Reported Speech (Statements, Questions, Commands) (Estilo Indirecto)

What is Reported Speech? (¿Qué es el Estilo Indirecto?)

Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used to tell someone what another person said, without using their exact words (direct speech). When we report speech, we often need to make changes to tenses, pronouns, and time/place expressions.
El estilo indirecto (o 'reported speech') se usa para contarle a alguien lo que otra persona dijo, sin usar sus palabras exactas (estilo directo). Cuando reproducimos el discurso (report speech), a menudo necesitamos hacer cambios en los tiempos verbales, pronombres y expresiones de tiempo/lugar.

Common reporting verbs include say, tell, ask, but many others can be used (e.g., explain, promise, suggest, warn). We will focus on the basic changes for reporting statements, questions, and commands/requests.
Los verbos introductores comunes incluyen say, tell, ask (decir, contar, preguntar), pero se pueden usar muchos otros (p.ej., explicar, prometer, sugerir, advertir). Nos centraremos en los cambios básicos para reproducir afirmaciones, preguntas y órdenes/peticiones.

Key Changes in Reported Speech (Cambios Clave en Estilo Indirecto)

Main Changes to Consider (Principales Cambios a Considerar):

Tense Backshift: Verb tenses usually shift one step back into the past (if the reporting verb like 'said' is in the past). El tiempo verbal normalmente retrocede un paso hacia el pasado (si el verbo introductor como 'said' está en pasado). (e.g., Present Simple → Past Simple; Past Simple → Past Perfect)
Pronoun Changes: Pronouns (I, you, my, your) often change depending on who is reporting the speech. Los pronombres (I, you, my, your) a menudo cambian dependiendo de quién reproduce el discurso. (e.g., "I like..." → He said that he liked...)
Time & Place Expressions: Words referring to time and place may need to change. Las palabras que se refieren al tiempo y lugar pueden necesitar cambiar. (e.g., now → then, today → that day, here → there, tomorrow → the next day, yesterday → the day before)

Reporting Statements (Reproducir Afirmaciones)

When reporting statements, we often use reporting verbs like say or tell (note: 'tell' needs an object: tell someone). The word 'that' can often be omitted. Remember to apply tense backshift, pronoun changes, and time/place changes if the reporting verb is in the past.
Al reproducir afirmaciones, a menudo usamos verbos introductores como say o tell (nota: 'tell' necesita un objeto: tell someone). La palabra 'that' a menudo se puede omitir. Recuerda aplicar el retroceso de tiempo verbal (backshift), cambios de pronombres y cambios de tiempo/lugar si el verbo introductor está en pasado.

Common Tense Backshifts (Retrocesos de Tiempo Comunes):

Present Simple → Past Simple: ("I like ice cream.") → He said he liked ice cream.
Present Continuous → Past Continuous: ("I am living here.") → She said she was living there.
Past Simple → Past Perfect: ("I bought a car.") → He said he had bought a car.
Present Perfect → Past Perfect: ("I have seen the film.") → She said she had seen the film.
Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous: ("I was walking home.") → He said he had been walking home.
Future Simple (will) → Conditional Simple (would): ("I will help.") → She said she would help.
Can → Could: ("I can swim.") → He said he could swim.

Note: Past Perfect usually does not change. If the reporting verb is in the present (e.g., He says...), tense backshift often doesn't happen.

Nota: El Pasado Perfecto normalmente no cambia. Si el verbo introductor está en presente (p.ej., He says...), el retroceso de tiempo a menudo no ocurre.

Direct: "I am tired today."
Reported: She said (that) she was tired that day. Directo: "Hoy estoy cansada."
Indirecto: Dijo que estaba cansada ese día.

Direct: "We went to the cinema yesterday."
Reported: They told me (that) they had gone to the cinema the day before. Directo: "Fuimos al cine ayer."
Indirecto: Me dijeron que habían ido al cine el día anterior.

Reporting Questions (Reproducir Preguntas)

When reporting questions, we use reporting verbs like ask. We do not use the question word order (auxiliary + subject); instead, we use statement word order (subject + verb). Tense backshift and other changes usually apply.
Al reproducir preguntas, usamos verbos introductores como ask (preguntar). No usamos el orden de palabras de pregunta (auxiliar + sujeto); en cambio, usamos el orden de palabras de afirmación (sujeto + verbo). El retroceso de tiempo y otros cambios normalmente se aplican.

