Direct Speech
Direct speech (el estilo directo) repeats the exact words, set off by quotation marks or dashes. You use an introductory phrase followed by the quoted sentence.
Format: [Intro phrase] + “quoted sentence”
- Use quotation marks («…» or “…”) or dashes (— …).
- The verb tense remains as originally said.
- Punctuation stays inside the quotes.
Examples
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| María dijo: “Voy a la tienda.” |
| English Example |
Indirect Speech
Indirect speech (el estilo indirecto) reports what someone said without quoting exactly. You introduce the reported sentence with a phrase like dijo que.
Format: [Intro phrase] + que + [reported sentence]
- For statements, follow the reporting verb with que.
- For questions, replace quotation marks with a suitable question word.
- For commands, use the subjunctive mood after verbs like pedir, mandar, exigir.
- Verb tenses usually shift backwards (backshifting).
Examples
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| María dijo: “Voy a la tienda.” |
| English Example |
Backshifting Tenses
When moving from direct to indirect speech, you often shift the verb tense one step back in time to reflect the change in perspective.
Present Tense → Imperfect
| Spanish Direct | Spanish Indirect |
|---|---|
| “Voy al cine.” | Dijo que iba al cine con unos amigos. |
| English Direct | English Indirect |
Preterite → Past Perfect
| Spanish Direct | Spanish Indirect |
|---|---|
| “Compré el coche.” | Comentó que había comprado el coche de sus sueños. |
| English Direct | English Indirect |
Future → Conditional
| Spanish Direct | Spanish Indirect |
|---|---|
| “Vendré mañana.” | Aseguró que vendría mañana sin falta. |
| English Direct | English Indirect |
Indirect Questions
Indirect questions report a question without quoting it exactly. You remove the quotation marks and introduce the clause with the appropriate question word.
Format: [Reporting verb] + [question word] + [shifted verb]
- Do not use que before the question word.
- Shift verb tense as in backshifting.
- Maintain the word order of a statement (subject before verb).
Examples
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| María dijo: “Voy a la tienda.” |
| English Example |
Summary
- Direct speech quotes the exact words with no tense change.
- Indirect speech reports meaning using que (for statements) or a question word (for questions) and typically backshifts tenses.
- Commands in indirect speech require the subjunctive.
- Indirect questions drop quotation marks and que.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025