Reported Speech

26 languages

B1Reported speech with verbs like dire, demander, répondre. Changes: que for statements, si for yes/no questions, question words remain. Tense shifts apply.

GermanIndirekte Rede (Konjunktiv I)

B1Basic reported speech using Konjunktiv I: er sei, er habe, er komme. Formal register.

Japanese間接話法

C1Reporting speech with tense/perspective shifts: ということだ (it is said that), とのことだ (according to), と伝えられている (it is reported). Distinguishing hearsay sources.

Chinese间接引语

B2Reporting speech: 说 (say), 告诉 (tell), 问 (ask), 觉得/认为 (think). No tense shift like English. Direct quotes use colon and quotation marks.

Korean완전 화계 체계

C2All seven speech levels: 하십시오체, 해요체, 하오체, 하게체, 해체, 해라체, and their appropriate contexts. Historical and modern usage.

Hindiकथित कथन (परोक्ष कथन विस्तार)

B2Advanced reported speech: question reporting (पूछा कि), command reporting (कहा कि...ओ/इए), tense considerations, and direct-to-indirect shifts.

RussianКосвенная речь

B1Indirect speech with что (that), чтобы (in order to/that), ли (whether). No tense shift rule. Pronouns and time expressions may change. Question words stay same.

GreekΠλάγιος Λόγος

B2Reported speech with ότι/πως (that), αν (if/whether). Greek often keeps original tense in indirect speech.

RomanianVorbirea Indirectă

B2Indirect discourse with appropriate tense and pronoun shifts. Uses 'că' (that), 'dacă' (if/whether), 'să' (to) after reporting verbs.

HungarianFüggő Beszéd

B2Indirect discourse with hogy (that) conjunction. No tense shift in Hungarian reported speech, unlike English.

Thaiคำพูดรายงานขั้นสูง

B2Complex reported speech: indirect questions, embedded commands, various speech verbs: ยอมรับ (admit), ปฏิเสธ (deny), ยืนยัน (confirm), เสนอ (propose).

VietnameseLời Nói Gián Tiếp Nâng Cao

B2Complex reported speech: indirect questions, embedded commands, reporting with various speech verbs (thừa nhận, phủ nhận, khẳng định, gợi ý).

IndonesianKalimat Laporan Lanjutan

B2Complex reported speech: indirect questions, embedded commands, various speech verbs: mengakui (admit), menyangkal (deny), menegaskan (confirm), menyarankan (suggest).

SwahiliUsemi wa Taarifa

B2Indirect speech introduced by kwamba/kuwa (that). Tense shifts from direct speech: -na- may become -li- or remain. Verbs of saying: alisema (said), aliambia (told), alidai (claimed).

Persianنقل قول

B2Direct and indirect reported speech using گفت ke (said that). Tense backshifting occurs in formal register. Colloquial often preserves original tense. Uses verbs like گفتن, پرسیدن, جواب دادن.

FilipinoDi-tuwirang Pagsasalita (Daw/Raw)

B1Reported speech uses daw/raw (hearsay particle, 'they say/it is said'). Daw follows consonants, raw follows vowels. Also uses sabi (said) constructions.

Urduبالواسطہ بیان

B2Indirect speech uses کہ ke (that) after verbs of saying. Tense may shift. Pronouns adjust. Direct quotation common in Urdu. Verbs: کہنا kahnā (say), پوچھنا pūchnā (ask), بتانا batānā (tell).

YorubaỌ̀rọ̀ Àròyé

B2Indirect speech uses pé (that) or kí (that, for commands): Ó sọ pé ó máa wá (He said that he would come). Direct speech is also common and introduced by pé without tense shifts.

IrishCaint Indíreach

B2Reported speech with tense shifting: Dúirt sé go raibh sé tuirseach (He said he was tired). Questions reported with 'an/ar', commands with 'go/gan'. Complex backshift patterns.

WelshAraith Anuniongyrchol

B2Indirect speech using 'dweud/dywedyd bod' with tense backshift. Direct quotes are restructured using noun clauses with 'bod' or 'y/yr' for inflected forms.

BasqueZehar Estiloa

B2Indirect speech uses the suffix '-la' on the verb and may require tense shifts. 'Esan du etorriko dela' (He/She said that he/she will come). Omen/ei (reportedly) for hearsay.

MāoriKōrero Tuku

B2Direct quotation with 'ka mea' (said) or 'ka kī' (said). Indirect speech: 'I kī ia kia haere' (He/She said to go). No systematic tense shifting; context and particles guide meaning.

HawaiianʻŌlelo Hoʻohālua

B2Direct quotation with 'wahi a' (says/said) or 'penei/pēlā' (thus). Indirect speech patterns: 'Ua ʻōlelo ʻo ia...' No systematic tense shifting as in English.

Cantonese間接引述

B2Reporting what others said using 話 waa6 (say/said). Direct quotation uses 話 + quoted speech. Indirect reporting may shift pronouns but not tense (no tense inflection in Cantonese).

CatalanEstil Indirecte

B2Indirect speech with tense backshift: present→imperfect, periphrastic past→pluperfect, future→conditional. Pronoun and time reference changes. Introduced by 'que' after verbs of saying.

EnglishReported Statements

B1Reporting what someone said. Tense backshift: present→past, past→past perfect, will→would. Say/tell. Pronoun and time changes.

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