German Verb Conjugations
SPRECHEN: Conjugated in All Tenses
Subjunctive Mood • Konjunktiv
The German verb sprechen (to speak) conjugated in all its tenses and moods
SPRECHEN > Present > Past > Future > Subjunctive > All Verbs
Commands - Imperativ
| DEUTSCH | ENGLISH |
| There are three command (imperative) forms, one for each "you" word. In addition, the "let's" form is used with wir. | |
| (du) sprich! | speak |
| (ihr) sprecht! | speak |
| sprechen Sie! | speak |
| sprechen wir! | let's speak |
SPRECHEN
Subjunctive I - Konjunktiv I
| DEUTSCH | ENGLISH |
| The subjunctive is a mood, not a tense. The Subjunctive I (Konjunktiv I) is based on the infinitive form of the verb. It is most often used to express indirect quotation (indirekte Rede). Rare in conversational use, the Subjunctive I is often seen in newspapers, usually in the third person (er spreche, he is said to speak). | |
| SINGULAR | |
| ich spreche (würde sprechen)* | I speak |
| du sprechest | you speak |
| er spreche sie spreche es spreche |
he speaks she speaks it speaks |
| *NOTE: Because the Subjunctive I (Konjunktiv I) of "sprechen" in the first person (ich) is identical to the indicative (normal) form, the Subjunctive II is sometimes substituted. | |
| PLURAL | |
| wir sprechen | we speak |
| ihr sprechet | you (guys) speak |
| sie sprechen | they speak |
| Sie sprechen | you speak |
SPRECHEN
Subjunctive II - Konjunktiv II
| DEUTSCH | ENGLISH |
| The Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) expresses wishful thinking, contrary-to-reality situations and is used to express politeness. The Subjunctive II is based on the simple past tense (Imperfekt, sprach), adding an umlaut + e: spräche. | |
| SINGULAR | |
| ich spräche | I would speak |
| du sprächest | you would speak |
| er spräche sie spräche es spräche |
he would speak she would speak it would speak |
| PLURAL | |
| wir sprächen | we would speak |
| ihr sprächet | you (guys) would speak |
| sie sprächen | they would speak |
| Sie sprächen | you would speak |
| Since the Subjunctive is a mood and not a tense, it can be used in various tenses. Below are examples that illustrate how sprechen forms the subjunctive in past or future time. In such cases, the subjunctive forms of haben or werden are combined with sprechen. | |
| PAST TIME | |
| DEUTSCH | ENGLISH |
| er habe gesprochen | he is said to have spoken |
| ich hätte gesprochen | I would have spoken |
| sie hätten gesprochen | they would have spoken |
| FUTURE TIME | |
| DEUTSCH | ENGLISH |
| er werde gesprochen haben | he will have spoken |
| ich würde sprechen | I would speak |
| du würdest gesprochen haben | you would have spoken |
|
More verbs on our 20 Most-Used German Verbs, German Strong Verbs and 50 Common German Verbs pages. |
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SPRECHEN: Present | Past | Future | Subjunctive | All Verbs
Also see: The German Subjunctive II - How to form it, when to use it
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