Der Fahrer ... möchte bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen

Dr Doom

Dr Doom

Senior Member
Russian-Georgia
Hi. So I've come across the following sentence in one of the Goethe mock tests:

"Der Fahrer des wagens UFAK 741 möchte bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen."

I've read up on this, and it seems like the Konjunktiv 2 of "mögen" may indeed be used in commands/requests, albeit only in reported speech, pursuant to my grammar book. There is no reported speech in my task. Is this correct usage? If so, what would be the most idiomatic translation into English in the example given? Is it like "The driver is kindly asked/ is expected to...."?
 
    • Dr Doom said:
    "Der Fahrer des wagens UFAK 741 möchte bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen
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    Dr Doom said:
    it seems like the Konjunktiv 2 of "mögen" may indeed be used in commands/requests
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    Edit: That's not true - My bad, sorry.
    It should could also read: see #4 (Dr. Bopp) and LEOs deutsche Grammatik: 1.3.2.4.3.1 Die indirekte Aufforderung
    "Der Fahrer des Wagens UFAK 741 möge bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen."
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    See
    Wiktionary
    5] im Konjunktiv I: Einleitung eines Vorschlags oder einer Aufforderung oder einer Erwartung, oft als Paraphrase für den im Deutschen fehlenden Imperativ in der dritten Person
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    Dr Doom said:
    I've come across the following sentence in one of the Goethe mock tests:
    Click to expand...
    I'd like to see a copy of those "Goethe mock tests"
     
    Last edited:
    "Der Fahrer des Wagens UFAK 741 möge bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen."
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    ... may be correct standard German, but nobody uses it. It sounds totally dated.

    What you will hear over the PA systems in Supermarkets is indeed
    "Der Fahrer des Wagens UFAK 741 möchte bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen."
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    It is a kind of courtesy form (Höflichkeitsform) that softens the request somewhat.
     
    Frieder said:
    ... may be correct standard German, but nobody uses it. It sounds totally dated.
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    Well, I wouldn't say "nobody", but yes, "X möchte bitte <dies und jenes tun>" is definitely something you can hear.

    Even Dr. Bopp agrees <here>. It's a slightly different example, but in the OP it can work the same way.

    Dr Doom said:
    "Der Fahrer des wagens UFAK 741 möchte bitte sofort zu seinem Auto kommen."
    Click to expand...
    In English I'd probably expect to her something like:
    The driver of a red Corvette with license plate number XY0815 is requested to go back to/move their car immediately."

    Auch im Deutschen: Der Fahrer des gelben Ferrari mit dem Kennzeichen UFAK741 möge/möchte/ soll bitte...
     
    bearded said:
    Do you agree that the English "is requested" is less courteous than the German "möge/möchte bitte"? Both phrases are certainly used like that, but they do not 100% coincide 'in spirit', it seems to me.
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    Well, that's hard to say. The English version is a bit more formal because it uses passive, but in the end it's equivalent to "...wird gebeten sofort..." It's a question of habit or regional common practice. Such public announcements in big shopping centers, airports, train sations, etc. tend to keep more of a formal tone...in my experience.
     
    The difference I see depends on the fact that 'is requested/soll' express a will by third persons (kind of authority), whilst 'möge/möchte' leave the decision/the will 'in the hands' of the person concerned, and that is why the latter sounds höflicher (to my ears)
     
    bearded said:
    whilst 'möge/möchte' leave the decision/the will 'in the hands' of the person concerned
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    Ich glaube nicht, dass der Fahrer (OP) wirklich die Wahl hat.

    bearded said:
    the latter sounds höflicher (to my ears)
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    :thumbsup:

    Siehe auch
    Die indirekte Aufforderung ist eine Sonderform der → indirekten Rede. Der Aspekt der Aufforderung wird mit den Modalverben → sollen oder → mögen ausgedrückt. Dabei steht mögen eher für eine Bitte, sollen eher für einen Befehl.
    LEO
    Click to expand...
     
    Last edited:
    bearded said:
    ... whilst 'möge/möchte' leave the decision/the will 'in the hands' of the person concerned, and that is why the latter sounds höflicher (to my ears)
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    :) That feeling of politeness you may sense is actually annihilated completely by the word 'sofort', "...möchte bitte sofort zu ..."
    It's a sugarcoated order, a command.
    From experience I know that this sort of apparent politeness is (often) just "Floskel," nothing else.
     
    bearded said:
    Do you agree that the English "is requested" is less courteous than the German "möge/möchte bitte"?
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    At the "Athener U-Bahn" we hear "is kindly requested", which sounds a bit more courteous. :)
    manfy said:
    It's a question of habit or regional common practice.
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    :thumbsup:
    They function as set expressions, the meaning may differ somewhat from language to language, but everyone gets ultimately the same message.
     
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