Intermediate · Grammar for real talk · topic 38 of 59 · 18 min
Reported speech: he said that...
Explanation
Direct speech repeats the exact words: Ravi said, "I am hungry." Reported speech (अप्रत्यक्ष कथन) gives the meaning in our own sentence: Ravi said that he was hungry. In speech, "that" is often dropped: "Ravi said he was hungry."
Say or tell?
| Verb | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| say | say (that) ... | He said that he was late. |
| say | say something to someone | He said sorry to me. |
| tell | tell + person (that) ... | He told me that he was late. |
| tell | tell + person + to + verb | He told me to wait. |
| Direct words | Reported (one step back) |
|---|---|
| "I am tired." | She said she was tired. |
| "I work in a bank." | He said he worked in a bank. |
| "I am coming." | He said he was coming. |
| "I will call you." | She said she would call me. |
| "I can drive." | He said he could drive. |
| "I have finished." | She said she had finished. |
| "I saw the film." | He said he had seen the film. (or "he saw" in casual speech) |
Backshift (tense moving back) is optional when something is still true or the news is fresh. "The earth goes round the sun" → "The teacher said the earth goes round the sun." Your friend said "I live in Pune" five minutes ago → "He said he lives in Pune" or "He said he lived in Pune". Both are fine.
Change pronouns and time words to match the new speaker and time: I → he/she, my → his/her, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, yesterday → the day before, here → there. If you report on the same day, you can keep "today" and "tomorrow".
He said that he would come tomorrow.
Say it: hee SED that hee wud KUM to-MOR-oh
उसने कहा कि वह कल आएगा।
Reported on the same day, so "tomorrow" stays.
She told me that the office was closed.
Say it: shee TOHLD mee that the OF-is woz KLOHZD
उसने मुझे बताया कि ऑफ़िस बंद था।
Questions and requests
Reported questions use normal word order (subject + verb), not question order, and no question mark. Yes/no questions use "if" or "whether": "Are you married?" → He asked if I was married. Requests and orders use "to + verb": "Please wait." → He asked me to wait. "Don't park here." → The guard told me not to park there.
She asked me where I lived.
Say it: shee AASKT mee WAIR ai LIVD
उसने मुझसे पूछा कि मैं कहाँ रहता हूँ।
Not "where did I live" and not "where do I live".
The interviewer asked if I had any experience.
Say it: the IN-ter-vyoo-er AASKT if ai HAD EN-ee ik-SPEER-ee-ens
इंटरव्यू लेने वाले ने पूछा कि क्या मेरे पास कोई अनुभव है।
The doctor told me to rest for two days.
Say it: the DOK-ter TOHLD mee to REST for TOO DAYZ
डॉक्टर ने मुझे दो दिन आराम करने को कहा।
My mother asked me not to come home late.
Say it: my MUH-ther AASKT mee NOT to KUM HOHM LAYT
माँ ने मुझसे कहा कि घर देर से मत आना।
For a negative order: not + to + verb.
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Reported speech: he said that... · 1/7
Hello! Today we learn reported speech: how to tell others what someone said.
Prefer a video by a teacher? Find free videos on “reported speech direct indirect spoken english in hindi” on YouTube ↗
In real life: Passing on a message in the office
Meera: Vikram, did anyone call while I was in the meeting? Vikram: Yes, Ritu from the client office called. She said the payment had been sent. Meera: Great. Did she say anything about the new order? Vikram: She asked if we could deliver it by the fifteenth. Meera: Hmm. What did you tell her? Vikram: I told her that you would call her back after lunch. Meera: Good. Did the courier come? Vikram: Yes. He said he would come again tomorrow, and he asked me to keep the parcel ready.
Practice (0/4 done)
Pass on this message aloud.
My manager said that the meeting would start at ten, and she told me to bring the report.
मेरी मैनेजर ने कहा कि मीटिंग दस बजे शुरू होगी, और उन्होंने मुझे रिपोर्ट लाने को कहा।
Listen and type the sentence.
Report these: Rohan: "I am feeling sick." Teacher: "Submit the project by Monday." Aunty: "Where do you work?" Friend (yesterday): "I will help you tomorrow." Guard: "Don't park here."
Which is correct?
Quick quiz
Related help
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This topic builds on these. If something here feels new, open them first.
Related topics
- Regrets and wishes: third conditional, wish and if onlyGrammar for real talk · same module
- If I were you: imagining and advice (second conditional)Grammar for real talk · same module
- Simple present: habits and factsNow, yesterday and tomorrow
- Describing people: looks and personalityReal-life conversations
- The tense map: all twelve tenses on one pageTenses made easy
- Asking questions: yes/no and wh- questionsNow, yesterday and tomorrow
Questions people ask about this
Open a question to see the answer and why. The first ones are this topic's own quiz, so try the quiz above before you peek.
Arjun said, "I will send the file." The usual report is...
Answer: He said he would send the file.
Will → would, and "said" takes no person.
Report the question: "What is your name?"
Answer: She asked me what my name was.
Normal word order (my name was), no "that", no question mark.
Complete: "The doctor told me ___ oily food."
Answer: not to eat
Negative order: told + person + not to + verb.
Complete: "She ___ me that the shop was closed."
Answer: told
"Tell" takes a person (told me). "Said me" is wrong.
Your teacher said, "The earth goes round the sun." Which report is correct?
Answer: The teacher said that the earth goes round the sun.
A fact that is always true can stay in the present, and "said" takes no person.
What is wrong in "She very smart"?Related
Answer: The verb "is" is missing
English needs the verb: "She is very smart."
Complete: "The children and ___ teacher are in the hall."Related
What is the he-form of "study"?Related
"He's in his twenties" means he is...Related
Answer: between twenty and twenty-nine
"In his twenties" = aged 20 to 29.
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Next steps
- This is the last topic of “Grammar for real talk”. The module exam comes next.
- Module 9 exam: grammar for real talk · 15 questions · 20 min, without help. 4 topics of this module still to finish first.
- Then the next module, Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes. 59 topics left in the course before the final exam.