Subjunctive in indirect speech – basics and use
How it works
In indirect speech, a statement is reported without quoting it word for word. In standard language, the subjunctive I is usually used for this, for example in ‹Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit.› The subjunctive creates distance from the original statement. If a form of the subjunctive I looks the same as the indicative, school tasks often use the subjunctive II as a substitute form, for example ‹Sie berichten, sie hätten gewonnen.› Indirect speech often follows introductory verbs such as ‹sagen›, ‹berichten›, ‹erklären› or ‹fragen›. The tense of the original statement usually remains the same; what matters is the intended time relation.
In indirect speech, use the subjunctive I in most cases, for example ‹er komme› or ‹sie habe gelesen›. If a form is identical to the indicative, school tasks often use the subjunctive II as a substitute form, for example ‹sie hätten gewonnen›. An introductory verb such as ‹sagen› or ‹berichten› indicates that a statement is being reported.
An example
Which subjunctive form appears in indirect speech in the sentence ‹Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit.›?
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50 Exercises · three difficulty levels · selection and number input
To the learning unit →Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: KMK Educational Standards Mathematics ESA/MSA. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.