Estilo Indirecto en Pasado: How to Use Reported Speech in Past Tense in Spanish

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When we want to report what someone said in the past, we use reported speech or “estilo indirecto en pasado” in Spanish. This is an essential grammar structure for retelling conversations, summarizing news, and sharing information in a natural way.

In direct speech, we quote a personโ€™s exact words. But in reported speech, we modify the sentence to fit into our own narration, often shifting the verb tense into the past.

For example:

  • Direct Speech: Marรญa dijo: โ€œVoy al mercado.โ€ (Maria said, โ€œIโ€™m going to the market.โ€)
  • Reported Speech: Marรญa dijo que iba al mercado. (Maria said that she was going to the market.)

Notice how the verb voy (I go) in direct speech changes to iba (I was going) in reported speech. This tense shift is a key feature of reported speech in Spanish.

Mastering reported speech in past tense is crucial for storytelling, writing formal reports, and engaging in everyday conversations. Whether youโ€™re discussing past events, quoting someoneโ€™s opinion, or sharing a story, knowing how to use this structure correctly will help you sound more fluent and natural.

In this complete guide, weโ€™ll explore:
โœ… Common expressions used in reported speech
โœ… When and how to use reported speech in past tense
โœ… Conjugation patterns for different tenses
โœ… Grammar rules and tricky exceptions
โœ… Examples and exercises to reinforce learning

By the end of this article, youโ€™ll have a strong command of estilo indirecto en pasado, making it easier to understand and use in real-life conversations. Letโ€™s dive in!


Common Expressions in Reported Speech (Estilo Indirecto en Pasado)

Below are some commonly used expressions when reporting speech in the past. These phrases introduce reported statements and are frequently used in conversations and writing.

  • Dijo queโ€ฆ (He/She said thatโ€ฆ)
  • Comentรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She commented thatโ€ฆ)
  • Explicรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She explained thatโ€ฆ)
  • Asegurรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She assured thatโ€ฆ)
  • Mencionรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She mentioned thatโ€ฆ)
  • Respondiรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She responded thatโ€ฆ)
  • Indicรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She indicated thatโ€ฆ)
  • Afirmรณ queโ€ฆ (He/She stated thatโ€ฆ)
  • Preguntรณ siโ€ฆ (He/She asked ifโ€ฆ)
  • Quiso saber siโ€ฆ (He/She wanted to know ifโ€ฆ)

These phrases are used to introduce indirect speech before transitioning into the main statement, which is often modified into the past tense.


Usage of Reported Speech in Past Tense (Estilo Indirecto en Pasado)

Reported speech in past tense is used in several real-life situations where we need to relay information, retell conversations, or summarize past events. Below are the main cases where this grammar structure is commonly applied:

1. Reporting What Someone Said

When conveying what someone else has said without quoting them directly.
โœ… Marรญa dijo que estaba cansada.
(Maria said that she was tired.)

2. Summarizing Conversations or News

When recounting past discussions or summarizing news reports.
โœ… El presidente anunciรณ que habrรญa nuevos cambios en la economรญa.
(The president announced that there would be new changes in the economy.)

3. Retelling Stories or Events

When narrating events, especially in past storytelling.
โœ… Mi abuelo me contรณ que en su juventud trabajaba en una fรกbrica.
(My grandfather told me that in his youth, he worked in a factory.)

4. Expressing Indirect Questions

When reporting questions without using the exact words of the speaker.
โœ… Ella preguntรณ si รญbamos a la fiesta.
(She asked if we were going to the party.)

โœ… Me preguntรณ quรฉ habรญa pasado ayer.
(He/She asked me what had happened yesterday.)

5. Giving Instructions Indirectly

When conveying commands or requests in an indirect manner.
โœ… El profesor nos pidiรณ que entregรกramos la tarea a tiempo.
(The teacher asked us to submit the homework on time.)

โœ… Mi mamรก me dijo que comprara leche en el supermercado.
(My mom told me to buy milk at the supermarket.)

6. Sharing Someoneโ€™s Opinion

When expressing thoughts or opinions that someone else has shared.
โœ… Juan mencionรณ que el libro era muy interesante.
(Juan mentioned that the book was very interesting.)

