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Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 19.6.1
El estilo indirecto - Indirect speech
El estilo indirecto
- El estilo indirecto (indirect speech) reports what a person said, without using their exact words.
- Spanish uses decir que (to say that) to introduce the reported words.
- Juan dice que estudia español.
- Juan says that he studies Spanish.
- The reporting verb can be in the present tense.
- Then the reported verb keeps the same tense.
- Only the subject pronoun and verb ending change, from first person to third person.
El cambio de tiempos
- A reporting verb can be in the past tense.
- Then the verb shifts to an earlier tense.
- The present tense changes to the imperfect tense.
- The imperfect tense describes ongoing or repeated actions.
- Juan dijo que vivía en Madrid.
- Juan said that he lived in Madrid.
- The preterite and the perfect tense become the pluperfect tense.
- The pluperfect tense means an action had already happened.
- Juan dijo que había comido paella.
- Juan said that he had eaten paella.
El futuro y el imperativo
- The future tense changes to the conditional tense.
- Juan dijo que iría a la fiesta.
- Juan said that he would go to the party.
- A command changes to the subjunctive in indirect speech.
- The subjunctive is a verb form used for wishes and instructions.
- Juan me dijo que cerrara la puerta.
- Juan told me to close the door.
Los pronombres y los posesivos
- Subject pronouns and possessive adjectives change to match the new speaker in indirect speech.
- 'Tengo mi libro' se convierte en 'Juan dijo que él tenía su libro'.
- 'I have my book' becomes 'Juan said that he had his book'.
- Object pronouns change in the same way, from the first person to the third person.
- 'Me gusta mi casa' se convierte en 'Juan dijo que le gustaba su casa'.
- 'I like my house' becomes 'Juan said that he liked his house'.
Test yourself on Coming Soon
Choose the correct statement about tense changes in indirect speech.
What does the pluperfect tense express in indirect speech?
Which verb form completes Juan dijo que ___ paella, reporting that Juan said he would eat paella?