Indirekte Rede (mit dass und Konjunktiv I/II) grammar in German

Language: German
Level: B1
Unit: Satzstruktur und Wortstellung
Practice types: 0

What this grammar point covers

Indirect speech in German is used to report what someone else said, without quoting them directly. It often uses 'dass' (that) and the special verb forms called Konjunktiv I or II.

When to use it

Use indirect speech in German when you want to report what someone else said, especially in newspapers, formal writing, or when you are not quoting the exact words.

Key forms

dass + Subjekt + Verb im Konjunktiv I
Konjunktiv I: er/sie/es habe, sei, gehe, komme, spreche, etc.
Konjunktiv II (if Konjunktiv I looks like indicative): er/sie/es hätte, wäre, ginge, käme, spräche, etc.

Examples

Er sagt, dass er morgen komme.

English: He says that he will come tomorrow.

Sie behauptet, dass sie das Buch gelesen habe.

English: She claims that she has read the book.

Peter meint, dass er keine Zeit habe.

English: Peter thinks that he has no time.

Der Lehrer sagt, dass die Schüler fleißig seien.

English: The teacher says that the students are diligent.

Tips

Use Konjunktiv I for indirect speech. If the Konjunktiv I form is the same as the normal (indicative) form, use Konjunktiv II.
Remember to use 'dass' to introduce the reported clause.
The verb in the indirect clause goes at the end, in Konjunktiv I or II.

Exceptions and edge cases

Some verbs (like 'haben', 'sein') have special Konjunktiv forms.
If the subject is 'ich' or 'wir', Konjunktiv I often looks like the indicative, so use Konjunktiv II.