¡Hola! Often, we need to tell someone what another person said, asked, or commanded. This is called "reported speech" or "indirect style" (estilo indirecto). In Spanish, as in English, this often involves changes in verb tenses (known as backshifting), pronouns, and expressions of time and place. This chapter will guide you through these transformations.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Imagine your friend Ana says: "I am tired." ("Estoy cansada.") If you later tell someone else what Ana said, you would say: "Ana said (that) she was tired." (Ana dijo que estaba cansada.) Notice the change from "I am" to "she was." These are the kinds of changes we'll explore.
(Optional Review): Review common reporting verbs like decir (to say/tell), preguntar (to ask), pedir (to ask for/request). Also, be comfortable with past tenses like Preterite, Imperfect, and Pluperfect Indicative.
When reporting a statement, you typically use a reporting verb (like decir, afirmar, explicar, etc.) in a past tense (usually Preterite or Imperfect), followed by que (that), and then the reported clause. If the reporting verb is in the past, the verb tense in the reported clause often "shifts back."
| Direct Speech Tense | Reported Speech Tense (if main verb is past) |
|---|---|
| Presente Indicativo | Imperfecto de Indicativo |
| Pretérito Perfecto (he comido) | Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo (había comido) |
| Pretérito Indefinido (comí) | Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo (había comido) OR remains Pretérito Indefinido if recent/still relevant |
| Imperfecto de Indicativo | Imperfecto de Indicativo (often no change) |
| Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo | Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo (no change) |
| Futuro Simple (comeré) | Condicional Simple (comería) |
| Condicional Simple (comería) | Condicional Simple (often no change) or Condicional Perfecto (habría comido) if context implies further past |
| Presente de Subjuntivo | Imperfecto de Subjuntivo |
| Imperativo | Imperfecto de Subjuntivo (or Presente Subjuntivo if reporting verb is present) |
Directo: Juan dice: "Estoy cansado."
Indirecto (reporting verb in present): Juan dice que está cansado. (No tense shift needed for the reported verb if reporting verb is present)
Indirecto (reporting verb in past): Juan dijo que estaba cansado. (Present → Imperfect)
Directo: María dijo: "Yo comí pizza ayer."
Indirecto: María dijo que (ella) había comido pizza el día anterior. (Preterite → Pluperfect; "ayer" → "el día anterior")
Directo: Carlos afirmó: "Yo iré mañana."
Indirecto: Carlos afirmó que (él) iría al día siguiente. (Future → Conditional; "mañana" → "al día siguiente")
Reported with a verb like preguntar followed by si (if/whether).
Directo: Ana preguntó: "¿Tienes hambre?"
Indirecto: Ana preguntó si (yo) tenía hambre. (Present → Imperfect)
Reported with preguntar followed by the same question word (qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, cómo, por qué, cuánto). The word order usually changes from question to statement order. The question word keeps its accent.
Directo: El profesor preguntó: "¿Qué hora es?"
Indirecto: El profesor preguntó qué hora era. (Present → Imperfect; statement word order)
Directo: Mi madre me preguntó: "¿Adónde fuiste ayer?"
Indirecto: Mi madre me preguntó adónde (yo) había ido el día anterior. (Preterite → Pluperfect)
Commands and requests are typically reported using a verb like decir, pedir, mandar, rogar, etc., followed by que + Subjunctive. If the reporting verb is in the past, the Imperfect Subjunctive is usually used. If the reporting verb is in the present, the Present Subjunctive is used.
Directo: El médico dijo: "Descanse usted." (Formal command - Present Subjunctive)
Indirecto: El médico dijo que (yo/él/ella) descansara/descansase. (Imperfect Subjunctive)
Directo: Mi amigo me pidió: "Ayúdame, por favor." (Informal command)
Indirecto: Mi amigo me pidió que lo/la ayudara/ayudase. (Imperfect Subjunctive)
Directo: La profesora dice: "Haced la tarea." (Vosotros command)
Indirecto (reporting verb present): La profesora dice que hagamos la tarea. (Present Subjunctive - assuming she means "we" or "you all")
Just like in English, these elements often need to change based on the perspective of the reporter.
Directo: Pedro dijo: "Yo vendré mañana."
Indirecto: Pedro dijo que él vendría al día siguiente.
Practice tense shifts and other changes.
Import Chapter 56 Flashcards(Requires login to import/study)
Instructions: For each pair, identify the tense in direct speech and the tense in reported speech.
Answer Key:
Instructions: Convert the direct statements into reported speech using "dijo que..." Make necessary tense and pronoun changes.
Answer Key:
Instructions: Convert to reported speech.
Answer Key:
Instructions: Person 1 whispers a simple sentence in Spanish to Person 2 (e.g., "Me gusta el chocolate."). Person 2 reports this to Person 3 ("Persona 1 dijo que le gustaba el chocolate."). Person 3 reports what Person 2 said to Person 4, and so on. See how the message changes (or stays the same!). Focus on correct reported speech.
Reported speech is essential for storytelling, sharing news, and everyday conversation in all cultures. In Spanish-speaking communities, being able to accurately recount what others have said is a key part of social interaction, whether it's sharing anecdotes with friends, discussing news, or narrating events. The nuances of tense shifts can subtly convey the reporter's perspective or the timing of the original utterance.
If the statement being reported is still true in the present, or if the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., "él dice que..." - he says that...), then the tense in the reported clause often does not shift back.
If the original statement was already in the Imperfect or Pluperfect Indicative, these tenses often remain unchanged in reported speech, even if the reporting verb is in the past, because they already denote ongoing or completed past actions relative to another past point.
When reporting commands that had object pronouns attached to the imperative, these pronouns usually become indirect or direct object pronouns placed before the conjugated subjunctive verb in reported speech.
Ana tells her friend about a conversation she had.
Ayer hablé con Carlos. Él me dijo que estaba un poco preocupado por su examen. Le pregunté si había estudiado mucho.
Carlos respondió que sí, pero que todavía no se sentía preparado. Me explicó que el profesor les había dicho que el examen sería muy difícil.
Entonces, le sugerí que repasáramos juntos. Él aceptó y me preguntó cuándo podría ser. Le dije que hoy por la tarde estaría bien para mí.
Yesterday I spoke with Carlos. He told me that he was a little worried about his exam. I asked him if he had studied a lot.
Carlos replied that yes, but that he still didn't feel prepared. He explained to me that the teacher had told them that the exam would be very difficult.
So, I suggested that we review together. He accepted and asked me when it could be. I told him that this afternoon would be good for me.
Being able to report what others have said is a vital communication skill. In the next chapter, we'll explore 'Advanced Connectors & Discourse Markers,' which will help you structure longer texts and speech, adding more sophistication and coherence to your arguments and narratives. ¡A conectar ideas!