Reported speech (or indirect speech) is how we talk about what someone else has said. This involves changing pronouns and tenses to fit the new context. For example, "I am tired" becomes "He said that he **was** tired."
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
When you report what someone said, you usually need to make two main changes: the **pronoun** and the **tense**.
You start with a verb like `qal` (he said) or `qalet` (she said), followed by `li` (that).
This is the most important rule. The verb tense in the reported clause usually moves one step back into the past.
| Direct Speech Tense | Reported Speech Tense |
|---|---|
| Present (e.g., `jien kuntent`) | Past (e.g., `kien kuntent`) |
| Past (e.g., `mort`) | Past Perfect (e.g., `kien mar` - was gone) |
| Future (e.g., `se mmur`) | Conditional (e.g., `kien se jmur`) |
Direct: Pawlu: "Jien naħdem hawn." (I work here.)
Indirect: Pawlu qal li hu kien jaħdem hemm. (Pawlu said that he worked there.)
Note the changes: `naħdem` -> `kien jaħdem`, `hawn` (here) -> `hemm` (there).
Direct: Marija: "Jien se nixtri karozza ġdida." (I will buy a new car.)
Indirect: Marija qalet li kienet se tixtri karozza ġdida. (Marija said that she would buy a new car.)
Note the change: `se nixtri` -> `kienet se tixtri`.
Direct: It-tfal: "Aħna għamilna x-xogħol tad-dar." (We did the homework.)
Indirect: It-tfal qalu li kienu għamlu x-xogħol tad-dar. (The children said that they had done the homework.)
Note the change: `għamilna` -> `kienu għamlu`.
Master the rules of reported speech.
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Read the reported speech and choose the most likely original (direct) quote.
Reported: Ommha qaltilha li kienet se ssajjar il-fenek għall-pranzu.
The correct answer is 2. The conditional `kienet se ssajjar` (she would cook) backshifts from the future `se nsajjar` (I will cook).
Change the following direct quotes into reported speech.
Reported speech is the backbone of storytelling and sharing news, which are central parts of Maltese social life. In a small, close-knit society, sharing what others have said—whether it's serious news or light-hearted gossip (`tette` or `pettegolezzi`)—is a daily occurrence.
You'll often hear conversations start with "Did you hear what so-and-so said?" (`Smajt x'qal...?`). This isn't necessarily malicious; it's a way of maintaining social connections and staying informed about the community. Mastering reported speech allows you to understand and participate in this fundamental aspect of Maltese social interaction.
David asks Anna why Marija didn't come to the party.
David: Anna, tkellimt ma' Marija? Għaliex ma ġietx għall-festa lbieraħ? (AN-na, tkel-LIMT ma' Ma-REE-ya? aa-LEESH ma jeetch all-FES-ta l-BEE-rah?)
Anna: Iva, tkellimt magħha. Qaltli li kienet qed tħossha ftit marida. (EE-va, tkel-LIMT MAA-ha. 'ALT-li li KEE-net 'ed thoss-HA ftit ma-REE-da.)
David: Oh le! X'kellha? (Oh le! sh'KEL-la?)
Anna: Qalet li kellha uġigħ ta' ras kbir. ('A-let li KEL-la oo-JEECH ta' ras kbeer.)
David: U llum kif inhi? (Oo il-LOOM kif IN-hi?)
Anna: Qalet li llum tħossha aħjar u li forsi kienet se toħroġ filgħaxija. ('A-let li il-LOOM thoss-HA ah-YAR oo li FOR-si KEE-net se TOH-roj fil-ash-EE-ya.)
David: Tajjeb. Mela, għidilha li nittamaw li narawha. (TAI-yeb. ME-la, aid-IL-la li nit-TA-maw li na-RAW-ha.)
David: Anna, did you talk to Marija? Why didn't she come to the party yesterday?
Anna: Yes, I spoke with her. She told me that she was feeling a bit sick.
David: Oh no! What did she have?
Anna: She said that she had a big headache.
David: And how is she today?
Anna: She said that today she feels better and that maybe she would go out in the evening.
David: Good. Well, tell her that we hope to see her.
To report speech, introduce it with `qal/qalet li...`. The verb tense in the original quote is "backshifted" one step into the past (present -> past, future -> conditional). Pronouns and time/place words must also be changed to fit the new perspective.
Prosit! You can now report conversations, a key skill for advanced communication. In the next chapter, `Qari ta' Aħbarijiet` (Reading the News), we will apply your knowledge of the passive voice and reported speech to understand authentic Maltese news articles.