Direct/Indirect Speech
In German, reporting what someone said can either repeat their exact words (direct speech) or convey the sense of their message (indirect speech). This guide covers both ways and when to use each.
Direct Speech
Direct speech repeats the speaker's words verbatim and usually enforces them with quotation marks or dashes. The reporting clause names the speaker and keeps the original tense and person.
Format
Show the speaker with a reporting verb, then insert the exact phrase between quotes or after a dash, and keep the verbal forms as in the original utterance.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ☀️ „Das Festival beginnt morgen um fünf.“ | “The festival starts tomorrow at five.” |
| 🍴 „Die Stände öffnen um Mittag.“ | “The stalls open at noon.” |
| 🎵 „Die erste Band spielt um sechs.“ | “The first band plays at six.” |
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Indirect Speech
Indirect speech reforms the reported message to fit the narrator's perspective, often shifting tense and adjusting pronouns. In German, indirect speech frequently uses dass clauses or the subjunctive mood.
Format
Use a reporting verb followed by a subordinate clause introduced by dass when needed, and change the verb to the appropriate tense or mood to signal reported information.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌧️ Er sagte, das Festival beginne später wegen des Regens. | He said the festival would start later because of the rain. |
| 📢 Sie sagte, die Stände öffneten jetzt. | She said the stalls were opening now. |
| 🛠️ Sie sagten, die erste Band spiele noch Soundcheck. | They said the first band was still doing soundcheck. |
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The Subjunctive (Konjunktiv)
The subjunctive mood, especially Konjunktiv I, marks reported speech as such and distances the narrator from the claim. It's standard in indirect speech for press, academia, and formal contexts.
Konjunktiv I
Konjunktiv I forms come from the infinitive for each person; they appear in reports to signal that the speaker's authority is relayed rather than endorsed.
| Person | Infinitiv sagen | Konjunktiv I sagen | Beispiel |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | sagen | ich sage | Ich sage: „...“ |
| du | sagen | du sagest | Er sagt, du sagest ... |
| er/sie/es | sagen | er/sie/es sage | Sie sagt, er sage ... |
| wir | sagen | wir sagen | Wir sagen: „...“ |
| ihr | sagen | ihr saget | Ihr sagt, ihr saget ... |
| sie/Sie | sagen | sie/Sie sagen | Sie sagen: „...“ |
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Konjunktiv II
Konjunktiv II greift man für indirekte Rede, wenn Konjunktiv I mit dem Indikativ identisch ist, oder um Zweifel und Irrealität zu betonen. Es bildet sich oft mit der Präteritumform plus Umlaut und passenden Endungen.
| Person | Präteritum sagen | Konjunktiv II sagen | Beispiel |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | sagte | ich sässe / sagte | Er sagte, ich sässe ... |
| du | sagtest | du säßest / sagtest | Sie sagte, du säßest ... |
| er/sie/es | sagte | er/sie/es sässe / sagte | Er sagte, er sässe ... |
| wir | sagten | wir sässen / sagten | Sie sagte, wir sässen ... |
| ihr | sagtet | ihr säßet / sagtet | Er sagte, ihr säßet ... |
| sie/Sie | sagten | sie/Sie sässen / sagten | Sie sagte, sie sässen ... |
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Reporting Verbs
Reporting verbs frame the quoted or reported content and come in types that signal saying, thinking, asking, or adding attitude. Choosing the right verb helps set tone and meaning in both direct and indirect speech.
| German Verb | English Verb | Type |
|---|---|---|
| sagen | to say | Reporting |
| erzählen | to tell/narrate | Reporting |
| fragen | to ask | Interrogative |
| antworten | to answer | Interrogative |
| behaupten | to claim | Attitudinal |
| meinen | to think/mean | Attitudinal |
| überlegen | to consider | Cognitive |
| hinzufügen | to add | Reporting |
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Signal Words
Signal words in the surrounding text—like time expressions or introductory phrases—help determine whether to keep the original tense (for direct speech) or shift it (for indirect speech). They guide readers in placing the reported event.
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Summary
Use direct speech to preserve the speaker's exact wording with quotations and original tense, and use indirect speech to integrate reports smoothly with possible tense shifts and subjunctive forms. Reporting verbs and signal words further shape how the message comes across.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025