Passives are not as common in German as in English.
There are many ways to express the same idea without using 'Werden'.
1) by using the pronoun man (meaning they or one) with a normal, active verb.
Man hatte es mir schon gesagt. | I had already been told. |
Note that man is not always translated as they or one.
2) by using sich lassen plus a verb in the infinitive. It often implies "können:"
Das lässt sich machen. | That can be done. |
Der Wagen lässt sich leicht reparieren. | The car is easy to repair/can be repaired easily. |
Das Problem ließ sich nur schwer erkennen. | The problem could be recognized only with difficulty. |
3) by using an active tense where the agent of the action is known.
Susi schenkte ihr ein Auto. | Susi gave her a car. |
INSTEAD OF
Ihr wurde von Susi ein Auto geschenkt. | She was given a car by Susi. |
4) A few descriptive past participles are so common that they’ve essentially become adjectives, and you can use them without invoking the passive voice at all:
Ich bin [not werde] beeindruckt! | I’m impressed! |
Er ist [not wird] geschieden. | He's divorced. |
5) reflexive:
Der Wagen repariert sich leicht. | The car is easy to repair. |
Diese Sportschuhe verkaufen sich wie warme Semmeln. | These athletic shoes sell like hotcakes. |
Wie schreibt sich dieser Name? | How do you spell this name? |
Das versteht sich von selbst. | That goes without saying. |
6) sein" + "zu": implies "können," "müssen," or "sollen," ="is/are to" + passive:
Der Wagen ist leicht zu reparieren. | The car is easy to repair. |
Diese Komplikationen waren nicht vorauszusehen. | These complications couldn't be foreseen. |
7) introductory "es" is often used to begin a passive main clause.
The true subject is the noun found in the third position.
It is this noun that determines the conjugation of the finite verb.
If some other element is placed in the first position, the introductory "es" normally disappears:
Es werden viele Häuser aus Holz gebaut. | Many houses are being built of wood. |
Heute werden viele Häuser aus Holz gebaut. | Today many houses are being built of wood. |
Es wird nur Deutsch gesprochen. | Only German is spoken. |
Hier wird nur Deutsch gesprochen. | Here only German is spoken. |
The introductory "es" is particularly common in the passive with verbs that take the dative.
Es wird uns geholfen. | We are being helped. |
Es wurde ihm noch eine Chance gegeben. | He was given another chance. |
Even when it is the official subject, this es can be thought of as place-holder. When another element occupies the first position, the es usually disappears:
Mir wird geholfen. | I'm being helped. |
Oft wurde ihr gedankt. | She was often thanked. |