Hearsay and claims: sollen and wollen
Attribute unverified information and distinguish a person’s claim from their intention.
The rule
Evidential sollen attributes information to another source. Evidential wollen presents the subject’s own claim; neither construction verifies the claim.
soll … sein / gewesen sein · will … gesehen haben
Evidential sollen can attribute information to another source: er soll in Berlin wohnen means this is reported.
sollen plus perfect infinitive attributes a claim about the past: sie soll gewonnen haben.
wollen plus perfect infinitive can present the subject’s own claim: er will nichts gesehen haben.
Core forms and structures
Use this table as a reference, then retrieve the forms without looking.
| Form | Function | German example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| soll | Singular soll attributes a reported completed passive event. | Die Firma soll verkauft worden sein. | The company is said to have been sold. |
| will | Singular will plus perfect infinitive presents the subject’s own claim. | Er will nichts gesehen haben. | He claims to have seen nothing. |
| soll | Singular soll attributes information about the study’s contents. | Die Studie soll neue Daten enthalten. | The study is said to contain new data. |
| will | Singular will plus perfect infinitive reports a self-claim. | Sie will den Fehler sofort bemerkt haben. | She claims to have noticed the mistake immediately. |
| haben | wohnen takes haben in the reported perfect infinitive. | Der Autor soll in Bonn gewohnt haben. | The author is said to have lived in Bonn. |
German examples with English meanings
Die Firma soll verkauft worden sein.
The company is said to have been sold.
Singular soll attributes a reported completed passive event.
Er will nichts gesehen haben.
He claims to have seen nothing.
Singular will plus perfect infinitive presents the subject’s own claim.
Die Studie soll neue Daten enthalten.
The study is said to contain new data.
Singular soll attributes information about the study’s contents.
Sie will den Fehler sofort bemerkt haben.
She claims to have noticed the mistake immediately.
Singular will plus perfect infinitive reports a self-claim.
Der Autor soll in Bonn gewohnt haben.
The author is said to have lived in Bonn.
wohnen takes haben in the reported perfect infinitive.
Die Gäste sollen früh gegangen sein.
The guests are said to have left early.
Er will alle informiert haben.
He claims to have informed everyone.
Das Verfahren soll vereinfacht worden sein.
The procedure is said to have been simplified.
Sie will morgen den Antrag stellen.
She wants to submit the application tomorrow.
Die Zeugin will den Mann erkannt haben.
The witness claims to have recognised the man.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Die Gäste sollen früh gegangen haben.
Correct: Die Gäste sollen früh gegangen sein.
gehen takes sein in the reported perfect infinitive.
Incorrect: Er will alle informiert sein.
Correct: Er will alle informiert haben.
informieren takes haben in the claimed perfect infinitive.
Incorrect: Das Verfahren soll vereinfacht geworden haben.
Correct: Das Verfahren soll vereinfacht worden sein.
Completed passive attribution requires vereinfacht worden sein.
Incorrect: Sie will morgen den Antrag gestellt haben werden.
Correct: Sie will morgen den Antrag stellen.
Ordinary intention uses will plus bare stellen; morgen gives future time.
Incorrect: Die Zeugin will den Mann erkannt sein.
Correct: Die Zeugin will den Mann erkannt haben.
erkennen takes haben in the claimed perfect infinitive.
Details and useful distinctions
Contrast that construction with ordinary wollen expressing intention: er will den Bericht lesen.
Neither evidential form establishes truth. Identify the source when possible and avoid implying automatic disbelief.
Practise this grammar
Ask who supplies the claim, then distinguish reported information, self-claim and future intention.
Open Hearsay and claims: sollen and wollen exercises →
For source references and editorial level notes, see the grammar reference. You can report a correction if an explanation or example seems wrong.