Time and Voice in Reported Speech
Chapter in 30 Seconds
Master the art of reporting information neutrally without taking responsibility for the claims.
- Report past events using the Konjunktiv I Perfect tense.
- Apply passive voice in indirect speech to maintain objective distance.
- Identify when to use mixed Konjunktiv to clarify complex reports.
Lo que aprenderás
Hey friend! Ready to master a super useful skill in German that'll come in handy everywhere? In this chapter, you're going to learn how to report what others say, but *without* making it sound like it's your own statement! You know, just like in English we say, 'He said that...' – German has its own, more nuanced and precise way to do this. Often, you'll need to share news or someone else's words, but you don't want to take responsibility for it, or maybe you're not entirely sure it's true. Think about work: 'The manager *said* the project would be finished next week,' or 'I *heard* prices are going up.' Here, you just want to relay information, not own it. Or imagine news reporters, who constantly use this style to remain neutral and objective. In this chapter, we'll dive into reporting past events ('He *is said to have done* X'). Then, we'll move on to future plans ('She *reports that he will do* Y'). We'll even learn how to professionally report something that happened to an object (for example, 'It *is said that the letter was sent*'). Don't worry, if the 'Konjunktiv I' (our main reporting mood) ever sounds too much like regular speech, we have a clever backup solution called 'Mixed Konjunktiv' to keep things clear! By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to convey what others have said in German, clearly, professionally, and without committing yourself to their statements. No one will be able to say, 'But *you* said that!' because you'll use the right tone and grammar to make it clear: these aren't your words, they're someone else's! Let's jump in and master this practical skill together!
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Informar sobre el pasado: El Konjunktiv I Perfecto¡Ojo, campeón! Tienes que usar el
Konjunktiv I Perfektpara **berichten** (informar) sobre eventos pasados que alguien más dijo. Así le das una **Distanz** a lo que se reporta, ¡sin afirmar que es verdad absoluta! -
Rumores y noticias: La voz pasiva alemana en estilo indirectoUsa el
Passiv Konjunktiv Ipara informar de forma formal y educada lo que otros dicen quele está pasandoa un objeto. ¡Así suenasprofesionalyneutral!
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
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1
By the end you will be able to: relay past workplace news using Konjunktiv I Perfect.
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2
By the end you will be able to: summarize reports or news articles using passive indirect speech.
Guía del capítulo
Overview
How This Grammar Works
he said that... is fairly standard, German utilizes different verb forms to indicate that the statement originates from someone else. The Konjunktiv I is primarily used to report what someone else has said or thought.Er sagt, er ist krank(He says he is sick), you would use the Konjunktiv I:
Er sagt, er sei krank.This subtle shift in verb form clearly signals that you are reporting someone else's words.
He said he had been there,you'd use the Konjunktiv I Pluperfect:
Er sagte, er sei dort gewesen.Reporting future plans can be done using a construction that implies future action within the reported speech, often with the Konjunktiv I of
werden. Furthermore, to convey rumors or general beliefs, German employs a passive construction with the Konjunktiv I. For example, Es wird gesagt, dass...(It is said that...).
Common Mistakes
- 1✗ Wrong:
Er sagt, er ist müde.
Er sagt, er sei müde.
ist makes it sound like you are stating a fact yourself.- 1✗ Wrong:
Sie sagte, sie hat das Buch gelesen.
Sie sagte, sie habe das Buch gelesen.
Hat gelesen is the indicative perfect tense; habe gelesen is the Konjunktiv I perfect tense, correctly attributing the action to the speaker being reported.- 1✗ Wrong:
Man sagt, das Restaurant ist gut.
Man sagt, das Restaurant sei gut.
sei) is preferred in reported speech to convey that this is a reported opinion or fact, not necessarily a universally accepted truth or your own assertion.- 1✗ Wrong:
Er sagte, er komme morgen.
(Ifkommesounds like the indicative)
Er sagte, er würde morgen kommen.(Using Mixed Konjunktiv)
ich komme vs. ich komme), the Mixed Konjunktiv (using Konjunktiv II forms) is used for clarity. Würde kommen clearly signals indirect speech.
