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!

Puns--Playing with Language

Puns--everyone has heard or used them before. They are seen as either very bad jokes, or a fun and smart way to play with language, depending on who you ask. Many comedians build their programmes around subtle puns which require some thinking instead of taking their audience by their hands. The best puns are usually those that make you laugh out loud all of a sudden hours after the pun has been told.

Not only comedians use puns, though. Asterix, a popular French comic book series, relies on puns a lot, for example. Most of the characters' names are puns, intended to portray the characters' quirks or strengths in an often satirical way.

Why are puns seen in two completely different ways?

Honestly, some puns are probably too old, too commonly known, to be more than a groaner. Other puns, however, are so subtle that most people won't even notice them at first, and might burst out laughing in an inappropriate moment hours later when they suddenly understand them.

I personally love puns. They are one of the fun parts of language. A playground, if you want, where all we language lovers can let out our inner child and have fun.

Feel free to share your favourite puns in the comments; I would love to read them!

Goodbye 2011--Hello 2012

Today at midnight, the year 2011 will end. For some, it was a rough year with lots of challenges, but also with good moments and new friends. I've heard from many people that 2012 will be better, and I firmly believe in that. 2012 will be our year, if we just seize the opportunity and make it our year. Carpe diem--seize the day. That simple phrase tells us all we need to know about how to succeed. It is on us to do something for our success and happiness.

That said, I wish you all a great start into the new year, with your friends and family, good food, beloved traditions, and a smile on your face when you count down.

May we truly make 2012 into our year!

German Tenses--An Overview (Part II.1)

German Tenses—an Overview Part II: Passive Tenses, Regular Verb, with “haben”

“fragen” is a regular verb which builds its compound tenses with the modal verb “haben” (to have).

Infinitiv == (infinitive)

fragen == (to ask)

Indikativ == Indicative Mode

Präsens == (simple present)

Ich werde gefragt == I am asked

du wirst gefragt == you are asked

er/sie/es wird gefragt == he/she/it is asked

wir werden gefragt == we are asked

ihr werdet gefragt == you are asked

sie/Sie werden gefragt == they are asked (you are asked—formal address)

Präteritum == (simple past)

ich wurde gefragt == I was asked

du wurdest gefragt == you were asked

er/sie/es wurde gefragt == he/she/it was asked

wir wurden gefragt == we were asked

ihr wurdet gefragt == you were asked

sie/Sie wurden gefragt == they were asked (you were asked—formal address)

Perfekt == (present perfect)

ich bin gefragt worden == I have been asked

du bist gefragt worden == you have been asked

er/sie/es ist gefragt worden == he/she/it has been asked

wir sind gefragt worden == we have been asked

ihr seid gefragt worden == you have been asked

sie/Sie sind gefragt worden == they have been asked (you have been asked—formal address)

Plusquamperfekt == (past perfect)

ich war gefragt worden == I had been asked

du warst gefragt worden == you had been asked

er/sie/es war gefragt worden == he/she/it had been asked

wir waren gefragt worden == we had been asked

ihr wart gefragt worden == you had been asked

sie/Sie waren gefragt worden == they had been asked (you had been asked—formal address)

Futur I == (future I)

ich werde gefragt werden == I will be asked

du wirst gefragt werden == you will be asked

er/sie/es wird gefragt werden == he/she/it will be asked

wir werden gefragt werden == we will be asked

ihr werdet gefragt werden == you will be asked

sie/Sie werden gefragt werden == they will be asked (you will be asked—formal address)

Futur II == (future II)

ich werde gefragt worden sein == I will have been asked

du wirst gefragt worden sein == you will have been asked

er/sie/es wird gefragt worden sein == he/she/it will have been asked

wir werden gefragt worden sein == we will have been asked

ihr werdet gefragt worden sein == you will have been asked

sie/Sie werden gefragt worden sein == they will have been asked

(you will have been asked—formal address)

Watch out for Part II.2 next Wednesday!

Tipps for Language Learning in a Foreign Country

If you ask around what way is best to learn a second language, many people will tell you to travel to a country where that language is spoken. Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? However, simply travelling to another country won't increase your language proficiency in that country's official language. There are some things you should keep in mind to reach your goal:

1) In order to increase proficiency in a language, you need to use it. This seems to go without saying, but I have known people who went to another country to do an internship and still didn't know any more of that country's official language by the time they returned home several weeks later. Another example is the youth group who goes on holidays. If all the teenagers stay among themselves, they won't need the second language at all, so they might as well spend their holidays in their own country for all the effect on their language skills.

