Reported speech in Spanish : complete course

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Reported speech in Spanish [B2] — VocaVerb

What Is Reported Speech in Spanish?

Reported speech (or indirect speech) is the way we retell what someone else said, without quoting their exact words. Instead of repeating a sentence word for word, we summarize or report it using a reporting verb. In Spanish, this structure is very common in everyday conversation, writing, and storytelling.

For example, instead of saying ‘Tengo hambre’ (I am hungry), someone might later report: ‘Dijo que tenía hambre’ (He said that he was hungry). Notice how the verb changes — that is the heart of reported speech in Spanish.

Simple Examples to Get Started

  • Direct speech: ‘Estoy cansado’ → Reported: ‘Dijo que estaba cansado.’ (He said he was tired.)
  • Direct speech: ‘Vivo en Madrid’ → Reported: ‘Me dijo que vivía en Madrid.’ (She told me she lived in Madrid.)
  • Direct speech: ‘Voy al mercado mañana’ → Reported: ‘Dijo que iba al mercado al día siguiente.’ (He said he was going to the market the next day.)

As you can see, several things change when we move from direct to reported speech: the verb tense, sometimes the pronouns, and even certain time expressions.

The Key Elements of Reported Speech in Spanish

1. Reporting Verbs

The most common reporting verb in Spanish is decir (to say / to tell). But there are many others you can use to add more nuance:

Spanish Verb English Meaning Example
decir to say / to tell Dijo que llegaba tarde.
afirmar to state / to affirm Afirmó que el proyecto estaba listo.
explicar to explain Explicó que no podía venir.
preguntar to ask Preguntó si yo sabía la respuesta.
contar to tell / to recount Me contó que había viajado a México.

2. Verb Tense Changes (Backshift)

When the reporting verb is in the past (like dijo), the verb in the reported clause usually shifts back in time. This is called backshift and it also exists in English and French.

Direct Speech Tense Reported Speech Tense Example
Present (habla) Imperfect (hablaba) ‘Hablo español’ → Dijo que hablaba español.
Preterite (habló) Pluperfect (había hablado) ‘Llegué tarde’ → Dijo que había llegado tarde.
Future (irá) Conditional (iría) ‘Iré mañana’ → Dijo que iría al día siguiente.

3. Changes in Time and Place Expressions

When you report something said in the past, time and place words often need to change too. Here are the most common shifts:

  • hoy (today) → ese día (that day)
  • mañana (tomorrow) → al día siguiente (the next day)
  • ayer (yesterday) → el día anterior (the day before)
  • aquí (here) → allí / allá (there)
  • este / esta (this) → ese / esa (that)

Why Reported Speech Matters in Spanish

Understanding reported speech is essential if you want to communicate naturally in Spanish. Think about how often in real life you say things like ‘She told me that…’, ‘He asked if…’, or ‘They explained that…’. These are all examples of reported speech.

Without this structure, your Spanish can sound very basic or even unnatural. Once you master it, you will be able to:

  • Retell conversations and stories fluently
  • Write more sophisticated emails, essays, or messages
  • Understand Spanish media, news, and literature more easily
  • Sound more like a native speaker in everyday interactions

Comparison with Other Languages

Reported speech exists in French and English too, and the logic is similar — but there are some important differences worth noting.

Feature Spanish French English
Main connector que que that (optional)
Verb backshift Yes, systematic Yes, systematic Yes, but more flexible
Reported questions si (yes/no) / interrogative word si / mot interrogatif if / whether / wh-word
Subjunctive use Sometimes required Sometimes required Not applicable

One key difference: in Spanish and French, the connector que is almost always required. In English, ‘that’ can often be dropped (‘He said he was tired’ is perfectly correct). Do not make this mistake in Spanish — que must stay!

A Complete Example

Let us look at a short dialogue and then see how it becomes reported speech:

Original conversation:

  • Ana: ‘Estoy muy contenta. Aprobé el examen ayer y mañana celebraré con mis amigos.’

Reported speech:

  • Ana dijo que estaba muy contenta, que había aprobado el examen el día anterior y que celebraría con sus amigos al día siguiente.

Notice how all three changes appear here: the verb tenses shifted back, the time expressions changed, and the connector que is repeated before each new piece of information.

Key Takeaways

  • Reported speech lets you retell what someone said without quoting them directly.
  • The most important reporting verb is decir, but many others exist.
  • When the reporting verb is in the past, verb tenses in the reported clause shift back.
  • Time and place expressions also change to match the new context.
  • Always keep the connector que — unlike in English, it cannot be dropped.
  • Reported questions use si for yes/no questions, or an interrogative word for open questions.

Reported speech may seem complex at first, but once you understand the pattern, it becomes very logical. Start by practising with simple sentences, and gradually move to longer conversations. You will be surprised how quickly it becomes natural!

Sources

  • Real Academia Española (RAE) — Nueva gramática de la lengua española, Espasa, 2009.
  • Matte Bon, Francisco — Gramática comunicativa del español, Edelsa, 1992.
  • Butt, John & Benjamin, Carmen — A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish, Routledge, 5th edition, 2011.

To practise what you learned in this lesson:

Practice exercises · Crossword puzzle

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