Yes/No Questions

Use if or whether to introduce the reported question.
Change to statement word order.

Usa if o whether para introducir la pregunta indirecta.

Cambia al orden de palabras de afirmación.

Direct: "Are you hungry?"
Reported: He asked if/whether I was hungry. Directo: "¿Tienes hambre?"
Indirecto: Preguntó si tenía hambre.

Wh- Questions (What, Where, When, Who, Why, How)

Use the same Wh-word to introduce the reported question.
Change to statement word order.

Usa la misma palabra Wh- para introducir la pregunta indirecta.

Cambia al orden de palabras de afirmación.

Direct: "Where do you live?"
Reported: She asked me where I lived. Directo: "¿Dónde vives?"
Indirecto: Me preguntó dónde vivía.

Direct: "When will you arrive?"
Reported: He asked when I would arrive. Directo: "¿Cuándo llegarás?"
Indirecto: Preguntó cuándo llegaría.

Reporting Commands & Requests (Reproducir Órdenes y Peticiones)

When reporting commands or requests, we typically use a reporting verb like tell (for commands) or ask (for requests), followed by the object + the to-infinitive form of the verb. Tense backshift does not apply to the infinitive.
Al reproducir órdenes o peticiones, típicamente usamos un verbo introductor como tell (para órdenes) o ask (para peticiones), seguido del objeto + la forma de infinitivo con 'to' del verbo. El retroceso de tiempo no se aplica al infinitivo.

Structure (Estructura):

Commands: Reporting Verb (e.g., tell, order) + Object + to-infinitive.
Requests: Reporting Verb (e.g., ask) + Object + to-infinitive.
Negative Commands/Requests: Reporting Verb + Object + not to-infinitive.

Órdenes: Verbo Introductor (p.ej., tell, order) + Objeto + infinitivo con 'to'.

Peticiones: Verbo Introductor (p.ej., ask) + Objeto + infinitivo con 'to'.

Órdenes/Peticiones Negativas: Verbo Introductor + Objeto + not + infinitivo con 'to'.

Direct: "Close the door." (Command)
Reported: He told me to close the door. Directo: "Cierra la puerta." (Orden)
Indirecto: Me dijo que cerrara la puerta.

Direct: "Please wait here." (Request)
Reported: She asked us to wait there. Directo: "Por favor, espera aquí." (Petición)
Indirecto: Nos pidió que esperáramos allí.

Direct: "Don't touch that!" (Negative Command)
Reported: He warned them not to touch that. Directo: "¡No toques eso!" (Orden Negativa)
Indirecto: Les advirtió que no tocaran eso.

Tips for Mastering Reported Speech (Consejos para Dominar el Estilo Indirecto)

Practice Strategies (Estrategias de Práctica):

Practice tense backshift systematically: Convert sentences from direct to reported speech focusing on one tense change at a time.
Pay attention to pronouns: Always consider who said it and who they were talking to when changing pronouns.
Memorize common time/place changes: now→then, here→there, today→that day, etc.
Remember word order changes for questions: Reported questions use statement order (Subject-Verb).
Use the correct structure for commands/requests: Object + to-infinitive.
Listen and read: Notice how reported speech is used naturally in conversations and texts.

Practica el retroceso de tiempo sistemáticamente: Convierte oraciones de estilo directo a indirecto centrándote en un cambio de tiempo a la vez.

Presta atención a los pronombres: Considera siempre quién lo dijo y a quién le hablaba al cambiar los pronombres.

Memoriza los cambios comunes de tiempo/lugar: now→then, here→there, today→that day, etc.

Recuerda los cambios de orden de palabras para preguntas: Las preguntas indirectas usan orden de afirmación (Sujeto-Verbo).

Usa la estructura correcta para órdenes/peticiones: Objeto + infinitivo con 'to'.

Escucha y lee: Fíjate en cómo se usa el estilo indirecto de forma natural en conversaciones y textos.