What is the Subjunctive II?
The Subjunctive II expresses things that are not real or only possible.
Every verb has its own Subjunctive II form, but in everyday use only the verbs "haben", "sein", modal verbs and a few individual verbs are conjugated in the Subjunctive II. All other verbs form the Subjunctive II with the auxiliary verb werden (würden) and their infinitive.
würde + infinitive
For most verbs you use the würde form in everyday speech.
sein, haben and modal verbs
The auxiliary verbs sein & haben and also the modal verbs are used in their own Subjunctive II form.
haben and sein
Modal verbs
Usage
Wishes
For wishes about the present you often use: I wish … or If only …
Unreal conditions
The classic pattern: If … Subjunctive II, would … infinitive.
Polite requests
With Subjunctive II requests sound more polite. Typical forms use könnte and würde.
Advice
For advice you often use sollte or an deiner Stelle würde ich … (if I were you …).
Suggestions
For suggestions you often use könnten or sollten in the wir form.
Exercises
Three short tasks: würde forms, wäre or hätte, recognise meaning.
Fill in würde forms
Fill in the correct form of würde.
wäre or hätte?
What is missing in the subordinate clause?
Wish, condition or politeness?
What is Subjunctive II used for here?
Konjunktiv II in the past
For unreal situations in the past you use hätte or wäre + Partizip II. Fill in the form in the subordinate clause (verb at the end).