Verbs:Konjunktiv I
Konjunktiv I, the less frequently used of the two types of subjunctive, is used to express indirect, or reported, speech. It is mainly used in newspaper articles and news reports to indicate, for the sake of objectivity, that which is being reported is not necessarily what is actually known.
Wolfdietrich | Rotkäppchen meinte, ich sei ein Bösewicht und du seiest ein Snob! | Little Red Riding Hood thinks (that) I am a bad guy and (that) you are a snob! |
Wolfgang | Ich meine, sie habe kein Herz. | I think (that) she has no heart. |
Der Konjunktiv im Präsens
Konjunktiv I is formed from the present tense of the verb (the 1st form, hence the name Konjunktiv I).
Typically only the third person singular form is used in Konjunktiv I; when German speakers want to talk about other forms in the subjunctive, they use Konjunktiv II.
The present tense of Konjunktiv I is formed by adding an -e to the stem of the infinitive:
Example: haben | Example: sollen | Example: geben | ||||||||
infinitive | = | haben | infinitive | = | sollen | infinitive | = | geben | ||
stem | = | hab- | stem | = | soll- | stem | = | geb- | ||
stem + -e | = | habe | stem + -e | = | solle | stem + -e | = | gebe |
Sein, however, is used in Konjunktiv I in all of its forms, not just in the third person singular.
singular | plural |
ich sei | wir seien |
du sei(e)st | ihr sei(e)t |
er sei sie sei es sei |
sie seien Sie seien |
der Froschkönig | Mein Arzt behauptete, für den Frauenjäger gebe es endlich ein Heilmittel! | My doctor claims (that) there is finally a cure for the womanizer! |
Aschenputtel | Echt? Ich habe neulich in der Zeitung gelesen, solche Männer seien unheilbar. | Really? I read in the newspaper recently (that) such men are incurable. |
der Froschkönig | Vielleicht hast du Recht, Aschenputtel. Aber ich bin kein Mann. Ich bin ein Frosch! | Maybe you are right, Cinderella. But I'm no man. I'm a frog! |
Konjunktiv I in the present tense is also used to express the future:
Dornröschen | Hast du gehört, Rapunzel? Im Fernsehen wurde berichtet, dass es heute Abend schneien solle! | Have you heard, Rapunzel? It was reported on TV (that) it is supposed to snow tonight! |
Rapunzel | Ja, das habe ich gehört! Und es werde auch furchtbar kalt! Meine Haare werden mich warm halten. | Yes, I already heard! And it's going to get terribly cold, too! My hair will keep me warm. |
Konjunktiv in der Vergangenheit
The past tense of Konjunktiv I is formed by using the auxiliary sei or habe and the past participle form of the verb.
Example: sein | Example: haben | |||||
auxiliary | = | sei | auxiliary | = | habe | |
past participle | = | gewesen | past participle | = | gehabt | |
auxiliary + past participle | = | sei gewesen | auxiliary + past participle | = | habe gehabt |
Schneewittchen | Chef sagte, er habe heute Morgen eine Menge Gold in den Bergen gefunden. | Doc said (that) he found a lot of gold in the mountains this morning. |
das brave Mädchen | Ha! Ein Nichts! Als ich bei Frau Holle war, wurde ich von einem Goldregen bedeckt! | Ha! That's nothing! When I was at Frau Holle's, I was covered in a shower of gold! |