โœ… Ella comentรณ que la pelรญcula no le habรญa gustado mucho.
(She commented that she didnโ€™t like the movie very much.)

These are the most common situations where reported speech in past tense is used in Spanish. Understanding these cases will help you use this structure naturally in conversations and writing.


Conjugation in Reported Speech (Estilo Indirecto en Pasado)

When using reported speech in past tense in Spanish, the verb in the direct speech often shifts back to a past tense when reported. This change follows a predictable pattern.

Below is a table showing how verb tenses change when moving from direct speech to reported speech:

Direct Speech (Estilo Directo)Reported Speech (Estilo Indirecto)Example
Presente (Present)Pretรฉrito imperfecto (Imperfect past)Juan dice: “Tengo hambre.” โ†’ Juan dijo que tenรญa hambre. (Juan said that he was hungry.)
Pretรฉrito perfecto (Present perfect)Pretรฉrito pluscuamperfecto (Past perfect)Ana dijo: “He terminado mi tarea.” โ†’ Ana dijo que habรญa terminado su tarea. (Ana said that she had finished her homework.)
Pretรฉrito indefinido (Simple past)Pretรฉrito pluscuamperfecto (Past perfect)Pedro dijo: “Fui al cine.” โ†’ Pedro dijo que habรญa ido al cine. (Pedro said that he had gone to the movies.)
Futuro simple (Future simple)Condicional simple (Simple conditional)Clara dijo: “Irรฉ a la playa.” โ†’ Clara dijo que irรญa a la playa. (Clara said that she would go to the beach.)
Imperativo (Command form)Subjuntivo imperfecto (Imperfect subjunctive)ร‰l dijo: “Ven aquรญ.” โ†’ ร‰l dijo que viniera allรญ. (He said to come there.)

Additional Notes on Conjugation Shifts:

  • If the original statement is already in the imperfect tense, the verb usually stays the same.
    โœ… Ella dijo: “Cuando era niรฑa, jugaba mucho.”
    โœ… Ella dijo que cuando era niรฑa, jugaba mucho. (No tense change needed.)
  • If the past perfect (pluscuamperfecto) is used in the direct speech, it remains the same.
    โœ… ร‰l dijo: “Habรญa visto esa pelรญcula.”
    โœ… ร‰l dijo que habรญa visto esa pelรญcula.
  • If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense shift does not necessarily happen.
    โœ… Ella dice que viene maรฑana. (She says she is coming tomorrow.)

This pattern of backshifting verb tenses is essential to forming correct reported speech in past tense in Spanish.


Grammar Rules for Reported Speech in Past Tense (Estilo Indirecto en Pasado)

When using reported speech in past tense in Spanish, several important grammar rules must be followed. Below are the key guidelines to ensure correct usage.


1. The Reporting Verb is Usually in the Past

In reported speech, the verb that introduces the statement (such as dijo, mencionรณ, preguntรณ) is usually in the preterite or imperfect past tense.

โœ… ร‰l dijo que estaba cansado.
(He said that he was tired.)

โœ… Marรญa comentรณ que le gustaba la mรบsica clรกsica.
(Maria commented that she liked classical music.)


2. The Verb in the Original Statement Often Shifts to the Past

When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb in the reported statement usually moves one step back in time.

Direct Speech (Estilo Directo)Reported Speech (Estilo Indirecto en Pasado)
Present โ†’ Imperfect“Tengo frรญo.” โ†’ Dijo que tenรญa frรญo.
Present Perfect โ†’ Past Perfect“He comido.” โ†’ Dijo que habรญa comido.
Preterite โ†’ Past Perfect“Fui a la playa.” โ†’ Dijo que habรญa ido a la playa.
Future โ†’ Conditional“Irรฉ al cine.” โ†’ Dijo que irรญa al cine.

However, if the reporting verb is in present tense, no change in tense is necessary.

โœ… ร‰l dice que tiene frรญo. (He says that he is cold.)


3. Pronouns and Possessives May Change

Pronouns and possessive adjectives may need to be adjusted based on the new perspective of the speaker.

โœ… Marรญa dijo: “Mi casa es grande.”
โžก๏ธ Marรญa dijo que su casa era grande.
(Maria said that her house was big.)

