Introduction
Reported speech in Spanish is essential for telling what someone else said without quoting them directly. This article explains the rules for changing tenses, pronouns, and time expressions when using reported speech, with clear examples and usage notes for beginners to intermediate learners.
- What is reported speech?
- Basic rule: backshift of tenses
- Reporting questions
- Commands and requests
- Pronoun and time expression changes
- When you do not backshift
- Reported speech with present reporting verbs
- Subjunctive in reported speech
- Practical examples by tense
- Cultural and usage notes
- Common pitfalls and tips
- Conclusion
What is reported speech?
Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is a way to convey another person’s words without repeating them exactly. In Spanish, this often requires changes in verb tense, person, and time references. The most common reporting verbs are decir, preguntar, afirmar, and explicar.
Direct speech vs indirect speech
Direct speech repeats the exact words spoken. Indirect speech paraphrases them. Compare:
Direct: Juan dijo: Estoy cansado.
Indirect: Juan dijo que estaba cansado.
Basic rule: backshift of tenses
When the reporting verb is in the past (for example dijo, comentó, preguntó), the verb in the original clause usually shifts back one tense. This is called backshifting. Below are the typical changes.
Present to imperfect
When the original clause is in the present indicative, it normally becomes the imperfect indicative in reported speech.
Direct: María dijo: Estoy enferma.
Indirect: María dijo que estaba enferma.
Other verbs follow the same pattern: puedes, quieres, pienso become podías, querías, pensabas when reported after a past reporting verb.
Present perfect to past perfect
The present perfect (he hecho, ha dicho) becomes the past perfect or pluperfect (había hecho, había dicho) after a past reporting verb.
Direct: Él dijo: He terminado el trabajo.
Indirect: Él dijo que había terminado el trabajo.
Preterite to past perfect
The preterite (pretérito) typically shifts to the past perfect (pluscuamperfecto) in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past.
Direct: Ana dijo: Llegué tarde.
Indirect: Ana dijo que había llegado tarde.
Imperfect stays imperfect
When the original verb is already in the imperfect, it usually remains in the imperfect because it is already a past tense.
Direct: Luis dijo: No quería ir.
Indirect: Luis dijo que no quería ir.
Future and conditional
Futures and the conditional in direct speech typically shift to conditional and conditional perfect respectively when the reporting verb is in the past.
Direct: Ella dijo: Iré mañana.
Indirect: Ella dijo que iría mañana.
Direct: Él dijo: Habré terminado para las seis.
Indirect: Él dijo que habría terminado para las seis.
Reporting questions
Questions change word order and often introduce que or si for yes/no questions. When the reporting verb is past, apply backshift rules to the verb in the reported clause.
Yes/no questions
Use si to introduce yes/no questions in reported speech. The verb tense changes according to the backshift rules.
Direct: Marta preguntó: ¿Vienes mañana?
Indirect: Marta preguntó si venías mañana.
Information questions
For questions using interrogative words such as dónde, cuándo, por qué, cómo, quién, and qué, keep the interrogative word and change verb tense as needed. Do not use inverted word order; use statement order.
Direct: Él preguntó: ¿Dónde está la estación?
Indirect: Él preguntó dónde estaba la estación.
Direct: Preguntaron: ¿Qué quieres comer?
Indirect: Preguntaron qué querías comer.
Commands and requests
When reporting commands, use an infinitive, imperfect subjunctive, or que + subjunctive depending on structure and politeness. If the reporting verb is in the past, the present imperative often becomes the imperfect subjunctive or que + imperfect subjunctive.
Reporting a direct command
Direct: El profesor dijo: Estudia más.
Indirect: El profesor dijo que estudiara más. or El profesor pidió que estudiaran más.
Use of infinitive
When the subject remains the same or subject is not specified, use the infinitive.
Direct: Me dijo: Vete ahora.
Indirect: Me dijo que irme ahora. or Me dijo que me fuera ahora.
Pronoun and time expression changes
Along with tense changes, you must often change pronouns and time/place expressions when the perspective shifts from the original speaker to the reporter.
