Konjunktiv I in Reported Speech (indirekte Rede)

The primary function of Konjunktiv I in modern German is reported speech (indirekte Rede). Whenever you read a newspaper article, academic paper, or formal text that relays what someone else said, you will encounter Konjunktiv I. This lesson teaches you how to convert direct speech into indirect speech using Konjunktiv I, and explains the rules that govern this transformation.

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Direct vs Indirect Speech

Type	German Term	Example
Direct speech	direkte Rede	Er sagte: „Ich bin müde." (He said: "I am tired.")
Indirect speech	indirekte Rede	Er sagte, er sei müde. (He said he was tired.)

In direct speech, you quote the exact words. In indirect speech, you report the content of those words, and Konjunktiv I signals to the reader that these are someone else's claims, not the writer's own assertions.

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Basic Conversion Rules

Step 1: Remove the quotation marks

Direct: Sie sagte: „Ich habe Hunger." Indirect: Sie sagte, sie habe Hunger.

Step 2: Change the pronoun if necessary

The pronoun shifts to match the perspective of the reporter: