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a. I have Windows installed

b. I have my hair cut

The only solution I found was the verb lassen. Still remains unclear how to use it, how to translate in an appropriate way.

And also very important: Are there any other solutions besides that with the word lassen?

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It is also possible to use "Rezipientenpassiv" (bekommen + Partizip Perfekt):

Ich bekomme Windows installiert
Ich bekomme die Haare geschnitten

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  • Would you really ever say it that way? – Howard Pautz Sep 23 '14 at 2:38
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    Absolutely. Morgen bekomme ich die neuen Möbel geliefert is a perfect example. – Ingmar Sep 23 '14 at 5:04
  • Well, the first sentence does sound a bit odd, but it's not wrong per se. – user6191 Sep 23 '14 at 9:12
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    We had it here a few days back in another example: german.stackexchange.com/questions/15754/… – Veredomon Sep 23 '14 at 11:45
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"Ich lasse mir Windows installieren"

"Ich lasse mir die Haare schneiden"

This is what I would normally say.

Somewhat more formal, and probably rarely used in spoken German :

"Mir wird Windows installiert"

"Mir werden die Haare geschnitten ".

The latter option (i.e. the passive construction) has a slightly different connotation - while the first option implies that you actually wanted someone to cut your hair/ install Windows, the latter is neutral in this respect.

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  • Thank you so much, @Gerhard! Perfect and comprehensive answer! Helped a lot! – Alex Herman Sep 22 '14 at 21:59
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    @gerhard Shouldn't it be "ich habe ... installieren gelassen"/"ich habe ... schneiden gelassen"? – persson Sep 22 '14 at 22:32
  • @karoshi: the only thing I can say: sounds wrong to me - but I cannot give you a grammatical explanation, unfortunately. I probably wouldn't even notice if someone else said this, but I would never say so myself... – Gerhard Sep 22 '14 at 22:45
  • @karoshi: No, I'm afraid it's ich habe + inf. + lassen. – Ingmar Sep 23 '14 at 5:03
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    @karoshi: Gerhard's solution is in the "perfect" form. A "present perfect" does not exist in the German language. – Marc Sep 23 '14 at 12:32

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