When the subjunctive mood is used in the present perfect with a modal verb, an
interesting change occurs. Instead of using the past participle of the first verb along
with the subjunctive of the helping verb as in Example number 1, a double infinitive
occurs with the modal verb coming last as in Example 2.
Ich hätte das gesagt. = I would have said that.
Subjunctive form
of helping verb
Past Participle of
secondary verb
Ich hätte das sagen können. = I would have been able to say that.
Subjunctive form
of helping verb
Infinitive form
of secondary
verb
Infinitive form
of modal verb
When used like this with modal verbs, the helping verb will always be hätte, even if the
verb is a verb that would otherwise use wäre as the helping verb.
Ich wäre gegangen. = I would have gone.
Ich hätte gehen können. = I would have been able to go.
Let’s review the meanings of the modal verbs in their infinitive forms.
müssen have to
sollen
supposed to
wollen
want to
dürfen allowed to
mögen
können
like to
be able to
Ich hätte das machen können.
I would have been able to do that.
Ich hätte das machen wollen.
I would have wanted to do that.
Ich hätte das machen mögen.
I would have liked to do that.
Ich hätte das machen dürfen.
I would have been allowed to do that.
Ich hätte das machen sollen.
I should have done that.
Ich hätte das machen müssen.
I would have had to do that.
1) Ich hätte kommen können, wenn du mich gefragt hättest.
I would have been able to come, if you would have asked me.
2) Er hätte gehen wollen, wenn wir ihn eingeladen hätten. (eingeladen – invited)
He would have wanted to go, if we would have invited him.
3) Sie hätte spielen dürfen, wenn sie Ihre Arbeit getan hätte.
She would have been allowed to play, if she would have done her work.
4) Ich hätte einen Computer kaufen mögen, wenn ich das Geld gehabt hätte.
I would have liked to buy a computer, if I would have had the money.
5) Du hättest das nicht machen sollen.
You should not have done that.
6) Ich hätte das sagen dürfen.
I would have been allowed to say that.
7) Wohin hättest du fahren wollen?
Where would you have wanted to drive to?
What would you have been able to do? (machen – to do)
Was hättest du machen können?
I would have been allowed to see the film, if I would have done my
homework. (die Hausaufgabe – homework / der Film / sehen / machen)
Ich hätte den Film sehen dürfen, wenn ich meine Hausaufgabe gemacht hätte.
He would have wanted to see that.
Er hätte das sehen wollen.
We should have invited her. (einladen – to invite)
Wir hätten sie einladen sollen.
Would you have been able to say no, if he would have asked you? (sagen
/fragen)
Hättest du ,,nein” sagen können, wenn er dich gefragt hätte?
What would you have been allowed to say?
Was hättest du sagen dürfen?