Transcript Slide 1
The subjunctive mood is not a tense, but a verb form used to express uncertainty, doubt or a contrary to reality condition. It is also frequently used to reflect politeness and good manners. The Subjunctive mood can be used in various tenses. (similar to the passive voice) – As in English, German builds off the past tense of verbs to form the subjunctive. haben – to have (infinitive form of verb) hatte – had (imperfect tense / simple past) hätte – would have / had (subjunctive mood) sein – to be (infinitive form of verb) war – was (imperfect tense / simple past) wäre – would have / were (subjunctive mood) Today, we will focus on how these two verbs are used in the subjunctive as they are the most often forms used. wären hätten ich hätte du hättest er/sie/es hätte wir hätten ihr hättet sie hätten ich wäre du wärest er/sie/es wäre wir wären ihr wäret sie wären It’s helpful to think of both of these forms as meaning “would have” in English. We will be focusing on the present perfect tense using the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive forms of haben and sein (hätten und wären) operate as helping verbs when used with a past participle of the main verb. Ich habe Deutsch gelernt. I have learned German. Ich hätte Deutsch gelernt. I would have learned German. Ich bin nach Atlanta gefahren. I have driven to Atlanta. Ich wäre nach Atlanta gefahren. I would have driven to Atlanta. Now, you need to be able to determine when a verb uses haben (or hätte in the subjunctive mood) and when it uses sein (or wäre in the subjunctive mood) as the helping verb. Use wären when…. 1) Verb indicates motion to a new location. Beispiele = fahren, gehen, fliegen 2) Verb indicates a change in a state of being. Beispiele = wachsen, sterben, werden 3) Certain verbs which always use a form of sein as a helping verb in the perfect tense. sein (gewesen) werden (geworden) hätten / wären _________gesagt (said) hätten hätten / wären _________geworden (become) wären hätten / wären _________geweint (cried) hätten hätten / wären _________gegangen (gone) wären hätten / wären _________geflogen (flown) wären hätten / wären _________gestorben (died) wären hätten / wären hätte Er ___________ dich gesehen (He would have seen you) hätten / wären Wir _______________ nicht da gewesen. wären (We would have not been there) hätten / wären hättest Du _______________ die Frage geantwortet. (You would have answered the question.) Write in German I would have gone to the school. (zur Schule – to the school / gegangen – gone) Ich wäre zur Schule gegangen. Write in German We would have made a good team. (ein guter Team / gemacht – made) Wir hätten ein guter Team gemacht Write in German Would you have played soccer? Hättest du Fussball gespielt? with hätten as helping verb 1) I would have seen you. I hätte dich gesehen. 2) He would have done that. Er hätte das gemacht. 3) We would have heard the music. Wir hätten die Musik gehört. with wären as helping verb 1) I would have gone. I wäre gegangen. 2) She would have driven with you. Sie wäre mit dir gefahren. 3) Would you have gone? Wärest du gegangen? If you want to say would have been (gewesen), you will always use a form of wären 1) That would have been good. Das wäre gut gewesen. 2) I would have been there. Ich wäre da gewesen. 3) He would have been arrested. (verhaften- to arrest) Er wäre verhaftet gewesen. 1) I would have said that. Ich hätte das gesagt. 2) Would you have bought that? Hättest du das gekauft? 3) She would have been with us. Sie wäre mit uns gewesen. 4) Would she have gone to school? Wäre sie zur Schule gegangen? 5) He would have been sick. Er wäre krank gewesen. 6) What would you have done? Was hättest du gemacht? 7) I would have drank the water. Ich hätte das Wasser getrunken. 8) Where would you have gone? Wo wärest du gegangen?