Konjunktiv II: würden, hätten, wären for Wishes
Würden, hätten and wären are three of the most important words you need in Konjunktiv II. In this lesson, Johannes from YourGermanTeacher shows you how to use them to express wishes and dreams, step by step with example sentences.
What Is Konjunktiv II?
In English it is called the general subjunctive mood. It is a big topic, so keep it simple at first: Konjunktiv II is a mood (Modus), a special verb form used to say that something is not real, a hypothetical (irreale) situation.
The Three Verbs
| Person | würden (would) | hätten (would have) | wären (would be) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | würde | hätte | wäre |
| du | würdest | hättest | wärst |
| er / sie / es | würde | hätte | wäre |
| wir | würden | hätten | wären |
| ihr | würdet | hättet | wärt |
| sie / Sie | würden | hätten | wären |
The first and third person singular are the same, and so are the first and third person plural. This is true for every verb in Konjunktiv II, with no exceptions.
Wishes and Dreams: Add gern
To express a wish or dream you need the adverb gern (or gerne). Würden gern means would like to, hätten gern would like to have and wären gern would like to be.
1. würden + Infinitive
With würden you always need another verb in the infinitive, and it stands at the end of the sentence.
| Example | English |
|---|---|
| Er würde gern in Deutschland leben. | He would like to live in Germany. |
| Sie würde gern Urlaub machen. | She would like to go on holiday. |
| Sie würden auch gern Gitarre spielen können. | They would also like to be able to play the guitar. |
| Ich würde ihn gern kennenlernen. | I would like to get to know him. |
If the sentence has two infinitives, the modal verb (können) is the last word. A separable verb in the infinitive (kennenlernen) is not divided.
2. hätten + Noun
Hätten is the Konjunktiv II of haben. The sentence structure is the same, but you combine it with a noun.
| Example | English |
|---|---|
| Sie hätte gern ein bisschen Ruhe. | She would like a bit of peace and quiet. |
| Jetzt hättet ihr auch gerne einen Schirm, oder? | Now you would like an umbrella too, wouldn't you? |
| Hättest du auch gern so viel Geld? | Would you like to have that much money too? |
3. wären + Adjective, Noun or Place
Wären is the Konjunktiv II of sein. You can combine it with an adjective, a noun or a place.
| Example | With | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sie wäre gern reich. | adjective | She would like to be rich. |
| Sie wäre gern eine reiche Frau. | noun | She would like to be a rich woman. |
| Er wäre gern bei seiner Familie. | place | He would like to be with his family. |
| Sie wären gern wieder gesund. | adjective | They would like to be healthy again. |
| Ich wäre wirklich gern ihr Freund. | noun | I would really like to be her boyfriend. |
Bonus Tip: Form Konjunktiv II from the Präteritum
You can form Konjunktiv II of every verb with the Präteritum. The endings are almost the same, and you add an umlaut where possible.
| Infinitive | Präteritum | Konjunktiv II |
|---|---|---|
| haben | ich hatte | ich hätte |
| sein | ich war | ich wäre |
There are only some exceptions for the umlaut. Apart from that, the forms are regular. The video description has a list of important verbs in Konjunktiv II.
Homework
What are your wishes and dreams for the future? Write a comment and use würden, hätten, wären.
What to Learn Next
Practise the three verbs with Konjunktiv II Practice: würden, hätten, wären. Then continue with WENN + Konjunktiv 2: How to Use If in German and see polite Konjunktiv II phrases in How to Order Food in a German Restaurant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Konjunktiv II in German?
It is the general subjunctive mood. It expresses something that is not real, such as wishes, dreams and hypothetical situations.
How do I express a wish in German?
Use würden, hätten or wären with gern. Examples: Er würde gern in Deutschland leben. Sie hätte gern ein bisschen Ruhe. Sie wäre gern reich.
When do I use würden, hätten and wären?
Use würden with another verb in the infinitive, hätten with a noun, and wären with an adjective, a noun or a place.
Are ich and er the same in Konjunktiv II?
Yes. The first and third person singular have the same form (ich hätte, er hätte), and so do the first and third person plural (wir hätten, sie hätten).
How do I form Konjunktiv II from the Präteritum?
Take the Präteritum form and add an umlaut where possible: ich hatte becomes ich hätte, ich war becomes ich wäre.
Want to talk about wishes, dreams and hypothetical situations? Learn Konjunktiv II in our German B1 course online with clear examples.
