OSCAR ANTONIO CASTRO MARTINEZ 806 V

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

Direct and indirect speech can be a source of confusion for English learners. Let's
first define the terms, then look at how to talk about what someone said, and how
to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

You can answer the question What did he say? in two ways:

 by repeating the words spoken (direct speech)

 by reporting the words spoken (indirect or reported speech).

Usted puede responder a la pregunta ¿Qué dijo? en dos maneras:

Repitiendo las palabras habladas (discurso directo)
Informando las palabras habladas (discurso indirecto o informado).

DIRECT SPEECH
Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct
speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and
there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being
said NOW (for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a
previous conversation.

El habla directa repite, o cita, las palabras exactas habladas. Cuando usamos
el habla directa por escrito, colocamos las palabras habladas entre comillas
("") y no hay ningún cambio en estas palabras. Es posible que estemos
informando algo que se está diciendo AHORA

INDIRECT SPEECH
Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally
change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask',
and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas
are not used.

Los discursos informados o indirectos generalmente se utilizan para hablar

sobre el pasado, por lo que normalmente cambiamos el tiempo de las
palabras pronunciadas. Usamos verbos de informe como 'decir', 'decir',
'preguntar', y podemos usar la palabra 'eso' para presentar las palabras
informadas.
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She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had seen him. (indirect
speech)

'That' may be omitted:

She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.

Ella dijo: "Lo vi". (discurso directo) = Ella dijo que lo había visto. (estilo
indirecto) 'Eso' puede ser omitido: Ella le dijo que estaba feliz. = Ella le dijo
que estaba feliz.

'SAY' AND 'TELL'

Use 'say' when there is no indirect object:

He said that he was tired.

Always use 'tell' when you say who was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect
object):
He told me that he was tired.

'TALK' AND 'SPEAK'

Use these verbs to describe the action of communicating:

He talked to us.
She was speaking on the telephone.

Use these verbs with 'about' to refer to what was said:

He talked (to us) about his parents.
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EXAMPLES

“I’m on my way”, said Tom.

Tom said he was on his way.

“I like the idea.”

He said he liked the idea.

“I know what to do.”

She said she knew what to do.

“I can’t hear you.”

He said he couldn’t hear me.

“I can’t come to the meeting”.

He said he couldn’t come to the meeting.

“I’ve been to Italy several times.”

She said she had been to Italy several times.

“I really enjoyed the party.”

He said he had really enjoyed the party.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She said she would see me the next day.

“I’ll be there at 9 o’clock.”

She said she’d be here at 9 o’clock.