Indirect Speech in Danish

Overview

Indirect Speech (Indirekte Tale) is an important grammar concept at the B2 level in Danish. Reported speech with tense shift and pronoun changes. 'At' often omitted after verbs of saying/thinking.

At the upper-intermediate level, understanding this concept allows you to express yourself with greater accuracy and nuance. This grammar point builds on foundations you have established at earlier levels and connects to several related areas of Danish grammar.

As you work through this topic, pay attention to how it functions in authentic Danish texts and conversations. The patterns you learn here will become more natural with regular practice and exposure to the language.

How It Works

Core rules

Reported speech with tense shift and pronoun changes. 'At' often omitted after verbs of saying/thinking.

Key patterns

Danish	English
Hun sagde, (at) hun var træt.	She said (that) she was tired.
Han spurgte, om jeg kunne.	He asked if I could.
De fortalte, at de havde rejst.	They said they had traveled.
Jeg troede, at du vidste.	I thought you knew.

Tense shift in reported speech

Direct speech	Reported speech
"Jeg er traet."	Hun sagde, at hun var traet.
"Jeg har laest den."	Han sagde, at han havde laest den.
"Jeg vil komme."	Hun sagde, at hun ville komme.
"Jeg kan ikke."	Han sagde, at han ikke kunne.

Pronoun shifts

Direct	Reported
jeg → han/hun	"Jeg er traet" → Hun sagde, at hun var traet.
du → jeg/han/hun	"Du er klog" → Hun sagde, at jeg/han var klog.
i dag → den dag	"i dag" → den dag
i morgen → naeste dag	"i morgen" → naeste dag

Examples in Context

Danish	English	Note
Hun sagde, (at) hun var træt.	She said (that) she was tired.
Han spurgte, om jeg kunne.	He asked if I could.
De fortalte, at de havde rejst.	They said they had traveled.
Jeg troede, at du vidste.	I thought you knew.

Common Mistakes

Transferring English patterns directly

• Wrong: Using English word order or structure when expressing indirect speech in Danish.
• Right: Follow Danish-specific rules for this grammar point.
• Why: Danish and English handle indirect speech differently. Learning the Danish pattern as its own system prevents interference from English.

Neglecting subordinate clause word order

• Wrong: Keeping main clause word order when indirect speech appears in a subordinate clause.
• Right: Remember that adverbs like ikke move before the verb in subordinate clauses.
• Why: The main clause/subordinate clause word order distinction is fundamental in Danish and affects how all grammar structures are used.

Overgeneralizing rules

• Wrong: Applying one pattern to all cases of indirect speech without considering exceptions.
• Right: Learn both the regular patterns and the common exceptions.
• Why: Danish grammar has regular patterns but also important exceptions, particularly with frequently used words.

Practice Tips

• Analyze authentic texts. Read Danish newspaper articles or literature and identify all instances of indirect speech. Note the contexts and nuances of each usage.
• Write formal and informal versions. Practice expressing the same idea using indirect speech in different registers: a text message to a friend versus an email to a colleague.
• Record yourself speaking. Talk about a topic for two minutes, focusing on using indirect speech correctly. Listen back and note areas for improvement.

Related Concepts

• Subordinate Clauses - Parent concept
• Sequence of Tenses