2) Stay in a guest family. The best way to naturally increase your language proficiency is to stay in a guest family. You will need to use the second language whenever you want to communicate with them, and you will hear it in a natural environment. It is not necessary for you to communicate in grammatically correct sentences; as long as your guest family understands what you mean, you are fine (and they can help you express yourselv correctly).

3) Don't be shy. You are in a foreign country and have the opportunity to use your second language, so seize that opportunity. Most people will be willing to help you even if you don't know exactly how to say something, and you might meet a lot of interesting people that way. It is definitely a good start for a conversation if they notice that you are not from there.... If you are too shy to start conversations with strangers, just keep in mind that you probably won't see them ever again.

Generally, travelling to foreign countries is an awesome opportunity to learn or improve your language skills, and it is likely the easiest way to do it. Furthermore, it is a great way to learn a language in a way no text book or language course can usually offer you.

Merry Christmas!

It is the 24th, and in Germany, today is the main day of Christmas, where the children get their presents in the afternoon or evening (often after having been to church earlier). Many families sing some Christmas songs together before opening the presents. In the afternoon, Christmas cookies, lebkuchen and stollen are eaten, and in the evening, the whole family has a traditional meal together. The traditions here reach from simple potato salad and hot dogs, to fish or duck, to opulent meals; it really depends on the family.

(the work of one afternoon--my sister and I had fun)

On the next two days (25th and 26th), both of which are bank holidays, many families visit with their grandparents and other relatives. (Yes, Christmas lasts for three days in Germany.)

Every year, thousands of people storm into the shops on the morning of Dec 24th, to get the last Christmas presents, buy a Christmas tree (if there are any left), get groceries.... Some good advice: If you don't need it, leave your car at home on the 24th, and only venture out if you really have to (until the shops close at around noon or one).

Merry Christmas to all of you! (And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I still wish you a really nice day, and maybe a different holiday....)

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

continued from Dec 14, 2011

Konjunktiv I == Subjunctive
Präsens == (present)

ich frage == (that) I ask
du fragest == (that) you ask
er/sie/es frage == (that) he/she/it ask
wir fragen == (that) we ask
ihr fraget == (that) you ask
sie/Sie fragen == (that) they ask ((that) you ask—formal address)

Vergangenheit == (Perfekt) (past)

ich habe gefragt == (if) I asked
du habest gefragt == (if) you asked
er/sie/es habe gefragt == (if) he/she/it asked
wir haben gefragt == (if) we asked
ihr habet gefragt == (if) you asked
sie/Sie haben gefragt == (if) they asked ((if) you asked—formal address)

Futur I == (future I)

ich werde fragen == (if) I were to ask/should ask
du werdest fragen == (if) you were to ask/should ask
er/sie/es werde fragen == (if) he/she/it were to ask/should ask
wir werden fragen == (if) we were to ask/should ask
ihr werdet fragen == (if) you were to ask/should ask
sie/Sie werden fragen == (if) they were to ask/should ask
((if) you were to ask/should ask—formal address)

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

Futur II == (future II)

ich werde gefragt haben
du werdest gefragt haben
er/sie/es werde gefragt haben
wir werden gefragt haben
ihr werdet gefragt haben
sie/Sie werden gefragt haben

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 fragte/würde fragen == I would ask
du fragtest/würdest fragen == you would ask
er/sie/es fragte/würde fragen == he/she/it would ask
wir fragten/würden fragen == we would ask
ihr fragtet/würdet fragen == you would ask
sie/Sie fragten/würden fragen == they would ask (you would ask—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.

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

ich hätte gefragt/würde gefragt haben == I would have asked
du hättest gefragt/würdest gefragt haben == you would have asked
er/sie/es hätte gefragt/würde gefragt haben == he/she/it would have asked
wir hätten gefragt/würden gefragt haben == we would have asked
ihr hättet gefragt/würdet gefragt haben == you would have asked
sie/Sie hätten gefragt/würden gefragt haben == they would have asked
(you would have 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

Frag(e)! == Ask!
Fragen wir! == Let’s ask!
Fragt! == Ask!
Fragen Sie! == Ask! (formal address)

Infinitivformen == Participles
Präsens == (present)

fragend asking

Perfekt == (past)

gefragt == asked

Watch out for Part II.1 next week!