Er sagt, er habe keine Zeit.
English: He says he has no time.
- Language
- German
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Verbformen und Modi
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Konjunktiv I is a special verb form in German used mainly for indirect speech, to report what someone else has said.
When to use it
Use Konjunktiv I in German when you want to report what someone else said (indirect speech), especially in news, books, or formal situations. It shows you are not stating your own opinion, but reporting someone else's words.
Key forms
- The Konjunktiv I is usually formed from the verb stem and special endings:
- ich gehe, du gehest, er/sie/es gehe, wir gehen, ihr gehet, sie gehen
- Most verbs use the present stem.
Examples
Sie behauptet, sie sei krank.
English: She claims she is sick.
Der Lehrer meint, die Schüler müssten mehr lernen.
English: The teacher thinks the students must study more.
Peter sagt, er komme später.
English: Peter says he will come later.
Tips
- Konjunktiv I is mostly used in written German, especially in newspapers and reports.
- If the Konjunktiv I form looks the same as the indicative, Germans often use Konjunktiv II to avoid confusion.
- Remember: Konjunktiv I is not for wishes or hypothetical situations (that's Konjunktiv II).
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some verbs, like 'sein', have irregular forms: ich sei, du seiest, er sei, etc.
- If the Konjunktiv I form is identical to the indicative, use Konjunktiv II instead.