Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.

In the course, questions may be asked at any time.

Breakdown of Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.

• dürfen: may
• im: in the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
• die Frage: the question
• der Kurs: the course
• jederzeit: at any time
• gestellt werden: to be asked

Questions & Answers about Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.

What does Im Kurs literally mean, and why is it not in dem Kurs?

Im is a contraction of in dem. So literally:

• in dem Kurs = in the course / in the class
• im Kurs = in the course / in class (more natural, just shortened)

In everyday German, in dem almost always becomes im when followed by a masculine or neuter noun in the dative case. Kurs is masculine (der Kurs), so:

• in dem Kurs → im Kurs

Both are grammatically correct, but im Kurs is what you’ll normally hear and read.

Why is Kurs in the dative case here?

The preposition in is a so‑called two-way preposition (Wechselpräposition). It can take:

• Accusative: when there is movement into something (direction)
  
  • Ich gehe in den Kurs. – I am going into the course/class.
• Dative: when something is located in a place (no movement)
  
  • Im Kurs – In the course / While in class (location, no movement)

In the sentence Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden, we are talking about the situation during the course, not moving into it. So in takes the dative, and der Kurs (nominative) becomes dem Kurs (dative) → contracted to im Kurs.

What exactly does dürfen express in this sentence, and how is it different from können?

dürfen expresses permission: something is allowed.

• dürfen ≈ may / to be allowed to
• können ≈ can / to be able to (ability or possibility)

In this sentence:

• dürfen … Fragen gestellt werden = it is allowed that questions are asked → Questions may be asked.

If you said Im Kurs können jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden, it would sound more like:

• It is possible that questions are asked at any time (for example, the format of the course allows it).

Using dürfen clearly tells learners: you are permitted to ask questions.

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

The passive is used to focus on the action (asking questions) rather than on who is doing it.

• Passive: Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.
  
  • In the course, questions may be asked at any time.
  • Focus: the general rule during the course.
• Active equivalent:
  
  • Im Kurs darf man jederzeit Fragen stellen.
    
    • In the course, one may ask questions at any time.
  • or Im Kurs dürft ihr jederzeit Fragen stellen.
    
    • In the course, you (plural) may ask questions at any time.

German often uses the passive or the impersonal man in rules, announcements, instructions, and signs. It sounds more neutral and less personal than directly saying ihr dürft (you may).

How does the passive with a modal verb work grammatically in dürfen … gestellt werden?

This is a passive construction combined with a modal verb:

1. Modal verb in 2nd position (finite verb)

   • dürfen is conjugated for 3rd person plural (Fragen = plural subject):
     
     • sie dürfen → Fragen dürfen …

2. Passive voice with werden

   • past participle
   • base passive (without modal):
     
     • Fragen werden gestellt. – Questions are asked.

3. With a modal verb, German uses a double infinitive at the end:

   • dürfen
     • gestellt werden
   • Both gestellt (participle used as infinitive here) and werden go to the end of the clause.

So the structure is:

• Im Kurs – prepositional phrase
• dürfen – conjugated modal verb, in 2nd position (as German requires)
• jederzeit – adverb
• Fragen – subject
• gestellt werden – infinitive cluster (participle + werden) at the end

Pattern:
[Other stuff] + modal (V2) + … + past participle + werden

Why is Fragen used without an article here?

In German, indefinite plurals often appear without an article when you talk about things in general.

• Fragen = questions (in general, not specific ones)
• Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.
  
  • Questions may be asked at any time in the course. (any questions, not particular ones)

Compare:

• Es werden Fragen gestellt. – Questions are being asked.
• Es werden die Fragen gestellt. – The questions are being asked (some specific, known questions).
• Es werden einige Fragen gestellt. – Some questions are being asked.

No article here emphasizes any number and any kind of questions are allowed, in general.

Why Fragen gestellt werden and not something with fragen, like gefragt werden?

German distinguishes between the verb fragen and the noun + verb expression eine Frage stellen:

• jemanden fragen – to ask someone (directly)
  • Ich frage den Lehrer. – I ask the teacher.
• jemandem eine Frage stellen – to ask someone a question
  • Ich stelle dem Lehrer eine Frage. – I ask the teacher a question.

To say questions are asked, German almost always uses:

• Fragen stellen (literally: to put questions)
• Passive: Fragen werden gestellt.

Using gefragt werden would shift the focus:

• Die Lehrerin wird gefragt. – The teacher is asked (people ask her).
  (Subject = teacher, not questions.)

Here, the subject is Fragen, so the natural expression is:

• Fragen gestellt werden = questions are (being) asked.

What does jederzeit mean exactly, and how is it different from immer?

jederzeit means at any time. It has a slightly formal or neutral tone and emphasizes freedom of choice of time.

• Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.
  
  • Questions may be asked at any time during the course.

Differences:

• immer = always
  
  • Focus: continuity, no exceptions.
  • Im Kurs werden immer Fragen gestellt.
    
    • Questions are always asked in the course. (describing a habit, not a rule)
• jederzeit = at any time
  
  • Focus: permission / availability at all times, whenever you choose.

You could also say:

• zu jeder Zeit – a bit more formal or emphatic; same meaning as jederzeit.

Can the word order be changed, for example to Im Kurs dürfen Fragen jederzeit gestellt werden?

Yes, word order in the middle field (between the finite verb and the verb cluster at the end) is somewhat flexible. Acceptable variants include:

1. Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen gestellt werden.
2. Im Kurs dürfen Fragen jederzeit gestellt werden.

Both are grammatically correct. The difference is just a slight change in emphasis:

• Version 1 (original): lightly emphasizes jederzeit (the any time aspect).
• Version 2: lightly emphasizes Fragen (that it is questions, rather than something else).

What you cannot say is:

• ✗ Im Kurs dürfen jederzeit Fragen werden gestellt.

In German, with passive and/or modal verbs, the non‑finite parts (gestellt werden) must stay together at the end of the clause; you must not split them up.

Is there a more colloquial or alternative way to say the same thing?

Yes. Some common, more direct or colloquial alternatives:

1. Im Kurs darf man jederzeit Fragen stellen.

   • Very common. Uses impersonal man (one / people / you).
   • Meaning: You may ask questions at any time in the course.

2. Ihr könnt jederzeit Fragen stellen.

   • Informal, addressing a group directly (students, participants).
   • You (plural) can/may ask questions at any time.

3. Sie können jederzeit Fragen stellen.

   • Polite/formal Sie, addressing participants.
   • Often used by teachers, trainers: You can/may ask questions at any time.

The original passive sentence sounds slightly more formal or announcement-like, suitable for written course descriptions, rules, or formal speech. The active versions with man, ihr, or Sie are more typical in direct classroom communication.