โœ… Carlos dijo: “Yo tengo hambre.”
โžก๏ธ Carlos dijo que รฉl tenรญa hambre.
(Carlos said that he was hungry.)


4. Time and Place Expressions May Change

When reporting speech, time expressions often shift depending on when the conversation is reported.

Direct SpeechReported Speech
Hoy (today)Ese dรญa / Aquel dรญa (that day)
Ayer (yesterday)El dรญa anterior (the day before)
Maรฑana (tomorrow)Al dรญa siguiente (the next day)
Aquรญ (here)Allรญ (there)
Este/esta (this)Ese/esa/aquel/aquella (that)

Example:
โœ… Ana dijo: “Voy al mรฉdico maรฑana.”
โžก๏ธ Ana dijo que iba al mรฉdico al dรญa siguiente.
(Ana said that she was going to the doctor the next day.)


5. Imperative (Commands) Change to the Imperfect Subjunctive

When reporting commands or requests, the imperative form changes to the imperfect subjunctive.

โœ… El profesor dijo: “Estudien para el examen.”
โžก๏ธ El profesor dijo que estudiaran para el examen.
(The teacher said that they should study for the exam.)

โœ… Mi madre me dijo: “Llama a tu abuela.”
โžก๏ธ Mi madre me dijo que llamara a mi abuela.
(My mother told me to call my grandmother.)


Things to Keep in Mind: Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Even advanced Spanish learners sometimes make errors when using reported speech in past tense. Below are some of the most common mistakes and tips to avoid them.


1. Forgetting to Adjust Pronouns and Possessives

โœ… Correct: Pedro dijo que su hermano estaba enfermo.
โŒ Incorrect: Pedro dijo que mi hermano estaba enfermo. (This changes the meaning.)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Always adjust possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su, nuestro, etc.) and subject pronouns (yo, tรบ, รฉl, etc.) to match the new perspective of the reported sentence.


2. Incorrect Verb Tense Changes

โœ… Correct: Ella dijo que estaba feliz. (She said she was happy.)
โŒ Incorrect: Ella dijo que estรก feliz. (This keeps the verb in the present, which is incorrect in most cases.)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: When reporting speech in the past, shift the verb back one tense unless the context requires otherwise.


3. Not Changing Time Expressions

โœ… Correct: Dijo que vendrรญa al dรญa siguiente. (He said he would come the next day.)
โŒ Incorrect: Dijo que vendrรญa maรฑana. (The sentence does not reflect that the speech was in the past.)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: When reporting past conversations, words like hoy, maรฑana, ayer must change to reflect the new timeline (ese dรญa, al dรญa siguiente, el dรญa anterior).


4. Using the Infinitive Instead of the Subjunctive for Commands

โœ… Correct: Me pidiรณ que hablara mรกs despacio. (He asked me to speak more slowly.)
โŒ Incorrect: Me pidiรณ hablar mรกs despacio. (Infinitive should not be used in reported commands.)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: When reporting commands, use the imperfect subjunctive, not the infinitive.


5. Overcomplicating the Sentence

โœ… Correct: Mi amigo dijo que iba a llegar tarde.
โŒ Incorrect: Mi amigo mencionรณ que en el transcurso del tiempo planificado de llegada, รฉl iba a arribar en un momento posterior. (Too complicated!)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Keep your sentences clear and natural. Avoid overly complex structures unless necessary.


6. Confusing “Si” and “Que” in Reported Questions

โœ… Correct: Me preguntรณ si sabรญa nadar. (He asked me if I knew how to swim.)
โŒ Incorrect: Me preguntรณ que sabรญa nadar. (Que does not work with indirect yes/no questions.)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Use โ€œsiโ€ when reporting yes/no questions. Use question words (quรฉ, cuรกndo, dรณnde, por quรฉ, cรณmo, etc.) for open-ended questions.


7. Forgetting to Use the Conditional for Future Tense

โœ… Correct: Ella dijo que viajarรญa a Espaรฑa el prรณximo verano. (She said she would travel to Spain next summer.)
โŒ Incorrect: Ella dijo que viajarรก a Espaรฑa el prรณximo verano. (Viajarรก should change to viajarรญa.)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: When reporting future statements, the future tense (irรก, harรก, dirรก, etc.) changes to the conditional (irรญa, harรญa, dirรญa, etc.).

