Konjunktiv I in Scientific Writing

Imagine you are a reporter at a science fair.

A researcher says: "The water is hot."

You want to tell your boss what they said.

If you say Das Wasser ist heiß, it sounds like your fact.

If you use Konjunktiv I, you distance yourself.

You are just the messenger here.

It tells the reader: "This is their claim, not mine."

It creates a clear boundary between different sources.

In science, this boundary is super important.

It shows you did your homework properly.

It also protects you if the researcher is wrong!

It’s like saying "Don't shoot the messenger" in grammar form.

It is the ultimate way to stay neutral.

1. 1Building this is easier than building a Lego set.
2. 2Start with the infinitive of the verb.
3. 3Take the verb kommen (to come).
4. 4Remove the final -n to get the stem.
5. 5Now you have the stem komme-.
6. 6Add the specific endings for each person.
7. 7For er/sie/es, the ending is simply -e.
8. 8So, er komme is the result.
9. 9Most verbs follow this very simple pattern.
10. 10The verb sein is the only rebel here.
11. 11It becomes er sei instead of er ist.
12. 12Just remember: Stem + Ending = Success!
13. 13It is much more regular than the normal present tense.
14. 14No weird vowel changes like er fährt here!

Use it when you cite a study.

Use it when reporting a professor's theory.

It’s perfect for writing a summary of a book.

Think of a job interview for a lab assistant.

You might say: "The manual says the machine laufe well."

It shows you respect the source material.

Use it in news reports about scientific breakthroughs.

"The NASA says the rocket fliege to Mars."

It’s the gold standard for academic honesty.

Basically, use it whenever you aren't the original source.

It makes your writing sound very sophisticated.

Even a simple A1 sentence looks smarter with it!

Don't use it for your own breakfast plans.

"I esse an apple" sounds very weird in this form.

Avoid it in casual texts to your friends.

They will think you are a talking textbook!

Don't use it for things that are 100% certain facts.

"The sun is hot" stays in the normal Indikativ.

Also, don't use it if you want to sound doubtful.

For doubt or "what if" scenarios, use Konjunktiv II.

Keep it for the lab, not the living room.

It’s like wearing a tuxedo to a pizza party.

Just use normal German for your daily life.

The biggest mistake is mixing it with Konjunktiv II.

Konjunktiv I is for reporting facts from others.

Konjunktiv II is for wishing or dreaming.

Another mistake is using the wrong ending for ich.

Often, the ich form looks just like the normal form.

If it looks the same, Germans switch to Konjunktiv II.

Don't forget the special form of sein.

Saying er ist instead of er sei is a classic slip.

Even native speakers mess this up sometimes!

Just take a breath and check your verb endings.

Don't worry, the grammar police won't catch you.

But your professor will definitely be impressed!

Let's compare three ways to say "He comes."

1. 1Er kommt (Indikativ): This is a hard fact.
2. 2Er komme (Konjunktiv I): Someone said he is coming.
3. 3Er käme (Konjunktiv II): He would come (but he won't).

See the difference in the vibe?

One is a fact, one is a report, one is a dream.

In science, we mostly stick to Indikativ and Konjunktiv I.

Indikativ is for your own results.

Konjunktiv I is for the results of other people.

It’s like a grammar traffic light for information sources.

Green is your fact, Yellow is their report.