Breakdown of In der Kampagne sagten sie, sie würden alle Versprechen umsetzen.
in
in
sie
they
sagen
to say
alle
all, everyone
Questions & Answers about In der Kampagne sagten sie, sie würden alle Versprechen umsetzen.
Why is würden umsetzen used here instead of Konjunktiv I for reported speech?
Normally, reported speech uses Konjunktiv I. For the third-person plural (sie), the Konjunktiv I form is setzen um, which looks exactly like the normal present tense. To avoid confusion, we switch to Konjunktiv II. However, the Konjunktiv II form is setzten um, which is identical to the simple past! Because both standard options are ambiguous, we use the replacement form (Ersatzform) with würden and the infinitive to make it completely clear we are reporting speech.
Why is the conjugated verb würden in the second position of the reported clause rather than at the end?
This sentence drops the word dass (that) to introduce the reported speech. When you omit dass, the reported clause behaves like a standard main clause, so the conjugated verb takes the second position. If you included it, the verb would go to the end: ... sagten sie, dass sie alle Versprechen umsetzen würden.
Is umsetzen the standard way to say they will keep their promises?
While you could use words like erfüllen (to fulfill) or halten (to keep) with Versprechen (promises), umsetzen is an excellent B2-level verb. It specifically means to put a plan, idea, or political promise into practical, real-world action.
Why does the main clause say sagten sie instead of sie sagten?