Sustained indirect reporting
Maintain attribution, person and tense across a paragraph rather than one isolated reported sentence.
The rule
Keep the source identifiable throughout indirect reporting. Maintain the reporting perspective, and use distinct replacement forms where Konjunktiv I would be unclear.
sie erklärt, … sei …; außerdem habe …; später werde …
Introduce the source clearly before a sequence of indirect statements; readers should know whose perspective each proposition represents.
Konjunktiv I can sustain indirect reporting without repeating dass in every sentence. Replacement forms resolve ambiguous forms.
Maintain anteriority with reported perfect and future reference with werde where required; avoid mechanical English backshift.
Core forms and structures
Use this table as a reference, then retrieve the forms without looking.
| Form | Function | German example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| sei | Singular reported state uses Konjunktiv I sei. | Die Leiterin erklärt, die Studie sei abgeschlossen. | The director explains that the study is complete. |
| habe | Reported checking uses singular auxiliary habe. | Außerdem habe das Team alle Daten geprüft. | Furthermore, the team has checked all the data, according to the report. |
| seien | Plural reported passive completion uses seien plus worden. | Die Ergebnisse seien unabhängig bestätigt worden. | The results have been confirmed independently, according to the report. |
| werde | Singular future investigation uses Konjunktiv I werde. | Eine zweite Untersuchung werde im Juni beginnen. | A second investigation will begin in June, according to the report. |
| habe | Singular reported prior action uses auxiliary habe. | Die Sprecherin betont, niemand habe Druck ausgeübt. | The spokesperson stresses that nobody has exerted pressure. |
German examples with English meanings
Die Leiterin erklärt, die Studie sei abgeschlossen.
The director explains that the study is complete.
Singular reported state uses Konjunktiv I sei.
Außerdem habe das Team alle Daten geprüft.
Furthermore, the team has checked all the data, according to the report.
Reported checking uses singular auxiliary habe.
Die Ergebnisse seien unabhängig bestätigt worden.
The results have been confirmed independently, according to the report.
Plural reported passive completion uses seien plus worden.
Eine zweite Untersuchung werde im Juni beginnen.
A second investigation will begin in June, according to the report.
Singular future investigation uses Konjunktiv I werde.
Die Sprecherin betont, niemand habe Druck ausgeübt.
The spokesperson stresses that nobody has exerted pressure.
Singular reported prior action uses auxiliary habe.
Sie fügt hinzu, die Kosten seien begrenzt.
She adds that the costs are limited.
Der Bericht erklärt, die Methode könne verbessert werden.
The report explains that the method can be improved.
Die Verantwortlichen hätten früh reagiert, erklärt sie.
Those responsible responded early, she explains.
Er berichtet, die Sitzung sei verschoben worden.
He reports that the meeting has been postponed.
Die Zeugin sagt, sie habe den Mann zuvor nicht gesehen.
The witness says that she had not seen the man before.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Sie fügt hinzu, die Kosten sei begrenzt.
Correct: Sie fügt hinzu, die Kosten seien begrenzt.
Plural reported state uses Konjunktiv I seien.
Incorrect: Der Bericht erklärt, die Methode können verbessert werden.
Correct: Der Bericht erklärt, die Methode könne verbessert werden.
Singular reported possibility uses Konjunktiv I könne.
Incorrect: Die Verantwortlichen hätte früh reagiert, erklärt sie.
Correct: Die Verantwortlichen hätten früh reagiert, erklärt sie.
Plural hätten replaces indicative-identical haben in this report.
Incorrect: Er berichtet, die Sitzung habe verschoben worden.
Correct: Er berichtet, die Sitzung sei verschoben worden.
Completed process passive takes reported auxiliary sei.
Incorrect: Die Zeugin sagt, sie haben den Mann zuvor nicht gesehen.
Correct: Die Zeugin sagt, sie habe den Mann zuvor nicht gesehen.
Reported seeing uses perfect auxiliary habe.
Details and useful distinctions
A completed reported passive event uses sei plus participle and worden; a present process uses werde plus participle, and a reported state can use sei plus a participial adjective.
If you switch from reporting to your own evaluation, mark the boundary explicitly with a source or evaluative phrase.
Practise this grammar
Reread the paragraph as a source map: who claims each point, at what time, and with what evidential status?
Open Sustained indirect reporting exercises →
For source references and editorial level notes, see the grammar reference. You can report a correction if an explanation or example seems wrong.