Das Notizbuch soll jeden Tag benutzt werden.

should

Breakdown of Das Notizbuch soll jeden Tag benutzt werden.

• jeden Tag: every day
• das Notizbuch: the notebook
• benutzt werden: to be used

Questions & Answers about Das Notizbuch soll jeden Tag benutzt werden.

What exactly does soll express here? Is it like “must”?

Soll shows that there is an obligation or expectation, but usually weaker or more “external” than muss.

• Das Notizbuch soll jeden Tag benutzt werden.
  = The notebook is supposed to be used every day / is meant to be used every day.

Nuance compared to muss:

• muss = strong necessity, no real choice

  • Das Notizbuch muss jeden Tag benutzt werden.
    → It has to be used every day; very strict requirement.

• soll = obligation, rule, or instruction, often coming from someone else or from a plan

  • A teacher, manager, or instruction manual might say this.

In everyday speech, soll can also sound like a recommendation or guideline, while muss is more like a hard rule.

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Why is the sentence in the passive (benutzt werden) instead of active?

The passive focuses on the notebook and what should happen to it, not on who uses it.

• Passive:

  • Das Notizbuch soll jeden Tag benutzt werden.
    → Emphasis: the notebook and the rule about it. The user is unknown or unimportant.

• Active versions:

  • Du sollst das Notizbuch jeden Tag benutzen. (You are supposed to use the notebook every day.)
  • Die Schüler sollen das Notizbuch jeden Tag benutzen. (The students are supposed to use it every day.)

Choose passive when:

• The agent (who does it) is irrelevant, unknown, or obvious from context.
• You want a neutral, “rule-like” statement (typical in instructions, rules, announcements).

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