Konjunktiv in German
This is part of the Langblr reactivation challenge! This is day 9 :)
Write an explanation on a grammar rule in your target language (such as verb tenses, exceptions, word order, etc). Include sentences to show how and when it is used.
Sooo Konjunktiv, we finally meet.
Aka this is the Konjunktiv post that nobody asked me to write and yet I did. This is the English version, but you can also find the German version here (I can't promise that it will be more understandable tho) :)
Konjunktiv I is used for indirect speech. There are also some fixed situations in which one always uses Konjunktiv I. The main verb is only conjugated in the present tense; the auxiliary verbs are conjugated for the other tenses.
The verb sein is regular in Konjunktiv I: ich sei, du seiest, er sei, wir seien, ihr seiet, sie seien.
The rest of verbs are conjugated with the following pattern:
The third person singular is the most used, because it's the most frequent form in indirect speech. In order to conjugate it, one must remove the -n from the infinitive form: haben - er habe.
The modal verbs are also regular in the 1st and 3rd person singular: ich/er/sie/es müsse.
2nd person singular and plural are different from the indicative only by an -e: du gehst - du gehest/ihr geht - ihr gehet.
The 1st person singular and 1st and 3rd persons plural are the same as the indicative, so one must use the Konjunktiv II for situations when these persons are needed.
One can build sentences in the past, present and future with Konjunktiv I :
Simultaneity. The main and subordinate clauses occur at the same time: er sagt, sie lese ein Buch.
Anteriority. The subordinate occurs before the main clause: er sagt, sie habe ein Buch gelesen.
Posteriority - Futur I and II. The subordinate occurs in the future of the main clause: er sagt, sie werde ein Buch lesen/er sagt, sie werde ein Buch gelesen haben.
To speak about things that are impossible or unlikely, we use Konjunktiv II, but also for indirect speech and other situations:
Wishes and hopes.
Unreal statements or conditional sentences.
As previously explained, indirect speech (when Konkunktiv I isn't possible)
Particularly polite or careful requests or statements
There is one pure form of Konjunktiv II, for the present, and several forms with auxiliary verbs.
For the present, only strong verbs are conjugated in Konjunktiv II, because the subjunctive form in weak verbs is the same as indicative Präteritum. In order to conjugate strong verbs in Konjunktiv II, one must add the subjunctive endings (-e, -est, -e, -en, -et, -en) to the Präteritum root. Additionally, the verbs that have an a/o/u receive an Umlaut:
ich fände, du fändest, er fände, wir fänden, ihr fändet, sie fänden.
The modal and auxiliary verbs are also conjugated in Präteritum in Konjunktiv II:
ich wäre/ich hätte/ich würde/ich könnte/ich dürfte/ich müsste/ich sollte/ich wollte...
But many people already know these forms! They are the ones used for polite requests: ich hätte gerne...
The other tenses are conjugated with auxiliary verbs:
For situations in the future, but also for those in the present, one can use würden + infinitive. This is also the only form can be used for the present in weak verbs: ich würde warten.
Plusquamperfekt is constructed with haben or sein in Konjunktiv II + the participle of the verb. It's the past tense: ich hätte gefunden/ich wäre gegangen.
There is a second future form, Futur II, which is built with würde + participle + haben/sein: ich würde geträumt haben.
Thank you very very much to @dreamofghosts for the corrections and help in making sense of this....... interesting topic lol!!
