Answers
Jan 01, 2014 - 08:16 AM
Nevermind, got my answer, haha.
Jan 08, 2014 - 08:41 AM
Hi Clotto, sorry for the delay in response!
We first teach the conjugation "ich sollte, du solltest etc." for "I/you should..." in session 15 of level 4.
Both English and German are in the past tense forms here. Watch out, this is not the "regular" indicative mood but the so-called "subjunctive" (in German "Konjunktiv I" and "Konjunktiv II"). In English it may be generally described as expressing "possibility", but the German is (you guessed it;-) even more complex, and has a lot of uses.
In both German and Enlglish, the past tense FORM (should/sollte...) does not necessarily express that something took place in the past. It's confusing, I know. We try to keep it simple and just teach
I should = ich sollte
You(i) should = du solltest etc.
so you can see the formal link between the two. Later in level 4, you will also learn
Ich soll = I am supposed to
as the present tense equivalent.
I hope this helps you and others a bit, I know it's tricky!
We first teach the conjugation "ich sollte, du solltest etc." for "I/you should..." in session 15 of level 4.
Both English and German are in the past tense forms here. Watch out, this is not the "regular" indicative mood but the so-called "subjunctive" (in German "Konjunktiv I" and "Konjunktiv II"). In English it may be generally described as expressing "possibility", but the German is (you guessed it;-) even more complex, and has a lot of uses.
In both German and Enlglish, the past tense FORM (should/sollte...) does not necessarily express that something took place in the past. It's confusing, I know. We try to keep it simple and just teach
I should = ich sollte
You(i) should = du solltest etc.
so you can see the formal link between the two. Later in level 4, you will also learn
Ich soll = I am supposed to
as the present tense equivalent.
I hope this helps you and others a bit, I know it's tricky!