> German conditional tenses (Konditional I and II) are used to express possibility, hypothetical situations, politeness, and reported speech in German grammar.
The German conditional mood is expressed through two main tenses: Konditional I and Konditional II. They are used to talk about what would happen, what could happen, or what might have happened under certain conditions. Understanding these forms is key to expressing hypothetical situations, polite requests, and indirect speech.
Konditional I (Conditional I)
Konditional I is formed using werden in the present tense plus the infinitive of the main verb. It is mostly used in indirect speech but can also express a conditional meaning in more formal contexts.
- Word order follows the rule: Verb (auxiliary) – ... – Infinitive (end).
- The auxiliary werden is conjugated according to the subject.
- The main verb stays in the infinitive form at the end of the clause.
Table: Konditional I Conjugation with machen (to do)
| Subject | Werden + Infinitiv | English Equivalent | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | ich würde machen | I would do | Ich würde das machen. | I would do that. |
| du | du würdest machen | you would do | Du würdest das machen. | You would do that. |
| er/sie/es | er würde machen | he/she/it would do | Er würde das machen. | He would do that. |
| wir | wir würden machen | we would do | Wir würden das machen. | We would do that. |
| ihr | ihr würdet machen | you all would do | Ihr würdet das machen. | You all would do that. |
| sie/Sie | sie würden machen | they/you (formal) would do | Sie würden das machen. | They/You would do that. |
Examples of Konditional I Usage:
- Indirect speech:
Er sagt, er würde kommen.
(He says he would come.)
- Polite suggestions:
Ich würde das ausprobieren.
(I would try that.)
- Hypothetical situations:
Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich reisen.
(If I had more time, I would travel.)
Konditional II (Conditional II)
Konditional II is used to talk about unreal situations, regrets, or hypotheses about the past or present. It is formed using the past participle of the main verb plus the auxiliary würde (or the simple past form of haben or sein in more formal writing).
- For most verbs, use würde + infinitive.
- For strong verbs and common modals, the simple past + past participle form is also possible.
- The auxiliary würde is always conjugated for the subject if using the "würde + infinitive" form.
Table: Konditional II Conjugation with machen (to do)
| Subject | Würde + Infinitiv | English Equivalent | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | ich würde machen | I would do | Ich würde das machen. | I would do that. |
| du | du würdest machen | you would do | Du würdest das machen. | You would do that. |
| er/sie/es | er würde machen | he/she/it would do | Er würde das machen. | He would do that. |
| wir | wir würden machen | we would do | Wir würden das machen. | We would do that. |
| ihr | ihr würdet machen | you all would do | Ihr würdet das machen. | You all would do that. |
| sie/Sie | sie würden machen | they/you (formal) would do | Sie würden das machen. | They/You would do that. |
Examples of Konditional II Usage:
- Unreal present/past:
Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich eine Yacht kaufen.
(If I were rich, I would buy a yacht.)
- Regrets:
Ich hätte früher kommen sollen.
(I should have come earlier.)
- Polite requests or wishes:
Könntest du mir bitte helfen?
(Could you please help me?)
Special Note on Strong Verbs and Modals
Many strong verbs and modal verbs have an alternative Konditional II form that uses the simple past stem plus the past participle, without würde. This form is often considered more literary or formal.
- Example with gehen (to go):
Ich ging (simple past) → Ich wäre gegangen (past participle + auxiliary)
vs. Ich würde gehen (würde + infinitive)
- Example with modal können (can):
Ich könnte kommen. (würde + können)
Ich konnte kommen. (simple past, but less conditional)
Summary
- Konditional I = Werden (present) + infinitive; used for indirect speech and polite suggestions.
- Konditional II = Würde + infinitive (or simple past + past participle for strong verbs); used for unreal/hypothetical situations and regrets.
- Word order: Auxiliary verb near the beginning, main verb form at the end.
- Understanding these forms helps express a wide range of possibilities beyond simple facts.
By mastering Konditional I and II, you'll be able to talk about wishes, make polite requests, report speech more naturally, and explore hypothetical worlds in German!
Last updated: Sat May 31, 2025
