The indirect speech in everyday and written language:
1. When the indirect speech is used in everyday spoken language, only the indicative is used and almost never the Konjunktiv I. In this case, the indirect speech is expressed by a subordinate clause that is or is not introduced by a conjunction.
| direct speech |
indirect speech
|
|
| Peter hat behauptet: "Ich war gerstern nicht zu Hause." | Peter hat behauptet, dass er gerstern nicht zu Hause gewesen ist. | |
| subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction |
2. In the written language, and especially in mass media texts, the Konjunktiv I or II are mainly used to report someone's statement. In this case, the indirect speech is expressed by a subordinate clause that is or is not introduced by a conjunction.
| direct speech |
indirect speech
|
||
| Der Parteichef hat erklärt: "Ich werde zurücktreten". | Der Parteichef hat erklärt, dass er zurücktreten werde. | Der Parteichef hat gesagt, er werde zurücktreten . | |
| subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction | subordinate clause not introduced by a conjunction | ||
A summarised view of how the indirect speech is expressed in everyday and written language is presented below:
| everyday language | written language |
expression of indirect speech
|
||
| mood | indicative | Konjunktiv I / II | ||
| clause type | subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction | subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction | ||
| subordinate clause not introduced by a conjunction |