“If only German grammar wasn’t so difficult!” Isn’t this a thought that occurs to everyone who learns German? If you’ve just encountered Konjunktiv II for the first time and it seems completely incomprehensible to you, don’t worry – you’re in the right place!
I remember very well my first college classes related to this topic, and as a consolation, I can confidently say that mastering Konjunktiv II is much easier than it looks at first glance. In this article, I will prove to you that you only need to learn a few simple rules to learn how to form the conjectural mode in German. You will also learn how to use the apparent difficulty of Konjunktiv II to your advantage. Happy reading!
What is Konjunktiv II?
Konjunctiv II is the form of the verb you use to form the suppositional mode. It is one of three modes (along with the indicative mode – Indikativ – and the imperative mode – Imperativ). In German, as in English, you use it to express:
- hypothetical situations,
- speculations about the present or the past,
- dreams and wishes,
- suggestions and polite requests.
In short, Konjunktiv II is used whenever you think about the “what if.” You are then referring to situations that could exist, but are not actually happening.
In English, we usually create the suppositional mode with modal verbs such as would, could, should. In German, a special form of the verb (Konjunktiv II) is used for this. See the following examples:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wenn du nur hier wärest! | If only you were here! |
| Wenn ich im Lotto gewinnen würde, würde ich ein Haus kaufen. | If I won the lottery, I would buy a house. |
| Ich wünschte, sie wären mit dem Ergebnis zufrieden. | I wish they were satisfied with the results. |
Although forming sentences in Konjunktiv II looks like a complicated grammatical procedure, you’ll actually find out in a moment that it’s not that difficult at all.
As an incentive to learn, let’s use the fact that you can use the apparent difficulty of Konjunktiv II to your advantage. Since it is one of the German grammar topics that go beyond the basics, using it will add variety to your speech and make your level of language proficiency automatically seem more advanced. If you plan to take language exams in the future, by using Konjunktiv II you will earn extra points for a good level of knowledge of language structures and go up in the examiner’s estimation. This is one of the ways that I studied for many of my tests during my language studies, and I now recommend it to my students preparing for exams.
Most importantly, the suppositional mode opens the door to a new reality for you. Since I learned how to form the suppositional mode in German, I noticed that a whole range of new topics for conversation suddenly became available to me. I could start talking not only about “what is,” but also about “what could be.” As a result, I was able to express my thoughts more precisely and my conversations became much more meaningful.
How to form Konjunktiv II in German
Depending on whether we are referring to the present or the past, Konjunktiv II is created in different ways.
Konjunktiv II in relation to the present
With regard to the present:
- for the verbs sein (to be), haben (to have), and werden (to become), use their Konjunktiv II form, i.e. wären, hätten and würden.
- For other verbs, use a combination with the verb würden.
Look at the examples:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wenn er nicht so schlecht über andere denken würde, hätte er mehr Freunde. | If he didn’t think so badly of others, he would have more friends. |
| Wenn er sie endlich anrufen würde, würde sie mit ihm ausgehen. | If he finally called her, she would make an appointment with him. |
| Wir würden sie einladen, wenn sie netter wären. | We would have invited them if they were nicer. |
With respect to the past
When referring to the past, you use the so-called Konjunktiv II Plusquamperfekt, which is the combination of the verb hätten or wären with the main verb in the Partizip Perfekt form, such as “er hätte gefragt” (he would have asked), and “ich hätte geholfen” (I would have helped).
Look at the examples:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Es wäre besser gewesen, wenn er sich angeschnallt hätte. | It would have been better if he had fastened his seatbelt. |
| Hätte ich die Prüfung bestanden, wäre ich sehr glücklich gewesen. | If I had passed the exam, I would have been very happy. |
| Hätte ich mehr Zeit gehabt, hätte ich das Buch zu Ende gelesen. | If I had more time, I would have finished the book. |
When to use Konjunktiv II
As in English, Konjuktiv II is used to express hypothetical situations, i.e.:
- conditional sentences,
- expressing wishes,
- polite sentences,
- giving advice.
Look at the examples:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wenn du hier wohnen würdest, wärst du jetzt zu Hause. | If you lived here, you would be home by now. |
| Hier ist es so dunkel. Wäre es hier doch nicht so dunkel! | It is so dark here. If only it wasn’t so dark here! |
| Könntest du mir helfen? Welche Taste sollte ich drücken? | Could you please help me? Which button should I click? |
| An ihrer Stelle würde ich das nicht tun. | If I were you, I wouldn’t do it. |
Modal verbs in Konjunktiv II
In Konjunktiv II, modal verbs are not used with the verb “würden.” They have their own forms, which resemble those used in the Imperfekt past tense. Thus, müssen becomes müsste, sollen becomes sollte, wollen becomes wollte, dürfen becomes dürfte, mögen becomes möchte, and können becomes könnte.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Das könnte eine gute Idee sein. | This could be a good idea. |
| Der Himmel ist klar. Es dürfte heute nicht regnen. | The sky is clear. It is unlikely to rain today. |
| Sie müssten schon zu Hause sein. | They must be home by now. |
You use the combination hätte + sollen/müssen to speculate about the past. Look at the examples:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Sie hätte das nicht machen müssen! | She (was) not required to do so! |
| Du hättest “nein” zu ihr sagen sollen. | You should have said “no” to her. |
Master Konjunktiv II with the Taalhammer app!
You have already learned all the rules about Konjunktiv II. Now it’s time to learn. The Taalhammer app is here to help. In it you will find ready-made repetitions with the sentences used in this article, which you can use anytime and anywhere – whenever it suits you! Remember that regular repetitions are the basis for learning a new language. We’ll help you implement them into your routine and show you that learning a language can be fun. Grind your German in the best app, developed by our team of experts and polyglots. Good luck in your further learning!
