Passive With a Modal

Level 4

Modal Verb + Past Participle + worden

How It Works

In Dutch, the modal passive is formed by combining a modal verb with the passive voice construction.

1. Sentence Structure
In a main clause, the modal verb is conjugated and stays in the second position. The past participle and the infinitive worden move to the very end of the sentence.
Example: De brief moet vandaag geschreven worden.

2. Word Order at the End
Dutch is flexible with the final verb cluster. You can use the 'red' or 'green' order:

  • Participle + worden: ...gedaan worden (Traditional)
  • worden + Participle: ...worden gedaan (Common in the Netherlands)

3. Perfect Modal Passive
When expressing that something 'should have been' or 'could have been' done, Dutch uses the modal perfect construction. This results in a triple verb cluster at the end: had ... [participle] [modal] worden.
Example: Het had gedaan moeten worden. (It should have been done.)

4. Semi-modals and 'te'
Verbs like hoeven (need) are often used in passive constructions but require the word te before the infinitive worden.
Example: Het hoeft niet gedaan te worden.

5. Impersonal Passive
When there is no clear subject, Dutch uses an impersonal passive often starting with er. This is common with modals to express rules or permissions.
Example: Er mag hier geparkeerd worden. (Parking is allowed here.)

6. Action vs. State
Distinguish between worden (dynamic/action) and zijn (stative/result).

  • Het moet gedaan worden: It must be done (the process is required).
  • Het moet gedaan zijn: It must be finished (the completed state is required).

Examples (6)

  1. De auto moet vandaag gerepareerd worden.

    The car must be repaired today.

    Word by Word: The car must today repaired become.

    Here, 'moet' is the modal verb and 'gerepareerd worden' forms the passive infinitive at the end.

  2. Dit probleem kan makkelijk opgelost worden.

    This problem can be solved easily.

    Word by Word: This problem can easily solved become.

    Using 'kunnen' expresses the possibility of the passive action.

  3. Er mag hier niet gerookt worden.

    Smoking is not allowed here.

    Word by Word: There may here not smoked become.

    This is an impersonal passive using 'er' as a placeholder subject, focusing on the action rather than who is doing it.

  4. Het huis had gisteren al geverfd moeten worden.

    The house should have been painted yesterday already.

    Word by Word: The house had yesterday already painted must become.

    In the perfect tense, the modal verb triggers a triple infinitive cluster at the end of the sentence.

  5. De afwas hoeft niet gedaan te worden.

    The dishes don't need to be done.

    Word by Word: The dishes need not done to become.

    When using 'hoeven', the word 'te' must be placed before 'worden'.

  6. De ramen moeten voor het feest gewassen zijn.

    The windows must be washed (finished) before the party.

    Word by Word: The windows must before the party washed be.

    This uses 'zijn' instead of 'worden' to emphasize the completed state (the windows being clean) rather than the act of washing.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting 'worden' in the passive construction.

    Het moet gedaan.
    Het moet gedaan worden.

    English speakers often forget that Dutch requires the infinitive 'worden' to complete the passive sense; you cannot just use the participle alone with a modal.

  • Using 'zijn' where 'worden' is meant.

    Different MeaningDe brief moet nu geschreven zijn.
    De brief moet nu geschreven worden.

    'De brief moet nu geschreven zijn' is correct, but it means the letter has to be finished by now. If the action needs to happen now, use 'worden'.

How It Connects

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Passive With a ModalLevel 4

Learn This First

To form a passive sentence with a modal verb, you need to combine your knowledge of how modal verbs function (taking the finite position) with the passive voice structure. In this construction, the modal verb is conjugated to match the subject, while the passive auxiliary 'worden' moves to the end of the sentence in its infinitive form, following the past participle.