Future in the past tense in German ???
Here's a scenario I'm trying to put into German

"On Monday we woke up early and got dressed. We would go to Venice this day. After breakfast we met our driver and started our journey."

My trouble is with the sentence "We would go to Venice this day." I believe this is called "future in the past" tense in English, and I can find no obvious equivalent in German. Any ideas?

Question

Future in the past tense in German ???
Here's a scenario I'm trying to put into German

"On Monday we woke up early and got dressed.  We would go to Venice this day.  After breakfast we met our driver and started our journey."

My trouble is with the sentence "We would go to Venice this day."  I believe this is called "future in the past" tense in English, and I can find no obvious equivalent in German.  Any ideas?

Answer

Am Montag sind wir früh aufgestanden und haben uns angezogen. Wir wollten an diesem Tag nach Venedig fahren. Nach dem Frühstück haben wir unseren Fahrer getroffen und unsere Reise angetreten.
'Would' is the past tense form of will. Because it is a past tense it is used to talk about the past (among other usages). In German: Future: Wir wollen / werden nach Venedig fahren. Past tense: Wir wollten nach Venedig fahren.

Answer

There is no direct equivalent to this form in German. You can express it as an intention in the past, but depending on your choice of words, it would leave some doubts whether the plan was actually carried out or not. Examples: 
- Wir wollten an diesem Tag nach Venedig fahren (aber es kam anders...)
- Auf dem Programm stand ein Ausflug nach Venedig. 
-  Wir sind früh aufgestanden und haben uns angezogen, um nach Venedig zu fahren.

Another possibility is using the plain Präteritum. Although this means a certain rupture of the sequential order of things, it will be understood: 
"Wir sind früh aufgestanden und haben uns angezogen. An diesem Tag fuhren wir nach Venedig. Nach dem Frühstück..."

Answers · 4

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