By keeping these common mistakes in mind and applying these practical tips, youโ€™ll use reported speech in past tense with greater accuracy and confidence.


Example Sentences: Direct Speech & Reported Speech in Past Tense

Below are 20 examples demonstrating how to correctly transform direct speech (estilo directo) into reported speech (estilo indirecto en pasado) in Spanish. Each example includes an English translation for the reported speech sentence.


Statements (Oraciones enunciativas)

1๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Juan dijo: “Estoy cansado.”
Reported: Juan dijo que estaba cansado. (Juan said that he was tired.)

2๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ana comentรณ: “He terminado mi tarea.”
Reported: Ana comentรณ que habรญa terminado su tarea. (Ana commented that she had finished her homework.)

3๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Carlos mencionรณ: “Fui a Madrid el mes pasado.”
Reported: Carlos mencionรณ que habรญa ido a Madrid el mes anterior. (Carlos mentioned that he had gone to Madrid the previous month.)

4๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi amigo dijo: “Irรฉ a la playa maรฑana.”
Reported: Mi amigo dijo que irรญa a la playa al dรญa siguiente. (My friend said that he would go to the beach the next day.)

5๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor explicรณ: “Los exรกmenes son difรญciles.”
Reported: El profesor explicรณ que los exรกmenes eran difรญciles. (The teacher explained that the exams were difficult.)


Questions (Preguntas indirectas)

6๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Marta preguntรณ: “ยฟDรณnde estรกn mis llaves?”
Reported: Marta preguntรณ dรณnde estaban sus llaves. (Marta asked where her keys were.)

7๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Pedro preguntรณ: “ยฟCuรกndo empieza la pelรญcula?”
Reported: Pedro preguntรณ cuรกndo empezaba la pelรญcula. (Pedro asked when the movie started.)

8๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Me preguntaron: “ยฟHas visto la nueva serie?”
Reported: Me preguntaron si habรญa visto la nueva serie. (They asked me if I had seen the new series.)

9๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Juan preguntรณ: “ยฟVendrรกs a la fiesta?”
Reported: Juan preguntรณ si vendrรญa a la fiesta. (Juan asked if I would come to the party.)

๐Ÿ”Ÿ Direct: Mi madre me preguntรณ: “ยฟPor quรฉ llegaste tarde?”
Reported: Mi madre me preguntรณ por quรฉ habรญa llegado tarde. (My mother asked me why I had arrived late.)


Commands & Requests (ร“rdenes y peticiones)

1๏ธโƒฃ1๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor dijo: “Estudien mรกs.”
Reported: El profesor dijo que estudiaran mรกs. (The teacher said that they should study more.)

1๏ธโƒฃ2๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi padre me dijo: “Limpia tu habitaciรณn.”
Reported: Mi padre me dijo que limpiara mi habitaciรณn. (My father told me to clean my room.)

1๏ธโƒฃ3๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ella me pidiรณ: “No hables tan fuerte.”
Reported: Ella me pidiรณ que no hablara tan fuerte. (She asked me not to speak so loudly.)

1๏ธโƒฃ4๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El jefe ordenรณ: “Terminen el informe hoy.”
Reported: El jefe ordenรณ que terminaran el informe ese dรญa. (The boss ordered them to finish the report that day.)

1๏ธโƒฃ5๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi amigo me dijo: “Llรกmame cuando llegues.”
Reported: Mi amigo me dijo que lo llamara cuando llegara. (My friend told me to call him when I arrived.)


Opinions & Thoughts (Opiniones y pensamientos)

1๏ธโƒฃ6๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Carlos dijo: “Creo que este libro es interesante.”
Reported: Carlos dijo que creรญa que ese libro era interesante. (Carlos said that he thought that book was interesting.)

1๏ธโƒฃ7๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor mencionรณ: “Los estudiantes han mejorado mucho.”
Reported: El profesor mencionรณ que los estudiantes habรญan mejorado mucho. (The teacher mentioned that the students had improved a lot.)

1๏ธโƒฃ8๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi hermana comentรณ: “No me gusta el chocolate.”
Reported: Mi hermana comentรณ que no le gustaba el chocolate. (My sister commented that she didnโ€™t like chocolate.)

