Europe for Less!

German Subjunctive


Definition: The Special Subjunctive is used in the formal reporting of indirect speech. When we report what someone has said.

Singular:

I become ich werde (würde)
you become du werdest
he becomes er werde
she becomes sie werde
it becomes es werde
   

Note: Special Subjunctive of "werden" and some other verbs is sometimes identical to the indicative (normal) form.
Plural:

we become wir werden (würden)
you (guys) become ihr werdet
they become sie werden (würden)
you become Sie werden (würden)
it becomes es werde
   
The Normal Subjunctive.
  • to make hypothetical statement some condition.
  • to express a wish that is not likely to be fulfilled.
  • to make polite requests.
  • to quote indirectly what another person has said.
Singular:

I would become ich würde
you would become du würdest
he would become er würde
she would become sie würde
it would become es würde

Plural:

we would become wir würden
you (guys) would become ihr würdet
they would become sie würden
you would become Sie würden

Note: The Subjunctive form of "werden" is often used in combination with other verbs to form the conditional mood (Konditional).

you would buy it Sie würden es kaufen
What would you do? Was würden Sie tun?
I would go to Berlin ich würde nach Berlin (fahren)
I would have called ich würde gerufen haben

Since the Subjunctive is a mood and not a tense, it can also be used in various tenses.

I am said to have become ich sei geworden
I would have become ich wäre geworden
they would have become sie wären geworden




Back to:
German Grammar