Reported speech

In everyday conversation, Germans report speech with dass and the normal indicative: Er sagt, dass er krank ist. But in news reports and formal writing you'll meet Konjunktiv I, a special form that signals 'this is what they said, not necessarily true': Der Minister sagt, er sei nicht informiert worden.

You need to recognise Konjunktiv I, mostly in the er/sie/es form: sei (is), habe (has), komme, wisse, könne, werde. In speech, Konjunktiv II or the indicative is fine.