saying "has been" in German

How do you say "has been" in German. Do you use "worden"?

If I want to say "The number has been reduced" is "die Zahl ist reduziert worden" correct?

Reply 1

Jammertal

3

Your example is correct. But this translation is only correct if you use the passive tense in English and German

Reply 2

BovineBeast

elbow_fan

How do you say "has been" in German. Do you use "worden"?

If I want to say "The number has been reduced" is "die Zahl ist reduziert worden" correct?

Well, if you want to say 'I have been (a noun)', you'd say 'Ich bin X gewesen' But, yeah, your example is right.

Reply 3

Duck and Cover

15

Is "die Zahl wurde reduziert" incorrect?? Did I just totally make that up?!

Reply 4

Cunning Linguist

3

yes the example is right.

"has been" is the perfect passive - this is formed by using the present tense of sein + worden

if you want the pluperfect passive (had been), it would be the imperfect tense of sein + worden. e.g "i had been hit" = "Ich war geschlagen worden" (and 'i have been hit" would be "Ich bin geschlagen worden")

at least i think that's right..

Reply 5

Cunning Linguist

3

Duck and Cover

Is "die Zahl wurde reduziert" incorrect?? Did I just totally make that up?!

no this is right too, but this is the imperfect passive, rather than the perfect passive, which is what we're talking about here.

"Die Zahl wurde reduziert" - "The number was reduced" (as opposed to "has been reduced")

Reply 6

BovineBeast

linguist786

no this is right too, but this is the imperfect passive, rather than the perfect passive, which is what we're talking about here.

"Die Zahl wurde reduziert" - "The number was reduced" (as opposed to "has been reduced")

I think the two coincide in usage, though. The imperfect, though it historically meant 'was', as opposed to 'has been', has largely merged with the perfect, meaning the distinction is more a matter of register than anything else, though I think it varies dialectally.

Reply 7

Cunning Linguist

3

BovineBeast

I think the two coincide in usage, though. The imperfect, though it historically meant 'was', as opposed to 'has been', has largely merged with the perfect, meaning the distinction is more a matter of register than anything else, though I think it varies dialectally.

i agree.
it's like when you're describing something in the past. you have to use the imperfect tense. e.g. "Es war gut" - when 'Es war' strictly speaking means "It used to be/It was being". you would think "It was good" - one completed action in the past .:. perfect tense (Es ist gut gewesen) but that's not true as we know.

saying "has been" in German

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