Subjunctive I (reported speech)
Konjunktiv I (indirekte Rede)
marks reported speech in formal/written German: 'Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit' = he says he has no time.
Structure
Verbstamm + Konjunktiv-I-Endung (er sei, er habe, er werde, er komme)
verb stem + subjunctive-I ending (er sei, er habe, er werde, er komme)
Details
- Part of Speech
- Mood
- Register
- Formal/written
Explanation
Konjunktiv I marks reported speech (indirekte Rede) and is typical of news reports, minutes and academic summaries. It signals that you are relaying someone else's words, not making the claim yourself.
It is formed from the stem + endings and is most clearly distinct from the in the 3rd person singular:
- sein → er sei
- haben → er habe
- werden → er werde
- kommen → er komme
- machen → er mache
Example: Der Sprecher betonte, die Regierung habe alles unter Kontrolle. - The spokesperson stressed that the government had everything under control.
Example: Sie sagt, sie sei krank und komme morgen nicht. - She says she is ill and won't come tomorrow.
Common mistake: Unlike English, German does not shift the back. Er sagte, er sei krank = "He said he was ill" - German keeps the present even when the introducing is in the past. Also note that dass is often omitted, leaving main-clause : Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit.
About Subjunctive I (reported speech)
marks reported speech in formal/written German: 'Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit' = he says he has no time.
is formed from the stem plus subjunctive endings and signals that you are reporting someone else's words. It is mainly used in the 3rd person , where it differs clearly from the : 'habe', 'sei', 'werde', 'komme'.
Der kennzeichnet die indirekte Rede, besonders in Nachrichten und Berichten. Typische Formen: er sei, er habe, er werde, er komme.
Caution
The Konjunktiv I does not move tenses back like English: 'Er sagte, er sei krank' = he said he was ill.