Indirect speech

When converting the direct into indirect speech, attention has to be paid in the tenses. As in the indicative, also in the Konjunktiv I, there are certain tense forms that express the present, past and future.

Rules:

1. The present tense of the Konjunktiv I is used to express the present. When the Konjunktiv I present is identical to the present indicative form, the Konjunktiv II is used i.e. its Präteritum (A) form or würden + present infinitive (B). *

2. The present perfect tense of the Konjunktiv I is used to express the past. When the Konjunktiv I present perfect is identical to the present perfect indicative form, then the past perfect form of the Konjunktiv II (C) is used. 

3. In the Konjunktiv I, as in the indicative, there are two forms that express the future, the simple future (Future I) and the future perfect (Future II). When the simple future/future perfect forms of the Konjunktiv I are identical to the simple future/future perfect forms of the indicative, the Konjunktiv II forms are used i.e. würden + present infinitive (B) or würden + perfect infinitive (D).

* When using the Konjunktiv II Präteritum form, the same restrictions that have been presented in the rules of the Konjunktiv II apply.