1๏ธโƒฃ9๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ellos dijeron: “No tenemos tiempo para ir al cine.”
Reported: Ellos dijeron que no tenรญan tiempo para ir al cine. (They said that they didnโ€™t have time to go to the movies.)

2๏ธโƒฃ0๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Marรญa dijo: “Voy a aprender francรฉs.”
Reported: Marรญa dijo que iba a aprender francรฉs. (Marรญa said that she was going to learn French.)

These examples illustrate how to correctly convert direct speech into reported speech in past tense in Spanish.


Exercise: Fill in the Blanks (Reported Speech in Past Tense)

Instructions:

Transform the direct speech into reported speech (estilo indirecto en pasado) by filling in the blanks with the correct verb form and necessary adjustments.


Fill in the blanks:

1๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ana dijo: “Estoy muy ocupada hoy.”
Reported: Ana dijo que __________ muy ocupada __________.

2๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Juan comentรณ: “Voy a viajar a Argentina el prรณximo mes.”
Reported: Juan comentรณ que __________ a viajar a Argentina __________.

3๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi madre me preguntรณ: “ยฟDรณnde guardaste las llaves?”
Reported: Mi madre me preguntรณ dรณnde __________ las llaves.

4๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor explicรณ: “La Tierra gira alrededor del Sol.”
Reported: El profesor explicรณ que la Tierra __________ alrededor del Sol.

5๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Carlos mencionรณ: “He terminado el informe.”
Reported: Carlos mencionรณ que __________ terminado el informe.

6๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ella preguntรณ: “ยฟCuรกndo empieza la pelรญcula?”
Reported: Ella preguntรณ cuรกndo __________ la pelรญcula.

7๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El jefe dijo: “No quiero retrasos en el proyecto.”
Reported: El jefe dijo que no __________ retrasos en el proyecto.

8๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Pedro me dijo: “Maรฑana tengo una reuniรณn importante.”
Reported: Pedro me dijo que al dรญa siguiente __________ una reuniรณn importante.

9๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Luis afirmรณ: “Mis padres estรกn de vacaciones.”
Reported: Luis afirmรณ que sus padres __________ de vacaciones.

๐Ÿ”Ÿ Direct: El entrenador ordenรณ: “Practiquen todos los dรญas.”
Reported: El entrenador ordenรณ que __________ todos los dรญas.

1๏ธโƒฃ1๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi amigo me dijo: “Llama a tu hermana cuando llegues.”
Reported: Mi amigo me dijo que __________ a mi hermana cuando __________.

1๏ธโƒฃ2๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El camarero preguntรณ: “ยฟDesean algo mรกs?”
Reported: El camarero preguntรณ si __________ algo mรกs.

1๏ธโƒฃ3๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Marรญa comentรณ: “Me gusta mucho este restaurante.”
Reported: Marรญa comentรณ que le __________ mucho ese restaurante.

1๏ธโƒฃ4๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Los estudiantes dijeron: “No entendemos la lecciรณn.”
Reported: Los estudiantes dijeron que no __________ la lecciรณn.

1๏ธโƒฃ5๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi hermana me dijo: “Haz la cena temprano.”
Reported: Mi hermana me dijo que __________ la cena temprano.

1๏ธโƒฃ6๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ellos dijeron: “No podemos asistir a la reuniรณn.”
Reported: Ellos dijeron que no __________ asistir a la reuniรณn.

1๏ธโƒฃ7๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Marta preguntรณ: “ยฟQuรฉ hora es?”
Reported: Marta preguntรณ quรฉ hora __________.

1๏ธโƒฃ8๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor advirtiรณ: “No hablen durante el examen.”
Reported: El profesor advirtiรณ que no __________ durante el examen.

1๏ธโƒฃ9๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi madre me pidiรณ: “Ayรบdame con las bolsas.”
Reported: Mi madre me pidiรณ que la __________ con las bolsas.

2๏ธโƒฃ0๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Luis me dijo: “Voy a aprender italiano este aรฑo.”
Reported: Luis me dijo que __________ a aprender italiano ese aรฑo.


