Distinguishing the Zustandspassiv from other forms

CA71

The form of the Zustandspassiv is identical to other structures. We can distinguish the sein-passive from these structures by performing some tests.

During these tests we convert the Zustandspassiv, which expresses the result of an action, into the active voice i.e. we attempt, starting from the result of the action to state the action itself (the action has an agent and is expressed in the active voice).

The subject of the passive voice sentence becomes the accusative object of the active voice sentence.

Examples	conversion test
Der Motor ist repariert.	Zustandspassiv	active	Man repariert den Motor.
Der Laden ist geöffnet.			Man öffnet den Laden.

This conversion is not possible in the following structures:

Present perfect active with sein

Examples	conversion test
Ich bin zurückgekommen.	present perfect active with sein	active	Man kommt mich zurück.
			FALSE

Adjectives as predicative expressions (past participles used as adjectives)

Example	conversion test
Er ist begabt.	adjective as predicative expression	active	Man begabt ihn.
			FALSE

Zustandsreflexiv

Example	conversion test
Er ist verliebt.	Zustandsreflexiv	active	Man verliebt ihn.
			FALSE