German Tenses--An Overview (Part II.2)

Today, we'll have a look at Part 2 of our second German tense overview, starting with the subjunctive.

Konjunktiv I == Subjunctive

Präsens == (present)

ich werde gefragt == (that) I be asked

du werdest gefragt == (that) you be asked

er/sie/es werde gefragt == (that) he/she/it be asked

wir warden gefragt == (that) we be asked

ihr werdet gefragt == (that) you be asked

sie/Sie warden gefragt == (that) they be asked ((that) you be asked—formal address)

Vergangenheit (Perfekt) == (past)

ich sei gefragt worden == (if) I were asked

du sei(e)st gefragt worden == (if) you were asked

er/sie/es sei gefragt worden == (if) he/she/it were asked

wir seien gefragt worden == (if) we were asked

ihr seiet gefragt worden == (if) you were asked

sie/Sie seien gefragt worden == (if) they were asked ((if) you were asked—formal address)

Futur I == (future I)

ich werde gefragt werden == (if) I were to be asked/should be asked

du werdest gefragt werden == (if) you were to be asked/should be asked

er/sie/es werde gefragt werden == (if) he/she/it were to be asked/should be asked

wir werden gefragt werden == (if) we were to be asked/should be asked

ihr werdet gefragt werden == (if) you were to be asked/should be asked

sie/Sie werden gefragt werden == (if) they were to be asked/should be asked

((if) you were to be asked/should be asked—formal address)

Note: The subjunctive future with “should” is mostly used in BE.

Futur II == (future II)

ich werde gefragt worden sein

du werdest gefragt worden sein

er/sie/es werde gefragt worden sein

wir werden gefragt worden sein

ihr werdet gefragt worden sein

sie/Sie werden gefragt worden sein

Note: German Konjunktiv I Futur II doesn’t seem to have a corresponding English verb tense (on the other hand, the English pluperfect subjunctive doesn’t have a corresponding German verb tense). It is rarely used in modern German anymore.

Konjunktiv II == Conditional

Präsens (Präteritum/Futur I) == (present)

ich würde gefragt/würde gefragt werden == I would be asked

du würdest gefragt/würdest gefragt werden == you would be asked

er/sie/es würde gefragt/würde gefragt werden == he/she/it would be asked

wir würden gefragt/würden gefragt werden == we would be asked

ihr würdet gefragt/würdet gefragt werden == you would be asked

sie/Sie würden gefragt/würden gefragt werden == they would be asked

(you would be asked—formal address)

Note: Regular verbs have the same forms in Konjunktiv II Präsens as in Präteritum, therefore the modal verb „werden“ is used in its conditional form (würde etc) together with the infinitive to differentiate Konjunktiv II from Präteritum. In Passive voice, however, the natural form is unique (werden->würde is irregular).

Vergangenheit (Plusquamperfekt/Futur II) == (past)

ich wäre gefragt worden/würde gefragt worden sein == I would have been asked

du wärest gefragt worden/würdest gefragt worden sein == you would have been asked

er/sie/es wäre gefragt worden/würde gefragt worden sein == he/she/it would have been asked

wir wären gefragt worden/würden gefragt worden sein == we would have been asked

ihr wäret gefragt worden/würdet gefragt worden sein == you would have been asked

sie/Sie wären gefragt worden/würden gefragt worden sein == they would have been asked

(you would have been asked—formal address)

Note: In both German Konjunktiv II tenses, both given alternatives (the „natural“ one and the one using „würde“) are equally valid and are used without difference in meaning.

Imperativ == Imperative

Werd(e) gefragt! == Be asked!

Werden wir gefragt! == Let’s be asked!

Werdet gefragt! == Be asked!

Werden Sie gefragt! == Be asked! (formal address)

Infinitivformen == Participles

Präsens == (present)

gefragt werdend == being asked

Perfekt == (past)

gefragt worden == been asked

Watch out for the start of Part III next week!