würde
The English phrase "would" is translated into German as würde.
würde is an auxiliary verb used to express hypothetical situations or to make polite requests. It is the subjunctive form of the verb werden.
Which one should you use?
However, using würde followed by an infinitive is a widely accepted substitute for most verbs.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Swabian dialects, the phrase tät i is commonly used to express "would".
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing a hypothetical action, würde is used as an auxiliary verb followed by the infinitive of the main verb at the end of the clause. The verb is conjugated based on the subject in the present tense.
Did you know?
- The word würde can be easily confused with the past tense of 'to become' (wurde), which is a simple statement of fact rather than a hypothetical 'would'.
- Using würde for everything can sometimes lead to the 'würde-Stil' (would-style), a term used by linguists to criticize overly repetitive or simplified speech in media.
- The verb werden, which forms würde, is the same verb used to express the future tense, meaning the word for 'would' is intimately linked to the concept of 'becoming' or 'going to'.
Examples in context
- Tom würde das tun.Tom would do that.This sentence shows how to use würde with a subject and a main verb.Tatoeba #5322040 by Sudajaengi, translation #3727958 by CM
- Wer würde das tun?Who would do that?This sentence demonstrates how to use würde in a question.Tatoeba #6138825 by Espi, translation #2892880 by CK
- Würdest du es tun?Would you do it?This sentence shows how to use würde when asking someone a question directly.Tatoeba #9971630 by wolfgangth, translation #1637333 by Spamster
- Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich gerne kommen.If I had time, I would like to come.
- Er sagte, dass er helfen würde.He said that he would help.
- Wenn ich viel Geld hätte, würde ich um die Welt reisen.If I had a lot of money, I would travel the world.
- Würden Sie mir bitte behilflich sein?Would you please assist me?
- Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich gerne mitkommen.If I had time, I would like to come along.
- Er fragte, ob ich ihm helfen würde.He asked if I would help him.
- 3165 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are discussing their plans for a hypothetical vacation.
- JuliaWo würdest du gerne Urlaub machen?Where would you like to go on vacation?
- LukasIch würde gerne nach Italien reisen.I would like to travel to Italy.
- JuliaWürdest du mich begleiten?Would you accompany me?
- LukasJa, das würde ich sehr gerne!Yes, I would love to!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
