The Reflexive Passive Alternative
In English, we often use active verbs to describe how a product handles: "The book reads well" or "The car drives well."
German expresses this using a reflexive construction (Reflexivkonstruktion als Passiversatz).
Use the item being described as the subject, followed by the active verb, the reflexive pronoun sich, and an adverb (gut, schlecht, am besten).
| The new manual reads really well. | Die neue Anleitung liest sich wirklich gut. |
| Which compact car drives best? | Welches kompakte Auto fährt sich am besten? |
Reviewing Usability and Design
This pattern is common in product reviews for describing usability, physical handling, or maintenance. It shifts the focus from the user to the product itself.
Verbs like bedienen (to operate), lenken (to steer), and waschen (to wash) are frequently used with sich.
| The menu operates completely intuitively. | Das Menü bedient sich völlig intuitiv. |
| The car is handy and steers very easily. | Der Wagen ist handlich und lenkt sich sehr leicht. |
| This fabric washes very well. | Dieser Stoff wäscht sich sehr gut. |
Conditions and Drawbacks
You can also use this structure in negative phrases or conditional statements to highlight how a design choice impacts the user experience or a product's sales.
| Should the display be too small, it sells poorly. | Sollte das Display zu klein sein, verkauft es sich schlecht. |
| Without glasses, this book does not read well. | Ohne Brille liest sich dieses Buch nicht gut. |