My First Stumbling Blocks with Reporting in German

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and I’m finally starting to feel like I can actually have a conversation. It’s still terrifying sometimes, and I definitely make mistakes, but I’m getting there. And honestly, one of the biggest hurdles has been understanding how to report what other people say – what the Germans call “indirekte Rede.” It’s not just different; it felt completely… backwards at first.

The Initial Confusion: “Er sagte…”

I was in the Mensa (the student cafeteria) with Lena, a classmate from the university, and we were talking about her terrible attempt to bake a cake. She kept saying, “Ich habe ein Kuchen gebacken, aber er ist total kaputt gegangen!” (I baked a cake, but it completely ruined!). I wanted to ask her why it ruined, so I jumped in and asked, “Warum ist der Kuchen kaputt gegangen?” Lena looked at me like I’d sprouted a second head.

She explained, very patiently, that I had phrased it completely wrong. Apparently, I hadn’t just asked what happened, but I’d reported her saying it. This is where “er sagte” comes in. It’s like saying “he said” in English. You use it to report what someone else said.

The corrected version was: “Er sagte, dass er einen Kuchen gebacken, aber er total kaputt gegangen ist.” (He said that he baked a cake, but it completely ruined). See the difference? I shifted the focus from her saying it to him (Lena) saying it.

Key Changes: Verb Tense and Pronouns

It wasn’t just about “er sagte.” There were a bunch of other changes that tripped me up. The verb tenses changed. “Ich habe” became “er hat” (he has). “Ist” became “ist” (is – it doesn’t change in indirect speech!). And the pronouns changed too. “Ich” became “er” (he).

Let’s try another one. Markus, my coworker at the tech company, told me he was going to a concert. I wanted to know where he was going. Instead of asking, “Wohin gehst du?” (Where are you going?), I blurted out, “Wohin geht er?” Markus winced.

He gently corrected me: “Du musst sagen: ‘Er sagte, dass er zum Konzerthaus geht.’” (You have to say: ‘He said that he is going to the concert hall.’) Again, that “er sagte” was crucial, and the pronouns shifted.

Common Phrases and Structures

There are a few phrases I’ve found really useful. “Er/Sie sagte…” (He/She said…) is the absolute foundation. “Er/Sie sagte, dass…” (He/She said that…) is essential. And sometimes you just need “er/sie” alone – like in the cake example.

Another useful one is, “Er/Sie meinte…” (He/She meant…) – it’s used when you’re reporting what someone implied, not exactly stated.

My Biggest Mistake (and how it happened)

I made a huge mistake at a Stammtisch (a regular gathering of friends) the other week. Someone was complaining about the weather – “Es regnet einfach nicht!” (It’s just not raining!). I, in my eagerness to seem fluent, responded with, “Du sagtest, dass es regnet?” The entire table erupted in laughter. Apparently, that’s a really awkward and grammatically incorrect way to put it. The correct way to report what he said was: “Er sagte, dass es einfach nicht regnet.”

It felt mortifying at the time, but honestly, it was a really good learning experience. It highlighted how important it is to listen carefully and try to understand the intent of the conversation, rather than just focusing on translating word for word.

Tips for Practice – Don’t Be Me!

Here’s what I’m doing to get better:

• Listen Carefully: Seriously, pay attention to how native speakers report conversations. It’s really different than how we do it in English.
• Start Simple: Begin with short, straightforward exchanges.
• Practice, Practice, Practice: Find a language partner or tutor, and just ask them to talk about anything. Then, try to report back what they said.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes: Everyone does! It’s how you learn. I’m still making them, but I’m learning to laugh about them.

Reporting in German is definitely a tricky skill, but with a little patience and practice, I’m confident I’ll get the hang of it. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be confidently reporting Lena’s disastrous cake attempts without causing a complete stammtisch meltdown!