Answer Key: Reported Speech in Past Tense

Here are the correct answers for the 20 fill-in-the-blank exercises. The transformed reported speech sentences include the necessary verb changes, pronoun adjustments, and time expression modifications.


Answers:

1๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ana dijo: “Estoy muy ocupada hoy.”
Reported: Ana dijo que estaba muy ocupada ese dรญa.

2๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Juan comentรณ: “Voy a viajar a Argentina el prรณximo mes.”
Reported: Juan comentรณ que iba a viajar a Argentina el mes siguiente.

3๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi madre me preguntรณ: “ยฟDรณnde guardaste las llaves?”
Reported: Mi madre me preguntรณ dรณnde habรญa guardado las llaves.

4๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor explicรณ: “La Tierra gira alrededor del Sol.”
Reported: El profesor explicรณ que la Tierra gira alrededor del Sol. (General truths do not change tense.)

5๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Carlos mencionรณ: “He terminado el informe.”
Reported: Carlos mencionรณ que habรญa terminado el informe.

6๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ella preguntรณ: “ยฟCuรกndo empieza la pelรญcula?”
Reported: Ella preguntรณ cuรกndo empezaba la pelรญcula.

7๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El jefe dijo: “No quiero retrasos en el proyecto.”
Reported: El jefe dijo que no querรญa retrasos en el proyecto.

8๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Pedro me dijo: “Maรฑana tengo una reuniรณn importante.”
Reported: Pedro me dijo que al dรญa siguiente tenรญa una reuniรณn importante.

9๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Luis afirmรณ: “Mis padres estรกn de vacaciones.”
Reported: Luis afirmรณ que sus padres estaban de vacaciones.

๐Ÿ”Ÿ Direct: El entrenador ordenรณ: “Practiquen todos los dรญas.”
Reported: El entrenador ordenรณ que practicaran todos los dรญas.

1๏ธโƒฃ1๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi amigo me dijo: “Llama a tu hermana cuando llegues.”
Reported: Mi amigo me dijo que llamara a mi hermana cuando llegara.

1๏ธโƒฃ2๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El camarero preguntรณ: “ยฟDesean algo mรกs?”
Reported: El camarero preguntรณ si deseaban algo mรกs.

1๏ธโƒฃ3๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Marรญa comentรณ: “Me gusta mucho este restaurante.”
Reported: Marรญa comentรณ que le gustaba mucho ese restaurante.

1๏ธโƒฃ4๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Los estudiantes dijeron: “No entendemos la lecciรณn.”
Reported: Los estudiantes dijeron que no entendรญan la lecciรณn.

1๏ธโƒฃ5๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi hermana me dijo: “Haz la cena temprano.”
Reported: Mi hermana me dijo que hiciera la cena temprano.

1๏ธโƒฃ6๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Ellos dijeron: “No podemos asistir a la reuniรณn.”
Reported: Ellos dijeron que no podรญan asistir a la reuniรณn.

1๏ธโƒฃ7๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Marta preguntรณ: “ยฟQuรฉ hora es?”
Reported: Marta preguntรณ quรฉ hora era.

1๏ธโƒฃ8๏ธโƒฃ Direct: El profesor advirtiรณ: “No hablen durante el examen.”
Reported: El profesor advirtiรณ que no hablaran durante el examen.

1๏ธโƒฃ9๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Mi madre me pidiรณ: “Ayรบdame con las bolsas.”
Reported: Mi madre me pidiรณ que la ayudara con las bolsas.

2๏ธโƒฃ0๏ธโƒฃ Direct: Luis me dijo: “Voy a aprender italiano este aรฑo.”
Reported: Luis me dijo que iba a aprender italiano ese aรฑo.

With these answers, you can now check your understanding of reported speech in past tense (estilo indirecto en pasado).


Summary: Key Takeaways on Reported Speech in Past Tense (Estilo Indirecto en Pasado)

Here are the most important points covered in this blog:

โœ… Reported speech (estilo indirecto) is used when relaying what someone said in the past. It often requires changes in verb tenses, pronouns, and time expressions.

โœ… Common reporting verbs include decir (to say, to tell), comentar (to comment), preguntar (to ask), mencionar (to mention), explicar (to explain), afirmar (to affirm), pedir (to request), ordenar (to order).