Real Conversations
A
Er hat mir erzählt, dass er die Prüfung bestanden habe.(He told me that he had passed the exam.)
B
Wirklich? Ich dachte, er sei durchgefallen.(Really? I thought he had failed.)
A
Die Zeitung schreibt, die Preise würden bald steigen.(The newspaper writes that prices would rise soon.)
B
Oh, das ist ärgerlich. Ich hoffe, das stimmt nicht.(Oh, that's annoying. I hope that's not true.)
A
Es wird gesagt, das alte Schloss sei verflucht.(It is said that the old castle is cursed.)
B
Ach, solche Geschichten gibt es doch überall.(Ah, such stories exist everywhere.)
Quick FAQ
When do I use Konjunktiv I vs. Konjunktiv II for reported speech?
The Konjunktiv I is the primary mood for indirect speech. You use Konjunktiv II (or the würde construction) when the Konjunktiv I form is identical to the indicative, or when you want to express a hypothetical or more polite statement within reported speech.
What if I'm reporting a simple statement like I am here?
You would say:
Er sagt, er sei hier.The Konjunktiv I of
sein is sei.
How do I report a future action in reported speech?
You can use the Konjunktiv I Futur I. For example:
Sie sagt, sie werde morgen kommen.(She says she will come tomorrow.)
Cultural Context
Ejemplos clave (4)
Der Reporter sagte, der Minister `habe` den {der|m} Vertrag `unterschrieben`.
El reportero dijo que el ministro (supuestamente) firmó el contrato.
Informar sobre el pasado: El Konjunktiv I PerfectoSie meinte, sie `sei` gestern im {das|n} Kino `gewesen`.
Ella dijo que (supuestamente) había estado ayer en el cine.
Informar sobre el pasado: El Konjunktiv I PerfectoDer Bericht sagt, die Straße werde gesperrt.
El informe dice que la calle está siendo cerrada.
Rumores y noticias: La voz pasiva alemana en estilo indirectoMan sagt, das Video werde morgen hochgeladen.
Dicen que el vídeo se subirá mañana.
Rumores y noticias: La voz pasiva alemana en estilo indirectoConsejos y trucos (2)
La regla del 'er'
habe y sei para er/sie/es. ¿Sabes por qué? ¡Porque casi siempre hablamos de lo que OTRA gente dijo! Man sagt, er habe viel Geld.
La Regla del 'Er-Sie-Es'
Der Chef meint, das Projekt werde bald beendet.
Vocabulario clave (5)
Real-World Preview
Office Rumor Mill
Review Summary
- haben/sein (Konj. I) + Partizip II
- sei/seien + Partizip II + worden
Errores comunes
Using Indicative instead of Konjunktiv I after a reporting verb makes the information sound like a fact rather than a report.
Do not add an extra 'sein' at the end of a passive construction in Konjunktiv I.
Avoid using Konjunktiv II (wäre) for simple reports; use Konjunktiv I (sei) for standard reporting.
Reglas en este capítulo (2)
Next Steps
You have mastered the art of distance! Keep practicing, and your German will sound impeccably professional.
Listen to a German news podcast and identify three reported statements.
Práctica rápida (6)
Choose the correct reported speech sentence:
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Informar sobre el pasado: El Konjunktiv I Perfecto
Er sagte, er ___ das Buch schon gelesen.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Informar sobre el pasado: El Konjunktiv I Perfecto
Find and fix the mistake:
Der Freund meinte, er hätte den Film gesehen.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Informar sobre el pasado: El Konjunktiv I Perfecto
Der Reporter sagt, das Gebäude ___ renoviert.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Rumores y noticias: La voz pasiva alemana en estilo indirecto
Find and fix the mistake:
Er sagt, das Haus werde bauen.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Rumores y noticias: La voz pasiva alemana en estilo indirecto
Elige la oración gramaticalmente correcta en discurso indirecto:
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Rumores y noticias: La voz pasiva alemana en estilo indirecto
Score: /6
Preguntas frecuentes (4)
hätten) en su lugar para evitar confusiones. ¡Es un pequeño truco para la claridad!Es werde berichtet...Man sagt, es werde kommen.
