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The impersonal passive

In German, the passive voice can appear without any subject of the verb, or with an impersonal subject es. This grammatical structure places emphasis upon the action itself, rather than upon the doer or receiver of the action. It is frequently used in official directives.

Hier wird nicht geparkt.
Im Gang wird nicht geraucht.
Es wurde viel getanzt und gesungen.
No parking here.
No smoking in the corridor.
There was lots of dancing and singing.
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