Subjunctive
The subjunctive mood (der Konjunktiv) shows unreal, hypothetical, or wished-for situations and softens requests or statements.
Subjunctive I
Subjunctive I (der Konjunktiv I) mainly appears in reported speech to reproduce someone else's exact wording.
Formation
Form Subjunctive I from the infinitive stem plus the subjunctive endings; use the subjunctive I forms for 1st and 2nd person to signal reported speech clearly.
| Person | German Conjunctive I | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | er sage | I say (reported) |
| du | er sagest | you say (reported) |
| er/sie/es | er sage | he/she/it says (reported) |
| wir | er sagen | we say (reported) |
| ihr | er saget | you all say (reported) |
| sie/Sie | er sagen | they/you (formal) say (reported) |
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Usage
Use Subjunctive I for newspaper quotes, speeches, and when you want to distance yourself from the statement.
| German Example | English Translation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 🧙♂️ Der Zauberer sagt, er könne den Drachen bändigen. | The wizard says he can tame the dragon. | Indirect speech: report with modal verb |
| 🧙♀️ Die Hexe behauptet, sie sehe den Sturm kommen. | The witch claims she sees the storm coming. | Indirect speech: present tense observation |
| 📜 Der Bote meldete, der König wolle das Fest verschieben. | The messenger reported that the king wished to postpone the feast. | Indirect speech: royal command |
| 🔥 Es werde gesagt, der Feuervogel erscheine nur bei Vollmond. | It is said that the firebird appears only on a full moon. | Reported legend or rumor |
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Subjunctive II
Subjunctive II (der Konjunktiv II) expresses unreal conditions, polite requests, and counterfactuals; it often appears in würde + infinitive constructions.
Formation
Form Subjunctive II from the simple past stem with umlaut where possible, plus subjunctive II endings; use würde + infinitive if the subjunctive II form sounds awkward or is rare.
| Person | German Conjunctive II | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | ich gäbe | I would give |
| du | du gäbest | you would give |
| er/sie/es | er gäbe | he/she/it would give |
| wir | wir gäben | we would give |
| ihr | ihr gäbet | you all would give |
| sie/Sie | sie gäben | they/you (formal) would give |
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Usage
Use Subjunctive II for hypotheticals, wishes, and polite forms; pair it with wenn for unreal conditions.
| German Example | English Translation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 🧙♂️ Der Zauberer würde den Berg versetzen, wenn er mehr Zeit hätte. | The wizard would move the mountain if he had more time. | Hypothetical condition |
| 🌫️ Die Hexe könnte einen Nebel zaubern, der das Tal verbirgt. | The witch could conjure a fog that hides the valley. | Potential ability |
| 🐉 Wenn der Drachen schlief, wäre die Straße sicher. | If the dragon slept, the road would be safe. | Contrary-to-fact condition |
| 🧪 Man sollte das Elixier prüfen, bevor man es trank. | One should test the elixir before drinking it. | Advice or caution |
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Would Rather
To express preference or soft counterfactuals, use Subjunctive II or würde lieber + infinitive; both convey nuanced differences in politeness and immediacy.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧙♂️ Ich würde eher einen Sturm heraufbeschwören, als in eine Falle zu gehen. | I would rather summon a storm than fall into a trap. |
| 🧝 Sie würde lieber mit dem Wind reiten, als den mühsamen Pfad zu nehmen. | She would rather ride the wind than take the tedious path. |
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Could / Might / Should
Modal nuances like ability, possibility, or advice in subjunctive contexts come from combining könnte, mögliche, sollte etc. in Subjunctive II or using them alongside würde + infinitive.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧙 Der Zauberer könnte die Sterne befragen, um den richtigen Weg zu finden. | The wizard could consult the stars to find the right path. |
| 🌟 Es könnte eine Prüfung geben, wenn der Morgennebel sich lichtet. | There might be a trial when the morning fog clears. |
| ⚠️ Man sollte Vorsicht walten lassen, wenn das magische Zeichen glüht. | One should exercise caution when the magical sign glows. |
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Summary
Subjunctive I reports speech exactly, Subjunctive II handles unreal and polite forms, and würde + infinitive fills gaps where forms are awkward; signal words and context guide which mood to use.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025