direct speech and indirect speech  



Gramática
The difference between direct and indirect speech is best
understood by looking at examples of each.

Direct
Juan dice, "“hay un ratón en mi casa”".
Juan says, "There is a mouse in my house."

Indirect
Juan dijo que había un ratón en su casa.
Juan said that there was a mouse in his house.

Direct
Juan dice, "dame una ratonera".
Juan says, "Give me a mousetrap."

Indirect
Juan me dijo que le diera una ratonera.
Juan told me that I (should) give him a mousetrap.

Note! Indirect speech requires a different form for reporting
information and reporting a favor.

Gramática
When reporting information two changes occur:
first, the tense changes from the present
(dice, hay) to the past (dijo, había).
Second, que must be used to separate the first
verb-subject combination (Juan dijo) and the
information (había un ratón en la casa).

Direct:
Ana dice, "quiero un refresco".
Ana says, "I want a soft drink."

Indirect:
Ana dijo que quería un refresco.
Ana said that she wanted a soft drink.

Direct:
José dice, "leo tres horas por día".
Jose says, "I read three hours a day."

Indirect:
José dijo que leía tres horas por día.
Jose said that he reads three hours a day.

Notes for the Tutor

  • The student should learn this material so that his or her conversation can become more fluid.
  • The tutor should help the student review this material.
  • Suggested Homework:The student should prepare 5 sentences demonstrating both DIRECT and INDIRECT speech.

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Popular Phrase: aquellos dias   | Conversational Spanish