Breakdown of Diese Möglichkeit soll morgen wieder genutzt werden.
morgen
tomorrow
wieder
again
diese
this
sollen
should
Questions & Answers about Diese Möglichkeit soll morgen wieder genutzt werden.
What exactly does soll mean here, and how is it best translated into English?
soll is the 3rd person singular of sollen, a modal verb. In this sentence it expresses:
- a plan, requirement, or instruction coming from some authority or external decision, not from the speaker.
- something that is intended or supposed to happen.
Natural translations:
- “This possibility is to be used again tomorrow.”
- “This option is supposed to be used again tomorrow.”
- “This possibility should be used again tomorrow.” (but this can sound more like advice in English than in German)
It is not the same as wird (“will be used”), which sounds more like a neutral prediction or statement of fact. soll carries the nuance: according to some plan/requirement.
Why is it genutzt werden and not just a normal conjugated verb like wird genutzt?
genutzt werden is the passive infinitive, used because soll is a modal verb.
Passive without a modal (present tense):
Die Möglichkeit wird morgen wieder genutzt.
“The possibility is (being) used again tomorrow.”With a modal verb, you don’t use that finite passive form. You use:
- modal (conjugated) + past participle + werden (infinitive):
Diese Möglichkeit soll morgen wieder genutzt werden.
literally: “This possibility shall tomorrow again used be.”
Structure:
- soll – conjugated modal
- genutzt – past participle of nutzen
- werden – infinitive to build the passive
So wird genutzt becomes genutzt werden when you add a modal like soll.