Reported Speech in German
Reported Speech in german.often referred to as “Indirekte Rede,” involves relaying what someone else has said without using their exact words. It’s similar to reported speech in English but has some specific rules, particularly around the use of verb tenses and pronouns. Here’s a table with examples of reported speech in German and their English translations:
| German Sentence with Reported Speech | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Er sagte, er habe Hunger. | He said that he was hungry. |
| Sie sagte, sie werde bald kommen. | She said that she would come soon. |
| Er sagte, er könne das Problem lösen. | He said that he could solve the problem. |
| Sie sagte, sie sei gestern im Kino gewesen. | She said that she had been at the cinema yesterday. |
| Er sagte, er habe den Schlüssel verloren. | He said that he had lost the key. |
| Sie sagte, sie wolle Arzt werden. | She said that she wanted to become a doctor. |
| Er sagte, er werde das Buch lesen. | He said that he would read the book. |
| Sie sagte, sie habe ihre Hausaufgaben gemacht. | She said that she had done her homework. |
| Er sagte, er müsse früher nach Hause gehen. | He said that he had to go home early. |
| Sie sagte, dass das Wetter schön gewesen sei. | She said that the weather had been nice. |
In these examples, the reported speech in German often uses the Konjunktiv I (subjunctive I) tense, which is common in formal written and spoken language. However, in colloquial German, people often use the indicative mood instead, similar to English.
Examples
Sure, here are some examples of reported speech in German, along with their English translations, presented in a table format:
| German Sentence with Reported Speech | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Er sagte, dass er nach Berlin fahren werde. | He said that he was going to travel to Berlin. |
| Sie erzählte mir, dass sie den Film schon gesehen habe. | She told me that she had already seen the movie. |
| Der Lehrer erklärte, dass die Prüfung nicht schwer sei. | The teacher explained that the exam was not difficult. |
| Meine Mutter sagte, sie werde bald zurückkommen. | My mother said she would be back soon. |
| Der Arzt meinte, ich solle mehr Wasser trinken. | The doctor suggested that I should drink more water. |
| Er behauptete, er habe das Buch nicht gefunden. | He claimed that he had not found the book. |
| Sie sagte, dass sie morgen nicht kommen könne. | She said that she could not come tomorrow. |
| Mein Bruder sagte, er habe den Schlüssel verloren. | My brother said that he had lost the key. |
| Der Direktor kündigte an, dass die Schule früher schließen werde. | The principal announced that the school would close earlier. |
| Sie gab zu, dass sie einen Fehler gemacht habe. | She admitted that she had made a mistake. |
In these examples, the reported speech in German often uses the Konjunktiv I (subjunctive I) for formal accuracy, especially in writing. In spoken German, however, it’s common to use the indicative mood or Konjunktiv II (subjunctive II) for unreal or hypothetical situations.
Phrases
Certainly! Here’s a table with phrases featuring reported speech in German, along with their English translations:
| German Phrase with Reported Speech | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Er sagte, dass er später ankommen werde. | He said that he would arrive later. |
| Sie erklärte, dass sie den Schlüssel verloren habe. | She explained that she had lost the key. |
| Der Lehrer meinte, dass die Hausaufgaben einfach seien. | The teacher said that the homework was easy. |
| Mein Freund erwähnte, dass er nach Paris reisen wolle. | My friend mentioned that he wanted to travel to Paris. |
| Sie behauptete, dass sie nichts davon gewusst habe. | She claimed that she had known nothing about it. |
| Der Kunde sagte, er könne den Artikel nicht finden. | The customer said that he couldn’t find the item. |
| Mein Bruder gab zu, dass er die Uhr kaputt gemacht habe. | My brother admitted that he had broken the clock. |
| Sie betonte, dass das Treffen wichtig sei. | She stressed that the meeting was important. |
| Er erzählte, dass er früher in Berlin gelebt habe. | He told that he had lived in Berlin before. |
| Der Manager kündigte an, dass die Firma neue Mitarbeiter einstellen werde. | The manager announced that the company would hire new employees. |
In these phrases, reported speech is used to convey information or statements said by someone else, often utilizing the subjunctive mood (Konjunktiv I) in German to indicate indirect speech.
Sentences
Here’s a table with sentences featuring reported speech in German, along with their English translations:
| German Sentence with Reported Speech | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Sie sagte, dass sie morgen früh ankommen werde. | She said that she would arrive early tomorrow. |
| Er erzählte mir, dass er nächstes Jahr studieren wolle. | He told me that he wanted to study next year. |
| Der Lehrer erklärte, dass das Examen nicht schwer sei. | The teacher explained that the exam was not hard. |
| Meine Mutter sagte, sie habe das Buch nicht finden können. | My mother said she had not been able to find the book. |
| Der Arzt sagte, ich solle mehr Ruhe haben. | The doctor said I should rest more. |
| Sie behauptete, sie sei im Stau stecken geblieben. | She claimed that she had been stuck in traffic. |
| Er gab zu, dass er einen Fehler gemacht habe. | He admitted that he had made a mistake. |
| Der Chef meinte, dass wir früher nach Hause gehen könnten. | The boss said that we could go home early. |
| Sie erzählte, dass sie als Kind in Spanien gelebt habe. | She said that she had lived in Spain as a child. |
| Er sagte, dass das Konzert fantastisch gewesen sei. | He said that the concert had been fantastic. |
These sentences demonstrate how reported speech is used in German to relay information or statements made by someone else. It often involves the use of the Konjunktiv I (subjunctive I) form, particularly in written German, to indicate that the speech is being reported rather than directly quoted.
