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Konjunktiv II
Konjunktiv II gets introduced quite soon in regular German books, but often without explaination. So, we use Konjunktiv in the following situations:
not real
theoretical (not happened yet)
wishes/desires
polite questions
advices
Now let’s go to the building rules. We have to separate between past tense and present tense.
Present tense
We have to options:
1) würde + V (infinitve)
2) verb in Konjunktiv II
Examples:
Ich würde nie zu spät kommen.
I would never come too late. (truth: I am always on time.)
Ich hätte gerne einen Hund. I would like to have a dog. (wish)
Ich wäre gerne reich. I would like to be rich. (wish)
There are some rules when what building is more suitable. But it needs practise. More important grammar rules here >>>
#1 A very common pattern is, when we give advice the following way:
Es wäre + Adj., wenn …. + V (infinitive) + würde
Es wäre besser, wenn du weniger rauchen würdest.
It would be better, if you would smoke less.
#2 Another common usage is what if – scenarios:
Wenn + S + O + Konj. II, (dann) + Konj. II + S + O
Wenn ich Zeit hätte, (dann) würde ich Urlaub machen.
If I would have time, I would go on vacation.
Since we have 2 options to make the K.II you could also say:
Wenn ich Zeit haben würde, dann machte* ich Urlaub.
BUT WE DO NOT TALK LIKE THIS! Escpecially the 2nd part is very unusual.
#3 Polite question:
Würden + S + […] + V (infinitive)
Modalverb (Konj.II) + S + […] + V (infinitive)
Würdest du mir bitte helfen? Would you help me please?
Könntest du mir bitte helfen? Could you help me please?
Do the exercises on the video (right side) and you will master this grammar as well.
Past tense
For the past we do have the following building pattern:
wären/hätten + partizip II
Ich wäre nicht zu spät gekommen, wenn der Bus gekommen wäre.
I wouldn’t have been late if the bus had come.
Hättest du mich gefragt, (dann) hätte ich dir geholfen.
If you would have asked me I would have helped you.
With modalverbs we have a slightly different pattern:
hätten + V (infinitive) + modalverb (infinitive)
Ich hätte gestern arbeiten müssen, aber ich bin nicht in die Firma gefahren.
I should have worked yesterday, but I did not drive to the company.
Attention! Keep always in mind that the part with the Konjunktiv II is a NOT REAL situation. So in our example I did not work (even though I should have).
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Anna Ambatielou, Dresden
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