Subjunctive in formal contexts
C1 · Advanced · Mastery
The rule
Konjunktiv I in news reports.
How it works
In journalism and official reports, Konjunktiv I is used to report what someone said while signalling that the speaker does not vouch for the claim. Der Minister sagte, die Lage sei stabil. Where the Konjunktiv I form equals the indicative, the Konjunktiv II is used instead, as in sie hätten.
When to use it
Use Konjunktiv I in formal reporting and the press to show that you are reporting, not endorsing, a claim.
Use cases
- Writing a news article: Die Polizei erklärte, der Verdächtige sei geflohen
- Writing a summary of a press conference: Der Sprecher betonte, die Maßnahmen würden fortgesetzt
- Writing a formal report on statements: Die Firma teilte mit, sie habe das Problem gelöst
Examples
- Der Minister erklärte, er werde zurücktreten – The minister said he would resign
- Der Bürgermeister erklärte, er werde die Entscheidung prüfen. – The mayor said he would review the decision.
- Die Experten sagen, das Virus sei gefährlich. – The experts say the virus is dangerous.
- Sie berichtete, die Ergebnisse seien positiv. – She reported that the results were positive.
Common mistake
Using Konjunktiv I in every reported speech in speech; it is mainly for writing.
Memory tip
Konjunktiv I in news: Der Minister sagte, er sei zufrieden.
Read the wider picture in our guide: German Verbs and Word Order: Tenses, Modals and Sentence Structure.