Separate the words spoken from the reporting clause
In Mia sagt: „Ich komme später.“, the words inside the quotation marks are the direct speech. Mia sagt is the reporting clause. First locate those two parts, then choose the punctuation for their order.
| Pattern | Decision |
|---|---|
| Mia sagt: „Ich komme später.“ | Reporting clause first: colon before the quotation. |
| „Ich komme später“, sagt Mia. | Reporting clause afterwards: comma after the closing quotation mark. |
| „Kommst du mit?“, fragt Mia. | The quoted question keeps its question mark; the reporting clause still follows a comma. |
| „Ich komme“, sagt Mia, „aber erst später.“ | The quotation continues after an inserted reporting clause. |
Match the quotation marks
The usual German low-opening form is „…“. Other matching typographic conventions exist, including »…« and the «…» often used in Switzerland. Use one coherent style and keep the opening and closing marks paired.
Quotation marks also mark a word you are discussing: Das Wort „morgen“ ist hier ein Adverb. That is different from reproducing a complete spoken sentence, so it does not automatically need the direct-speech pattern with a colon.
Keep a quoted question mark in place
Before an attached reporting clause, the quoted statement loses its final full stop: „Ich bleibe hier“, sagt Mia. A quoted question or exclamation keeps its mark: „Bleib hier!“, ruft Mia. The comma connecting the following reporting clause stands outside the quotation.
When an inserted reporting clause splits one continuing sentence, the continuation is not automatically a new sentence: „Ich bleibe“, sagt Mia, „bis der Bus kommt.“ The word bis remains lower-case because the quoted sentence continues.
Write two versions of one utterance
Choose a short statement. First put the reporting clause before it, then put it after it. Keep the exact spoken words while changing only the punctuation required by the new order.
Then turn the quotation into a question. Read its punctuation aloud by naming the marks if that helps your written check. The ordinary speaking rhythm cannot show where the printed quotation marks stand.
Put it into practice
Try each task before opening the answer. Open questions show one possible model answer.
Punctuate with the reporting clause first: Mia sagt / Ich bleibe hier.
Answer and explanation
Mia sagt: „Ich bleibe hier.“
The colon introduces the full direct utterance.
Put sagt Mia after that same quoted statement.
Answer and explanation
„Ich bleibe hier“, sagt Mia.
The quoted statement has no full stop before the closing mark in this pattern.
Punctuate: Kommst du mit? / fragt Mia.
Answer and explanation
„Kommst du mit?“, fragt Mia.
The question mark remains and the reporting clause follows an outside comma.
Continue the same sentence after sagt Mia: Ich bleibe / bis der Bus kommt.
Answer and explanation
„Ich bleibe“, sagt Mia, „bis der Bus kommt.“
The quoted sentence continues, so bis stays lower-case.
Must every mentioned word be introduced by a colon?
Answer and explanation
No. For example: Das Wort „morgen“ ist ein Adverb.
Mentioning an expression differs from introducing a complete spoken sentence.
Where is the comma before a following reporting clause?
Answer and explanation
After the closing quotation mark.
The examples on this page show the German direct-speech pattern.
Questions learners ask
Are „…“ the only possible German quotation marks?
No. Matching alternative typographic styles also occur. Keep the chosen style coherent and observe the relevant publication or regional convention.
Does a quoted question lose its question mark before sagt or fragt?
No. It keeps the question mark; the comma attaching a following reporting clause is still added outside the quotation.