Konjunktiv I: Indirect Speech (Indirekte Rede)

What is the Konjunktiv I?

The Konjunktiv I is used primarily for indirect speech (indirekte Rede) — when you report what someone else said. While everyday spoken German often uses the indicative with "dass", the Konjunktiv I is the grammatically correct form for reported speech and appears frequently in news articles, formal writing, and the TELC B1 exam.

  • Direct speech: Er sagt: "Ich bin krank." (He says: "I am sick.")
  • Indirect speech: Er sagt, er sei krank. (He says he is sick.)

Formation

The Konjunktiv I is formed from the infinitive stem (the infinitive without -en) plus special endings. The key endings are:

Person Ending Example (kommen)
ich -e ich komme
du -est du kommest
er/sie/es -e er komme
wir -en wir kommen
ihr -et ihr kommet
sie/Sie -en sie kommen

Note: The most commonly used form is the third person singular (er/sie/es), because indirect speech usually reports what "he" or "she" said.

Conjugation of Important Verbs

Infinitive er/sie/es (Konj. I) English
sein sei would be / is (reported)
haben habe has (reported)
werden werde will (reported)
können könne can (reported)
müssen müsse must (reported)
wissen wisse knows (reported)
kommen komme comes (reported)
geben gebe gives (reported)
sagen sage says (reported)

The Special Case of "sein"

The verb sein is the most important Konjunktiv I verb because its forms are clearly distinct from the indicative in all persons:

Person Indicative Konjunktiv I
ich bin sei
du bist sei(e)st
er/sie/es ist sei
wir sind seien
ihr seid seiet
sie/Sie sind seien

Konjunktiv I in the Past (Perfekt)

To report something someone said about the past, use the Konjunktiv I of haben or sein + Partizip II:

  • Er sagte, er habe das Buch gelesen. (He said he had read the book.)
  • Sie berichtete, sie sei nach Berlin gefahren. (She reported she had gone to Berlin.)
  • Der Minister erklärte, man habe eine Lösung gefunden. (The minister explained that a solution had been found.)

Usage in Indirect Speech

Basic Pattern

Direct speech is converted to indirect speech by changing the verb to Konjunktiv I:

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Er sagt: "Ich bin müde." Er sagt, er sei müde. (He says he is tired.)
Sie sagt: "Ich habe keine Zeit." Sie sagt, sie habe keine Zeit. (She says she has no time.)
Er sagt: "Ich komme morgen." Er sagt, er komme morgen. (He says he is coming tomorrow.)
Sie sagt: "Ich weiß es nicht." Sie sagt, sie wisse es nicht. (She says she doesn't know.)

Signal Words for Indirect Speech

These reporting verbs introduce indirect speech:

  • Er sagte, ... (He said ...)
  • Sie berichtete, ... (She reported ...)
  • Er meinte, ... (He meant / said ...)
  • Sie erklärte, ... (She explained ...)
  • Er behauptete, ... (He claimed ...)
  • Die Zeitung schrieb, ... (The newspaper wrote ...)

With and Without "dass"

Indirect speech can be formed in two ways:

  1. Without "dass" — verb in second position (Konjunktiv I):

  2. Er sagte, er sei krank. (He said he was sick.)

  3. With "dass" — verb at the end:

  4. Er sagte, dass er krank sei. (He said that he was sick.)

Both forms are correct. Without "dass" is more common in formal writing.

When Konjunktiv I Looks Like the Indicative

A common problem: for many verbs, the Konjunktiv I forms are identical to the indicative (especially for "ich", "wir", and "sie/Sie"). In these cases, use Konjunktiv II as a replacement:

Person Indicative Konjunktiv I Replacement (Konj. II)
ich komme komme (identical!) käme
wir kommen kommen (identical!) kämen / würden kommen
sie (pl.) kommen kommen (identical!) kämen / würden kommen

Examples:

  • Sie sagten, sie kommen morgen. (ambiguous — indicative or Konjunktiv I?)
  • Sie sagten, sie kämen morgen. (clear — Konjunktiv II as replacement)
  • Sie sagten, sie würden morgen kommen. (also clear — würde + infinitive)

The third person singular (er/sie/es) is usually distinct, so Konjunktiv I works well:

  • Er sagte, er komme morgen. (clearly Konjunktiv I)
  • Sie sagte, sie habe keine Zeit. (clearly Konjunktiv I)

Konjunktiv I vs. Konjunktiv II — Quick Comparison

Feature Konjunktiv I Konjunktiv II
Main use Indirect speech Wishes, unreal conditions, politeness
Formation Infinitive stem + endings Präteritum stem + Umlaut + endings / würde
Example Er sei krank. Er wäre krank.
Meaning He says he is sick (reported). He would be sick (unreal).

Common Mistakes

  • Er sagte, er ist krank. (informal — uses indicative instead of Konjunktiv I)

  • Er sagte, er sei krank. (correct — Konjunktiv I for indirect speech)

  • Sie sagten, sie kommen morgen. (ambiguous — identical to indicative)

  • Sie sagten, sie kämen morgen. (correct — Konjunktiv II replacement)

  • Er sagte, er sei gestern nach Berlin gefahren worden. (wrong — overcomplicated)

  • Er sagte, er sei gestern nach Berlin gefahren. (correct — Konjunktiv I Perfekt)

  • Der Arzt meinte, ich sei mehr Sport treiben. (wrong — "sei" cannot replace a modal verb here)

  • Der Arzt meinte, ich solle mehr Sport treiben. (correct — Konjunktiv I of "sollen")

Relevance for the TELC B1 Exam

The Konjunktiv I appears in several parts of the TELC B1 exam:

  • Reading Comprehension — newspaper articles and reports frequently use Konjunktiv I for indirect speech. Recognizing these forms helps you understand who said what.
  • Language Elements — cloze texts may test whether you can identify or produce the correct Konjunktiv I form.
  • Written Expression — using indirect speech correctly in formal letters shows advanced grammar skills.

Focus especially on the forms of sei, habe, and the Konjunktiv I Perfekt (habe/sei + Partizip II). These are the most common forms you will encounter!

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