Understanding the German Subjunctive: A Simple Guide to Konjunktiv I and II
In German, we use special verb forms called the Konjunktiv to talk about things that aren’t necessarily facts—like dreams, wishes, or polite requests. There are two types: Konjunktiv I and Konjunktiv II.
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Konjunktiv II: The “Imaginary” World
The Konjunktiv II is the most common form you will use. It is derived from the Präteritum (simple past) form of a verb.
When to use Konjunktiv II:
- Wishes: “Kämest du doch endlich!” (If only you would finally come!) .
- Unreal Conditions: “If I were rich…”.
- Irreal Comparisons: Comparing things to how they seem rather than how they are.
- Politeness: “Hätten Sie einen Moment Zeit?” (Would you have a moment?) .
Two Ways to Build It:
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Synthetic (Simple) Form:
Used mostly for auxiliary verbs (sein, haben, werden), modal verbs, and common strong verbs like kommen (käme) or gehen (ginge).
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The “würde” Form:
For most other verbs, we use würde + Infinitive. For example: ich würde rufen.
| Person | Synthetic Form (Example: rufen) | “würde” Form |
| ich | riefe | würde rufen |
| du | riefest | würdest rufen |
| er/sie/es | riefe | würde rufen |
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Konjunktiv I: The “Reported” World
Konjunktiv I is derived from the Präsens (present tense) form. It is less common in daily conversation and is mostly used for Indirect Speech or specific formal contexts.
When to use Konjunktiv I:
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Reporting what someone else said:
Often used by journalists.
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Instructions & Recipes:
“Man nehme 100g Zucker…” (Take 100g sugar…).
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Fixed Phrases & Math:
“Friede sei mit dir!” (Peace be with you!) or “Gegeben sei…” (Given is…).
Important Note: If the Konjunktiv I form looks exactly like the normal Present Tense, you should use Konjunktiv II instead so the listener knows it’s the subjunctive.
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Comparing Tenses
Even though these forms come from the Present or Past stems, they don’t actually describe different time levels. Both can be used to talk about the present or the past.
| Tense | Konjunktiv II | Konjunktiv I |
| Präsens | er ginge | er gehe |
| Vergangenheit | er wäre gegangen | er sei gegangen |
Summary Table for Learners
- Konjunktiv II = Dreams, Wishes, Politeness (“Would/Could”).
- Konjunktiv I = Indirect speech, Recipes, Math.
- Signal: Look for the -e- suffix and Umlauts (like ä, ö, ü) on strong verbs.