Day 73 - Subjunctive: Konjunktiv II Part 1

Question 1

In English, this grammar is called the Subjunctive. In German it is called Konjunktiv II.

If you don’t like grammar terminology, just think about this as hypothetical sentences with would.

There is a lot to learn here, so this grammar is going to be split up into a few lessons. First, let’s learn how to say would. German uses the past tense of werden with an umlaut.

Study the following conjugation:

werden (Konjunktiv II)
ich würde
du würdest
er würde
sie würde
es würde
wir würden
ihr würdet
sie würden
Sie würden

To make a hypothetical sentence, use the Konjunktiv II of werden and the infinitive of the verb, which goes to the end of the sentence.

Study the following examples:

I would go.
Ich würde gehen.
He would eat everything.
Er würde alles essen.
We would sleep every day.
Wir würden jeden Tag schlafen.

Do you remember using gern to say you like doing something? You can also add würde to politely say that you would like to ~.

Study the following examples:

I would like to go.
Ich würde gern gehen.
He would like to eat everything.
Er würde gern alles essen.
We would like to sleep every day.
Wir würden gern jeden Tag schlafen.

Question 2

Day 73 Grammar Cards

1. would (verb) (würden) + end of sentence (infinitive)
2. would like (polite) (würden) + gern

Question 3

1. STREITEN…to argue / fight streiten |stritt, gestritten|
2. SPORT TREIBEN…to play sports Sport treiben |trieb, getrieben|
3. TRETEN…to kick / step / tread treten (tritt) |trat, getreten|
4. VERLASSEN…to leave / abandon. verlassen (verlässt) |verließ, verlassen|
5. WERFEN…to throw werfen (wirft) |warf, geworfen|
6. RIECHEN NACH…to smell like riechen nach |roch, gerochen|
7. RENNEN…to run rennen |rannte, gerannt|
   *Laufen and rennen can both be translated as to run. However, laufen just means movement of your legs, and can also translate as walking. Rennen can only be used when you are moving quickly.
8. LACHEN ÜBER…to laugh at / about lachen über
9. FANTASIEREN VON…to fantasize fantasieren von
10. AUS.TRAGEN…to deliver aus’tragen (trägt aus) |trug aus, ausgetragen|

Question 4

1. He would argue with anyone.

Answer 4

Er würde mit jedem streiten.

mit…takes dative “jedeM”

Question 5

2. I would like to play sports.

Answer 5

Ich würde gern Sport treiben.

Question 6

3. I would like to kick him.

Answer 6

Ich würde ihn gern treten.

Ihn and Ihm both mean “him” in German. So, how do you know which one to use?
Ihn is used for direct objects. That means it answers the questions “what?” or “whom?”
Ihm is used for indirect objects. It answers the questions“to whom?” or “for what?”

For example, Ich rufe ihn an, “I’m calling him.” Here, the “him” is receiving the action “called;” and answering the question, “Who are you calling?”

Ihm is used in the dative case, which means it’s supposed to mark the indirect object. For example, Ich gebe ihm einen Stift meaning “I give him a pen.” Here, Ich answers the question, “Who did you give the pen to?”

Question 7

4. Would you abandon your parents?

Answer 7

Würdest du deine Eltern verlassen?

Question 8

5. We wouldn’t throw it.

Answer 8

Wir würden es nicht werfen.

Question 9

6. You all would smell like flowers.

Answer 9

Ihr würdet nach Blumen riechen.

Question 10

7. Would you run quickly?

Answer 10

Würden Sie schnell rennen?

Question 11

8. What would you laugh about?

Answer 11

Worüber würdest du lachen?

what … about…. worüber

examples
what is he talking [laughing] about?
worüber redet [lacht] er?
what are you thinking about?
worüber denkst du nach?
what is wrong (od the matter) with your child?
worüber klagt Ihr Kind?

Question 12

9. She would never dream of him.

Answer 12

Sie würde nie von ihm träumen.

Question 13

10. The postman would like to deliver the letters.

Answer 13

Der Briefträger würde gern die Briefe austragen.