Learn German: Der Assistent schreibt, der Kollege solle die Unterlagen einreichen. - The assistant writes that the colleague should submit the documents.

solle is the Konjunktiv I (Subjunctive I) form of sollen. In reported speech, we use it to pass on a command or request made by someone else. If the assistant's original words were Reichen Sie die Unterlagen ein! (Submit the documents!), we report this indirect imperative using solle. Using the regular present tense soll would sound like a general obligation, while sollte (Konjunktiv II) would sound like a polite suggestion or advice.

Why is the verb solle in the second position of the clause, rather than at the end?

In German reported speech, you can drop the conjunction dass (that). When you omit dass, the reported clause behaves like a normal main clause, meaning the conjugated verb (solle) takes the second position. If we included dass, the verb would go to the end: ... dass der Kollege die Unterlagen einreichen solle.

The reporting verb schreibt is in the present tense. Do we still have to use Konjunktiv I for the reported speech?

Yes! Unlike in English, where the grammar of reported speech often changes depending on whether the reporting verb is past or present, German uses Konjunktiv I simply to signal that these are someone else's words or commands. This applies regardless of whether the reporting verb (schreibt) is in the present, past, or perfect tense.

Could we use a word like instead of here?