German Verb Guide > Intro: The Subjunctive > Subjunctive I > Subjunctive II
Konjunktiv I - The Quotative - Present Subjunctive
In general, the Subjunctive I (present subjunctive) is used mostly for the so-called quotative or indirect speech (indirekte Rede). It is heard or seen less and less frequently in modern German, with the important exception of news stories on radio and TV and in the newspaper. Sometimes the Subjunctive II is also used for indirect speech, usually when the Subjunctive I form is not obviously different from the indicative form.
Recognize it when you see it!
Since the Subjunctive I is encountered primarily in a passive way — in print or in TV/radio news, it is not necessary for most German-learners to learn how to produce it. It is more important to recognize it when you see it or hear it, because the subjunctive is sending a message you need to understand.
What message? Generally the Konjunktiv I is telling you that someone said something that may or may not be true. For instance, in a news feature a newspaper may report what someone said, using the Subjunctive I: "Der Nachbar sagte, die Dame lebe schon länger im Dorf." The normal present tense conjugation is "die Dame lebt," but the subjunctive form "die Dame lebe" tells us that this what someone said. The reporter/newspaper is not (legally) responsible for the truth of the statement. When you read the news in German or hear it on the radio, this so-called "indirect speech" (indirekte Rede is a form of indirect quotation that says in effect, that's what we were told but we can't vouch for the accuracy of the statement. The other terms sometimes used for the Subjunctive I also say something about its use: the "quotative," "indirect discourse," "indirect speech."
Other Uses
The Subjunctive I is also used in formal or technical writing and in directions or recipes to express propositions or instructions:
- Technical: "Hier sei nur vermerkt, dass..." ("Here let it only be noted that...")
- Recipe: "Man nehme 100 Gramm Zucker, zwei Eier..." ("Take 100 g of sugar, two eggs...")
- Slogan: "Es lebe der König!" ("Long live the king!")
Conjugating the Subjunctive I
Many German grammar books or verb guides will list full subjunctive conjugations, but in practice you really only need to know the third person singular forms most of the time. The Subjunctive I is almost always found in the third-person form: er habe (he has), sie sei (she is), er komme (he's coming), or sie wisse (she knows). This -e ending (except for "to be") rather than the normal -t ending in the German third person is your clue to indirect quotation. The other non-third-person forms are rarely if ever used, so don't bother with them!
Similarity to Command Forms
The basic Subjunctive I form of a verb is usually identical to its imperative or command form. Although there are some exceptions, the third person singular subjunctive and the familiar (du) command forms often look alike: Er habe/Habe Geduld! ("Have patience!"), Sie gehe/Geh(e)! ("Go!"), or Er sei/Sei brav! ("Be good!").
This is also true for the wir-commands (let's, we-commands): Seien wir vorsichtig! ("Let's be cautious!") or Gehen wir! ("Let's go!"). For more about the command forms in German, see Lesson 11 of German for Beginners.
But remember, unless you're writing for a German newspaper or magazine, you don't need to be able to write or say the Subjunctive I forms. You only need to recognize them when you see them in print or hear them. On the next page you'll find more examples of the Subjunctive I in German and how to recognize it. It's easier than you may think!