Reflexive Passive (sich lassen)

This structure is a replacement for the passive voice with the modal verb können. Instead of a long sentence like "The door can be opened," you use sich lassen. It gives the sentence a passive meaning. This means the subject (the thing you are talking about) is not doing anything. It is just having something done to it. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means the action is possible. Red means it is not. You are simply stating if a task is doable. It works with almost any verb that takes an object. It is very common in everyday life. For example, if you are at a restaurant and want to know if a table can be reserved. Or if you are at work and wonder if a file can be sent. It keeps your sentences short and sweet.

1. 1Creating these sentences is like building with LEGO blocks. You just need to follow these four simple steps:
2. 2Start with the subject. This is usually the object or thing you are talking about (e.g., das Auto).
3. 3Add the verb lassen. You must conjugate it to match your subject. For A1, you mostly use lässt (singular) or lassen (plural).
4. 4Add the reflexive pronoun sich. This stays the same no matter what the subject is. It is the "reflexive" part of the deal.
5. 5Place the main verb at the very end. Keep it in its basic form (the infinitive).
6. 6Structure: [Subject] + [lassen] + [sich] + [Infinitive at the end].
7. 7Example: Das Problem + lässt + sich + lösen. (The problem can be solved).

Use this pattern whenever you want to talk about possibility or ability. It is perfect for real-world scenarios. Imagine you are at a flea market. You see a cool old radio. You ask the seller if it can be repaired. You say: Lässt sich das Radio reparieren? It sounds natural and polite. You also use it for physical properties of things. Can the window be opened? Das Fenster lässt sich öffnen. Is the text easy to read? Der Text lässt sich gut lesen. Use it at work too. Can the meeting be moved? Der Termin lässt sich verschieben. It is also great for giving opinions on food. Does the soup taste good? Die Suppe lässt sich essen. (That is a bit of a joke, it means it is okay but not amazing). It is your go-to tool for checking what is possible in your new German-speaking world.

Do not use this if you want to emphasize who is doing the action. If you want to say "I am fixing the car," just use the normal active voice. sich lassen is strictly for when the "who" does not matter. Also, avoid it for impossible things that have nothing to do with ability. For example, you would not say "It lets itself rain" to mean it can rain. That makes no sense! Stick to actions that a human or a machine can actually perform. Do not use it for things that happen on their own, like the sun rising. It is for tasks, repairs, and manageable situations. If there is no "action" being done to a "thing," this rule usually stays in the toolbox. Keep it simple and logical.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so do not worry! The most common slip-up is forgetting the word sich. Without sich, the sentence loses its passive meaning. Another classic mistake is putting the main verb in the wrong place. Remember, the infinitive must go to the very end of the sentence. Do not try to conjugate the second verb. Leave it alone in its basic form! Also, watch out for the conjugation of lassen. Forgetting that it changes to lässt for singular things is a frequent error. Finally, do not use sich lassen with verbs that do not take an object. You cannot say "The man lets himself sleep" to mean he can sleep. That just sounds like he is giving himself permission. Only use it when something is being done to the subject.

You might wonder: "Why not just use können?" You can! You can say Das Auto kann repariert werden. This is the standard passive. But sich lassen sounds much more like a native speaker in casual talk. It is lighter. können feels a bit more formal or technical. Think of können like a formal suit and sich lassen like your favorite hoodie. Both work, but one is much more comfortable for daily life. There is also a small difference in meaning. sich lassen often implies that the object itself has the *quality* to allow the action. If a door lässt sich öffnen, it means the lock works. If you use kann, it might just mean you have the key. It is a subtle difference, but using sich lassen makes you sound much more integrated into the language.