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⭐ Present perfect - Reported speech (SUBJUNCTIVE 1)

SUBJUNCTIVE 2

SUBJUNCTIVE 1

Check me!

If you only asked me!

Wenn du mich nur gefragt hättest! (past participle + subjunctive)

Translation

Check me!

If I had more money I would buy I new house

Wenn ich mehr Geld hätte, würde ich ein neues Haus kaufen

Used in wishful thinking:

Translation

Check me!

She acts like she is the smartest person in the room

Sie verhält sich so, als wäre sie die intelligenteste Person im Raum

Translation

Check me!

If I were a rich man I would travel all over the world

Wenn ich ein reicher Mann wäre, würde ich um die ganze Welt reisen

As if - type of scenarios by using als, wenn, als ob, als wenn

Translation

Check me!

I'm not sure this would be the right thing to do

Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob dies das Richtige wäre

Translation

Check me!

I don't think dropping out of college would solve anything

Ich denke nicht, dass ein Studienabbruch irgendetwas lösen würde

Expressing doubt or uncertainty by using dass, ob structures

Translation

Check me!

Could you please repeat that?

Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?

Translation

Check me!

I would like a cup of tea

“Ich möchte eine Tasse Tee”

Subjunctive 2 - Would

dürfte	might/ would be allowed to
möchte	would like to
müsste	would have to
könnte	could/ would be able to
wollte*	would want to
sollte*	should/ would be supposed to

*are identical with their past simple forms and don’t get any umlaut

Subjunctive 2

⭐ Modals are also used with subjunctive 2 a lot and their past simple forms get umlaut:

SUBJUNCTIVE 2( would have/ had)

SUBJUNCTIVE 1

Ich	würde
Du	würdest
Er/ Sie/ Es	würde
Wir	würden
Ihr	würdet
Sie/ sie	würden

Ich	hätte
Du	hättest
Er/ Sie/ Es	hätte
Wir	hätten
Ihr	hättest
Sie/ sie	hätten

Ich	habe
Du	habest
Er/ Sie/ Es	habe
Wir	haben
Ihr	habet
Sie/ sie	haben

*If this table doesn't display right, please turn your phone horrizontaly !

⭐ Haben

➔ Follows the rule of Subjunctive by adding - e to the root

➔ At subjunctive 2: a → ä

Sie sagte, dass sie das Abendessen gemacht habe

She said that she made the dinner

Er sagte, dass er im Park gelaufen sei

He said that he ran in the park

Sie sagt “Ich mache das Abendessen” (direct speech)

She says “I make the dinner”

Man sagt, dass sie das Abendessen mache (reported speech)

She said that she makes the dinner

SUBJUNCTIVE 2( would be/ were)

SUBJUNCTIVE 1

Ich	wäre
Du	wärest
Er/ Sie/ Es	wäre
Wir	wären
Ihr	wäret
Sie/ sie	wären

Ich	sei
Du	seiest
Er/ Sie/ Es	sei
Wir	seien
Ihr	seiet
Sie/ sie	seien

SUBJUNCTIVE 2

SUBJUNCTIVE 1

Ich	machte
Du	machtest
Er/ Sie/ Es	machte
Wir	machten
Ihr	machtet
Sie/ sie	machten

Ich	mache
Du	machest
Er/ Sie/ Es	mache
Wir	machen
Ihr	machet
Sie/ sie	machen

Beforehand, let’s quickly see their forms:

✔️ The subjunctive 1 adds - e to the endings (notice that only “du//ihr” have an extra -e and “ er/sie/es” have replaced -t with -e”)

✔️ Regular verbs have no change at the “imperfect subjunctive” compared to their simple past forms (some regular and irregular get umlaut at subjunctive 2)

SUBJUNCTIVE 2 or “Imperfect subjunctive” (you guessed it right! same forms at past simple for regular verbs, and changed at irregular verbs) and has got many contextual meanings

Politely express requests or obligations by using the modal verbs

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Translation

When using the subjunctive 2 in the reported speech, we are neutral and reserved because we don’t know for sure the truth of the statements

Mrs. Puddles gives a tip!

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Cats are lovely and may prove to be a good company for you while learning or struggling with German.

Here's the perfect place for animal lovers and German learners!

2020, L2D

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*If this table doesn't display right, please turn your phone horrizontaly !

Take your chance and try to guess what these sentences mean ! Afterwards, follow the structure to get a better understanding !

Mrs. Purrplexed wants to play!

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Mr. Puddle: It’s used in reported speech and you should know it because you will read a lot of newspapers, watch news but you won’t use it too often. You should focus on the subjunctive 2. You’ll know how to express doubts, wishes or hypothetical situations. No scam here, Lady Scam. Just knowledge!

Mr. Puddle: Many teachers make the subjunctive too complicated to understand, covering it with rules and endings. First thing, don’t get stuck in rules! Learn the subjunctive 2 for haben, sein, werden and modals and wenn, als structures and you will be close to master it!

Lady Scam: What about subjunctive 1?

Lady Scam: Mr Puddles ! This lesson feels like a scam! Heard about it before and it was way more complex!

I. Theory and definitions: Subjunctive in German

Subjunctive in German

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⭐ There are also very important subjunctive structure with the subjunctive 2 of werden - würden

⭐ Sein

➔ Unusual forms at subjunctive 1

➔ At subjunctive 2: a → ä , e - ending

⭐ With subjunctive 1 we express the reported speech:

Present tense - reported speech:

V. Let's practice! - Subjunctive

IV. Purrrfection explained! - Subjunctive

✔️ Subjunctive 1 is used in the reported speech to express indirectly something that somebody tells us and we are neutral whether if it’s true or not

✔️ Subjunctive 2 is used for doubts, uncertainty, wishes, expressing requests in a polite manner, hypothetical situations

✔️ Modals are often used with subjunctive 2 for expressing requests in formal settings (politely)

✔️ -e is the signature ending for subjunctive

✔️ Verbs often get umlaut at subjunctive 2

III. Tips & Tricks : How to learn them easily? - Subjunctive

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II. Practical examples - Subjunctive

SUBJUNCTIVE 1 is often called “”Present subjunctive” because its forms are similar to the forms of the present tense (quite helpful when memorising) and it’s involved in reported speech

✔️ “Subjunctive” is a mood of the verb, quite common in German but is almost disappearing from the English language. One example of “subjunctive” in English is “If I were you, I’d rather don’t do it”. Notice that we don’t use “was” because that’s the indicative form and we already know that “I’m not you” (indicative) so I’ll say hypothetically (subjunctive) that I’m in your place and I choose not to “do it”. You guessed it right! The role of subjunctive is to express scenarios that aren’t real “If I was a rich man, I would have travelled everywhere” (wish) and even more than that. First, before explaining the contextual meanings of subjunctive you should know that there are two forms of subjunctive:

Using the subjunctive, fill the gaps using the verbs in the brackets.

▶ See the translation of the text

1. If she were here I wouldn't know what to do

2. I was supposed to bring the dog, but couldn't

3. If he were my son I would teach him how to behave

4. My sister said that she did the homeworks

5. My teacher speaks as if I don't know anything

6. We don't know if that would work , but we'll try

7. If he had a better job, he would have more money

8. I would only try once