinitive.
Die Ware musste vor dem Export geprüft werden.
The goods had to be checked before export.
Die Dokumente mussten ergänzt werden.
The documents had to be supplemented.
Der Container musste geöffnet werden.
The container had to be opened.
Die Lieferfrist musste verlängert werden.
The delivery deadline had to be extended.
This fictional report follows a delayed shipment. Die Lieferkette means supply chain, die Ware goods and der Zoll customs. Musste geprüft werden says a check was required; by itself it does not prove the check happened.
02
Possibility and permission
Konnte plus passive infinitive reports past possibility. Durfte reports permission. Negation matters: konnte nicht means it was not possible; durfte nicht means it was not permitted.
Die Ware konnte nicht rechtzeitig geliefert werden.
The goods could not be delivered on time.
Die Ersatzteile konnten per Bahn transportiert werden.
The spare parts could be transported by rail.
Der Container durfte erst nach der Kontrolle geöffnet werden.
The container was only allowed to be opened after the inspection.
Die Waren durften nicht ohne Papiere ausgeführt werden.
The goods were not allowed to be exported without documents.
The examples state different conditions in the fictional shipment. Do not replace one modal with another unless you intend to change the meaning.
03
Report the reason in a subordinate clause
In a subordinate clause with weil or dass, put the finite modal last: weil die Ware geprüft werden musste. The order is main participle, werden, then the past modal.
Der Export verzögerte sich, weil die Ware geprüft werden musste.
The export was delayed because the goods had to be checked.
Eva berichtete, dass die Teile geliefert werden konnten.
Eva reported that the parts could be delivered.
Die Firma wartete, weil der Container nicht geöffnet werden durfte.
The company waited because the container was not allowed to be opened.
Ben erklärte, dass die Dokumente ergänzt werden mussten.
Ben explained that the documents had to be supplemented.
Compare Die Ware musste geprüft werden with weil die Ware geprüft werden musste. This lesson uses Präteritum modals; the more complex Perfekt modal construction is not needed for these reports.
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