โœ… Changes in verb tenses: When reporting speech in the past, verbs usually shift back one tense:

  • Presente โ†’ Imperfecto (Estoy cansado โ†’ Dijo que estaba cansado.)
  • Pretรฉrito โ†’ Pluscuamperfecto (Comรญ temprano โ†’ Dijo que habรญa comido temprano.)
  • Futuro โ†’ Condicional (Irรฉ maรฑana โ†’ Dijo que irรญa al dรญa siguiente.)

โœ… General truths (hechos generales) do not change tense in reported speech.

  • El profesor dijo: “El agua hierve a 100 grados.”
  • El profesor dijo que el agua hierve a 100 grados. (No cambia porque es una verdad universal.)

โœ… Pronoun and possessive changes: When shifting from direct to reported speech, pronouns may change based on the subjectโ€™s perspective.

  • Pedro dijo: “Voy a mi casa.”
  • Pedro dijo que iba a su casa.

โœ… Changes in time expressions:

  • hoy โ†’ ese dรญa
  • maรฑana โ†’ al dรญa siguiente
  • ayer โ†’ el dรญa anterior
  • este aรฑo โ†’ ese aรฑo
  • la prรณxima semana โ†’ la semana siguiente

โœ… Changes in commands and requests:

  • Affirmative commands shift to the subjunctive (pretรฉrito imperfecto de subjuntivo).
    • Mi madre dijo: “Haz la tarea.”
    • Mi madre dijo que hiciera la tarea.
  • Negative commands follow the same rule.
    • El profesor dijo: “No hablen.”
    • El profesor dijo que no hablaran.

โœ… Questions in reported speech: When reporting yes/no questions, si is used:

  • Juan preguntรณ: “ยฟTienes hambre?”
  • Juan preguntรณ si tenรญa hambre.

โœ… WH-questions keep the question word but follow normal verb shifts:

  • Ana preguntรณ: “ยฟDรณnde vives?”
  • Ana preguntรณ dรณnde vivรญa.

Conclusion: Mastering Reported Speech in Past Tense

Now that you’ve learned how to use reported speech in past tense (estilo indirecto en pasado) in Spanish, you can confidently transform direct speech into indirect speech while maintaining clarity and correctness. Understanding verb tense shifts, pronoun changes, and time expressions is essential for mastering this concept.

To improve, practice regularly by transforming direct speech into reported speech in different contexts. Try listening to conversations, news reports, or reading stories and rewriting them in estilo indirecto. This will help you become more fluent in recognizing and applying these grammar rules naturally.

๐Ÿ’ก Ready to test your skills? Try the exercises in this blog and check your answers. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section!

If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out more posts like this on my blog at My Language Classes. Donโ€™t forget to subscribe my YouTube channel and follow me on Instagram for the latest language learning tips and lessons. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts, or ask any questions you have about nouns.

Happy learning! ๐Ÿ˜Š

๐Ÿ“š Continue Learning Spanish

Affirmative Sentences in Spanish
Negative Sentences in Spanish
Forming Questions in Spanish
Questions with Interrogative Words in Spanish
Time Expressions in Spanish: Hace + Time + Que, Desde, Desde Hace, and More
Reported Speech (Estilo Indirecto) in Spanish
Subordinate Clauses (Oraciones Subordinadas) in Spanish
Relative Clauses (Oraciones relativas) with Indicative in Spanish
Relative Clauses (Oraciones relativas) with Subjunctive in Spanish
Perรญfrasis Verbales in Spanish: Master Verbal Periphrases with Easy Rules & Examples
Estilo Indirecto en Pasado: How to Use Reported Speech in Past Tense in Spanish
Mastering Spanish Conditional Sentences: First, Second, and Third Conditionals Explained with Examples
Mastering Relative Clauses in Spanish: Indicative vs. Subjunctive Made Simple!
Understanding the Passive Voice in Spanish
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Vikas Kumar is a dedicated language educator, content creator, and digital entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of My Language Classes and The Curious Mind. With a strong focus on helping learners achieve fluency in English, Spanish, and Japanese, he has guided audiences worldwide through a diverse range of resources, including in-depth blog articles, engaging YouTube tutorials, and comprehensive Books.

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