Learn German: Das Alter lässt sich nicht bestimmen.

Das Alter lässt sich nicht bestimmen.

The age cannot be determined.

Breakdown of Das Alter lässt sich nicht bestimmen.

nicht

not

lassen

to let, to leave (something)

sich

oneself / himself / herself / themselves (reflexive pronoun)

das Alter

the old age / the age

Questions & Answers about Das Alter lässt sich nicht bestimmen.

How does lässt sich ... bestimmen express the passive voice here?

The construction sich lassen combined with an infinitive verb at the end of the sentence is a very common way to express possibility in the passive voice. Literally, it translates to 'The age does not let itself be determined'. It is used as a more elegant alternative to the standard passive form.

Could I write this using a normal passive sentence instead?

Yes, you absolutely can. The standard passive equivalent is Das Alter kann nicht bestimmt werden. Both versions mean the exact same thing, but native speakers frequently use the sich lassen alternative because it avoids piling up multiple verbs at the very end of the sentence.

Why do we use the reflexive pronoun sich?

The structure always requires a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject. Because the subject Das Alter is in the third person, the correct reflexive pronoun is sich. Without it, the verb lassen would just mean 'to let' or 'to leave', and the sentence would no longer make sense.

Why is nicht placed right before bestimmen?

In this structure, the conjugated verb lässt takes the second position, pushing the infinitive bestimmen to the very end of the clause. When you negate the action of that infinitive verb, the word nicht is placed immediately before it.