Reporting completed events
To report a completed event in Konjunktiv I, use habe or sei plus Partizip II. Choose the auxiliary as in Perfekt; the event is earlier than the report.
Understand the idea
To report a completed event in Konjunktiv I, German commonly uses habe or sei plus the participle. This reported perfect covers past reference without simply copying the indicative tense of every original statement.
Build it step by step
Choose the verb's appropriate auxiliary, put it in Konjunktiv I and add the lexical participle. Pronouns and time/place expressions may also need adjustment to the reporting context. A basic subordinate reported clause places the finite auxiliary at the end. Distinguish the reporter's frame from the time of the event reported.
See it in a sentence
Er sagt, er habe den Brief geschrieben.
Sie berichtet, sie habe die Prüfung bestanden.
A useful memory aid
Start from a familiar Perfekt phrase, then change the auxiliary to the reported-speech form. This reduces the number of decisions you make at once.
A common trap
Do not substitute hätte or wäre automatically when the task specifically requests a clear Konjunktiv I form. Those forms belong to a different mood, though they have uses in reported speech too.