CLASS 7 · LEARNING KNOWLEDGE
Mood and indirect speech – basic principles
How it works
In German there are three moods: indicative (reality mood), imperative (command mood) and subjunctive (mood of possibility). Indirect speech is usually formed in the present subjunctive to reproduce what someone has said without quoting it directly. The past subjunctive is often used when the present subjunctive is identical to the indicative or when unreality is to be expressed. Pronouns as well as time and place expressions only have to be adjusted when the perspective changes.
Note
Indirect speech in German is usually formed with the present subjunctive; if this is identical to the indicative, the past subjunctive is often used. Pronouns as well as time and place expressions are adjusted only when the new perspective requires it.
Indirect speech in German is usually formed with the present subjunctive; if this is identical to the indicative, the past subjunctive is often used. Pronouns as well as time and place expressions are adjusted only when the new perspective requires it.
An example
What is the indirect speech of: ‹Er sagt: „Ich gehe morgen ins Kino.“›?
Indirect speech: ‹Er sagt, er gehe morgen ins Kino.› Reason: The present subjunctive of ‹gehen› is ‹gehe›. The time expression ‹morgen› can remain unchanged here because no new temporal perspective is given.
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50 Exercises
To the learning unit →Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: German. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.