Pronouns
First and second person pronouns usually change to third person in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past.
Direct: Tú dijiste: Estoy cansado.
Indirect: Tú dijiste que él estaba cansado. or Me dijiste que estabas cansado if the same person is referenced.
Time and place references
Demonstratives and time words often shift backward in time. Examples:
aquí becomes allí or ahí
hoy becomes ese día or aquel día
mañana becomes al día siguiente or mañana could remain if context allows
ayer becomes el día anterior or un día antes
Direct: Dijo: Hoy no puedo.
Indirect: Dijo que ese día no podía.
When you do not backshift
There are cases when you do not change the tense even if the reporting verb is in the past. Typically this happens when the reported statement is still true or represents a general truth, or when the present tense describes a habitual action that remains valid.
Direct: Ella dijo: El agua hierve a 100 grados.
Indirect: Ella dijo que el agua hierve a 100 grados.
Direct: Me dijeron: Somos amigos desde la infancia.
Indirect: Me dijeron que son amigos desde la infancia. Here the relationship is still true, so no backshift is necessary.
Reported speech with present reporting verbs
If the reporting verb is in the present (dice, pregunta, afirma), you usually keep the original tense and do not perform backshift. This is common when the report is immediate, or the statement is still relevant.
Direct: Ana dice: Quiero un café.
Indirect: Ana dice que quiere un café.
Subjunctive in reported speech
The subjunctive appears in reported speech mainly when the original clause required subjunctive or when expressing wishes, doubts, emotions, or commands. Backshifting can move present subjunctive to past subjunctive.
Direct: Pedro dijo: Espero que vengas.
Indirect: Pedro dijo que esperaba que vinieras.
Direct: Ella dijo: Ojalá que llueva.
Indirect: Ella dijo que ojalá lloviera or Ella dijo que esperaba que lloviera.
Practical examples by tense
Below are grouped examples to show how specific tenses change when reporting speech with a past reporting verb.
Present -> Imperfect
Direct: Carlos dijo: Trabajo en el banco.
Indirect: Carlos dijo que trabajaba en el banco.
Preterite -> Past perfect
Direct: Marta dijo: Compré un coche.
Indirect: Marta dijo que había comprado un coche.
Present perfect -> Past perfect
Direct: Dijeron: Hemos visto esa película.
Indirect: Dijeron que habían visto esa película.
Future -> Conditional
Direct: Pedro dijo: Viajaré a Perú el próximo año.
Indirect: Pedro dijo que viajaría a Perú el siguiente año.
Imperative -> Imperfect subjunctive or que + subjunctive
Direct: El jefe dijo: Hazlo ahora.
Indirect: El jefe dijo que lo hiciera ahora. or El jefe pidió que lo hicieran ahora.
Cultural and usage notes
In everyday spoken Spanish, native speakers sometimes mix direct and indirect speech or keep the present tense for immediacy. In Latin America, using que with the subjunctive after verbs of command is very common. In formal writing, maintaining consistent backshifting and pronoun agreement is important.
Regional variation also affects word choice for time expressions. For instance, enclosure of mañana to refer to the next day may remain mañana in casual contexts, while formal contexts prefer al día siguiente.
Common pitfalls and tips
1. Forgetting to change pronouns: always check who is the subject in the reported clause.
2. Overusing backshift: remember not to change tenses for universal truths or current facts.
3. Time expressions: adjust today, tomorrow, yesterday when the perspective changes.
4. Subjunctive usage: commands, wishes, and doubts often require the subjunctive; backshift to imperfect subjunctive after past reporting verbs.
Conclusion
Reported speech in Spanish revolves around backshifting tenses, adjusting pronouns, and updating time and place references. Practice recognizing the reporting verb tense and then apply the appropriate tense changes: present to imperfect, preterite to past perfect, future to conditional, and preserve truths and current facts. With attention to pronouns and time expressions, you will report statements accurately and naturally in Spanish.
