B2-89 · Record statements and commitments in indirect speech
Meetings and minutes
Use reported present, past and future forms to write concise meeting minutes.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
Attribute statements to their speakers
Minutes record who said what. Use a reporting verb in the present followed by Konjunktiv I to attribute a statement to its speaker. Change first-person pronouns to match the person being reported, and keep each contribution brief. Record agreed decisions as facts in the indicative; use indirect speech for attributed contributions.
Eva erklärt, sie sei für die Videokonferenz bereit.
Eva explains that she is ready for the video conference.
Jonas berichtet, er habe Probleme mit der Verbindung.
Jonas reports that he is having problems with the connection.
Lena sagt, sie könne ihren Bildschirm teilen.
Lena says that she can share her screen.
Murat ergänzt, die Tagesordnung enthalte vier Punkte.
Murat adds that the agenda contains four items.
Die Videokonferenz means video conference, die Verbindung connection and die Tagesordnung agenda. Without dass, the reported clause has main-clause order: Eva erklärt, sie sei bereit. Konjunktiv I identifies the source without deciding whether the statement is true.
02
Record completed actions
With the third-person singular subjects below, reported past actions use habe or sei with a past participle. Choose the auxiliary the verb takes in the Perfekt. Minutes can therefore distinguish a completed task from a current problem without changing the reporting verb.
Eva berichtet, sie habe die Einladung verschickt.
Eva reports that she has sent the invitation.
Jonas erklärt, er habe den Entwurf geprüft.
Jonas explains that he has reviewed the draft.
Lena teilt mit, die Rückmeldung sei eingetroffen.
Lena reports that the feedback has arrived.
Murat bestätigt, er habe das Protokoll gelesen.
Murat confirms that he has read the minutes.
Die Einladung means invitation, der Entwurf draft and das Protokoll minutes. Verschicken and prüfen take haben; eintreffen takes sein. The participle stays at the end of a reported clause without dass.
03
Use dass and mark reported commitments
With dass, put the finite verb at the end of the reported clause. For a singular third-person subject, report a future commitment with werde plus an infinitive, or a completed action with a participle and habe or sei. For plural subjects, use distinct Konjunktiv I forms such as seien; when Konjunktiv I matches the indicative, Konjunktiv II can mark the report instead.
Eva erklärt, dass sie die Tagesordnung ergänzen werde.
Eva explains that she will add to the agenda.
Jonas bestätigt, dass er das Protokoll verschickt habe.
Jonas confirms that he has sent the minutes.
Die Gäste erklären, dass sie mit dem Beschluss einverstanden seien.
The guests state that they agree with the decision.
Im Protokoll steht, die Teilnehmenden hätten keine weiteren Fragen.
The minutes state that the participants have no further questions.
Die Gäste seien uses a distinct Konjunktiv I plural form. Die Teilnehmenden hätten replaces haben, which would look identical to the indicative here; hätten need not express an unreal situation in this context. Der Beschluss means decision or resolution, and einverstanden sein mit means to agree with.
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