The study uses a broad empirical database to clarify the variable time reference and modal reading ("unreal"/"potential") of non-past related (i.e. temporally refunctioned) forms such as 'wäre gekommen' [would have come] (e.g. 'Morgen wäre sie gekommen' [She would have come tomorrow]) and differences in meaning compared with forms such as 'käme/würde kommen' [would come]. The study concludes with a survey of the temporal refunctioning of the past subjunctive back into the 16th century.