Breakdown of Der Prüfer denkt, du hättest bremsen sollen.
du
you (informal singular)
haben
to have
denken
to think
sollen
should / ought to
Questions & Answers about Der Prüfer denkt, du hättest bremsen sollen.
Why does this sentence use two infinitives (bremsen sollen) instead of a past participle?
This is a special rule for modal verbs like sollen (should/supposed to). When a modal verb is used in a past tense alongside another verb (like bremsen), it doesn't form a past participle like gesollt. Instead, it uses its infinitive form. This creates a "double infinitive" structure: bremsen sollen.
How does hättest ... sollen translate to "should have"?
To talk about a missed obligation in the past—something you should have done but didn't—German uses the Konjunktiv II (Subjunctive II) form of haben (hättest) combined with the double infinitive. So, du hättest bremsen sollen is the standard way to express "you should have braked."
Why is the conjugated verb hättest in the second position instead of at the end of the clause?
This sentence leaves out the connecting word dass (that), which is very common after verbs of thinking or speaking like denken. When dass is dropped, the following clause uses normal main-clause word order, meaning the conjugated verb hättest stays in the second position.
If I wanted to include the word dass, what would the word order look like?