Subjunctive II Quiz - Key
German Verbs - Konjunktiv
Subjunctive II Quiz - Key
ANSWER KEY - This 15-item quiz was based on Part One and Part Two of our lessons on the Subjunctive II. You should have reviewed those lessons before you took this quiz.
Annotated Answer Key - German Subjunctive II
Also see bonus info at the end of this key. Correct answers are in bold type.
INSTRUCTIONS: Complete items 1-5 with the correct subjunctive form of the verb infinitive shown in ( ). Also pay attention to verb endings. For all 15 quiz items, please write umlauts as "ae" (ä), "oe" (ö), or "ue" (ü). The "ß" character should be written as "ss." Also watch your capitalization!
1. (haben) Wenn Klaus das Geld hätte, würde er nach Hawaii fahren.
(If Klaus had the money, he'd travel to Hawaii.)
- Conditional, contrary to reality
2. (mögen) Eike und Uschi möchten Blumen kaufen.
(E and U would like to buy flowers.) NOTE: -en ending, plural!
3. (werden) Wir würden gerne nach Chicago fliegen, aber Thomas hat Angst
vorm Fliegen.
(We would gladly [like to] fly to Chicago, but T is afraid of flying.)
4. (können) Könnten Sie mir das Salz reichen?
(Could you pass me the salt?) - Polite (formal 'you') request.
5. (sollen) Sollte er Zeit für uns haben, dann wäre das sehr nett.
(Should he have / If he should have the time for us, then that would be very nice.)
INSTRUCTIONS: For items 6-10 decide whether the sentence requires the subjunctive or indicative. Base your choice on the context of each set of sentences. Use the correct form of the verb in ( ).
Ex. A - (haben) Wenn wir das Geld haben, fahren wir nach Kalifornien.
(indicative, "When we have the money...")
Ex. B - (haben) Wenn wir das Geld hätten, würden wir nach Europa fahren.
(subjunctive, "If we had the money..")
NOTE: In this section, the meaning of WENN is determined by the verb! If it is subjunctive, then WENN means IF. If the verb is indicative, then WENN means WHEN or WHENEVER.
6. (sein) Wenn die Nacht nicht so kühl wäre, könnten wir hier länger
bleiben. - SUBJUNCTIVE
(If the night weren't so cool, we could stay here longer.) NOTE: German word order puts the verb first in the second (dependent) clause.
7. (haben) Wenn Maria ihr Auto hat, fährt sie zur Arbeit. Heute nimmt sie den Bus. - INDICATIVE
(When[ever] Maria has her car, she drives to work. Today she's taking the bus.) - i.e., she usually has her car.
8. (haben) Wenn ich meine Uhr habe, weiss ich immer wie spät es ist. - INDICATIVE
(When[ever] I have my watch, I always know what time it is.) - i.e., I don't have right now, but I usually do.
9. (können) Wenn ich das Geld hätte, könnten wir nach Berlin fliegen, aber jetzt muessen wir mit der Bahn fahren. - SUBJUNCTIVE
(If I had the money, we could fly to Berlin, but now we have to go by
train.) - i.e., conditional, wishful - I wish I had the money, and if I
did, then... NOTE: Plural ending (-en) for "wir"
10. (sein) Wenn ich du wäre, würde ich die Stelle nehmen. - SUBJUNCTIVE
(If I were you, I'd take the job/position.)
INSTRUCTIONS: Complete items 11-15 with the correct subjunctive form of werden.
11. Das würde ich nicht sagen.
(That I wouldn't say. / I wouldn't say that.)
12. Wir würden mit dem ICE fahren.
(We would take the ICE [high-speed train].)
13. Was würdet ihr tun?
(What would you guys [ya'll] do?)
14. Das würde er nicht so schreiben.
(He wouldn't write it that way.)
15. Würdest du mit mir fahren?
(Would you travel/go with me?)
QUESTIONS about this quiz? Post them in the German Forum!
Bonus Info:
The subjunctive is NOT a tense. It is a "mood" that can be used in different tenses/times. Look at the following examples of the subjunctive in various tenses:
PRESENT: Hätte ich die Zeit, würde ich sie besuchen.
(If I had the time, I'd visit her.)
PAST: Hätte ich die Zeit gehabt, hätte ich sie besucht.
(If I had had the time, I would have visited her.)
FUTURE: Was würdest du tun, wenn...?
(What would you do, if...?)
PAST: Was hättest du getan, wenn...
(What would you have done, if...)
PRESENT: Er sollte eigentlich arbeiten.
(He really ought to be working.)
PAST: Er hätte eigentlich arbeiten sollen.
(He really should have been working.)
PRESENT: Wenn ich das wüsste, würde ich...
(If I knew that, I'd...)
PAST: Wenn ich das gewusst hätte, hätte ich...
(If I had known that, I would have...)
PRESENT: Wenn sie hier wäre, würden wir...
(If she were here, we'd..)
PAST: Wenn sie hier gewesen wäre, hätten wir..
(If she had been here, we would've...)
BACK > Subjunctive II Quiz
More Quizzes
Try other self-scoring German quizzes from your Guide.
Related Pages
The Subjunctive II
An introduction to the subjunctive mood in German.
Grammar
German grammar resources. including verbs and conjugation.
More German Exercises and Tests
All of our games, exercises, and quizzes for German.
German for Beginners
Our series of lessons just for those starting out or wishing to review.
English-German Glossaries
All of the annotated glossaries on this site - from aerospace to travel.
Wort des Tages
Learn a new word or phrase each day on our "German Word of the Day" page.
Zitat des Tages
The "German Quotation of the Day" by famous and not-so-famous Germans.
German Newsletters
Subscribe to a free newsletter
OUR GERMAN FORUMS