Indirect Speech

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In Portuguese, when studying narrative texts, we make the distinction between direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is spoken by a character, while indirect speech is spoken by a narrator, in the third-person. Each is clearly defined by different punctuation, but the verb tenses and conjunctions are different too.
In real life, everything is technically direct speech, but we sometimes relay or repeat something we’ve heard to someone else, so it follows the patterns of indirect speech. For example:
Maria: “I’m not feeling well”
Narrator/Speaker: “Maria said she wasn’t feeling well.”
We generally apply the same changes to verbs and sentence structure both when speaking and writing indirect speech. That said, there’s a lot more freedom in the way we speak compared to the way we write, so there can be multiple different ways of presenting the same speech indirectly. Thus, this unit is a good opportunity to explore how context affects the words we use within different Portuguese sentence structures.
To start, let’s take a look at introductory verbs, which are verbs that introduce the “direct speech” we’ll be relaying.

Introductory Verbs

There are many introductory verbs, but two common examples are the verb dizerto say, to tellCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb for statements and perguntarto askCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb for questions.
O João disse que ia emboraJoão said he was leavingCommunity
A Maria perguntou se vens jantarMaria asked if you're coming to dinnerCommunity
A few others are avisarto warn, notifyCommunity , pedirto ask for, requestCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb , and afirmarto claim, affirm, state, assertCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb (afirmar suggests someone stated something with confidence/conviction).
O chefe avisou que iam sair mais tardeThe boss notified (us) that they would be leaving laterCommunity
A minha mãe pediu-me que a visitasse mais vezesMy mother asked me to visit her more oftenCommunity
Ele afirma que se tratou de um mal-entendidoHe claims it was a misunderstandingCommunity Slow audio Play audio
The introductory verbs can be either in the presente (present) or in the pretérito perfeito (simple past), with the latter being more common. We may use the present tense if we’re repeating something we’re hearing right now or that we just heard, such as during a phone call, for example:
A senhora diz que neste momento não tem vagasThe lady says she has no vacancies at the momentCommunity
For everything else in the past, we can use the simple past tense, as in:
O major ordenou que as tropas dispersassemThe major ordered the troops to disperseCommunity
The tense of the introductory verb may affect the way we relay the original speech. Here’s what you should know:

• If the introductory verb is in the present, we use the same mood/tense of the original speech:
  • João: Eu estou em casaI am at homeCommunity → O João diz que está em casaJoão says he is at homeCommunity
  • João: Eu fui para casaI went homeCommunity → O João diz que foi para casaJoão says he went homeCommunity

• If the introductory verb is in the past, when you relay the message, the original speech changes from:
  • present → past continuous
    • João: Estou em casaI am at homeCommunity → O João disse que estava em casaJoão said he was at homeCommunity
  • simple past → pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto*
    • João: Estive em casaI was at homeCommunity → O João disse que tinha estado em casaJoão said he had been at homeCommunity
    • * In written texts, the simple form is used rather than the compound form.
  • futuro → conditional
    • João: Estarei em casaI will be at homeCommunity → O João disse que estaria em casaJoão said he would be at homeCommunity
  • imperative → subjunctive or infinitive
    • João: Joana, faz a cama!Joana, make the bed!Community → O João disse à Joana que fizesse a camaJoão told Joana to make the bedCommunity or O João disse à Joana para fazer a camaJoão told Joana to make the bedCommunity
  • Other moods and tenses → no change

Declaratives & Imperatives

If the original phrase was declarative or imperative, as in the examples above, we use the conjunction quethatCommunity Slow audio Play audio Pronoun  after the introductory verb. (O João disse que…)
There may be a pronoun or person’s name before the que, as in:
A Paula disse ao Carlos que estava em casaPaula told Carlos she was at homeCommunity
O João disse-me que tinha feito obras em casaJoão told me he had some work done at homeCommunity
In certain situations, instead of que, we can use the preposition para. This usually happens with the introductory verb dizer, and the original verb changes to the infinitive:
A minha mãe disse para eu fazer a camaMy mother told me to make the bedCommunity
Eles disseram para eu vir aquiThey told me to come hereCommunity Slow audio Play audio
Another introductory verb is mandarto send, order, command, call the shotsCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb . With this verb, there is no conjunction or preposition and the original verb changes to the infinitive, as well:
A minha mãe mandou-me fazer a camaMy mother ordered me to make the bedCommunity

Questions

If the direct speech was a question, then we use the conjunction se or an interrogative adverb, such as onde, como, quando, por que, and others. For example:

• João: Precisas de boleia?Do you need a ride?Community Slow audio Play audio → O João perguntou-me se eu precisava de boleiaJoão asked me if I needed a rideCommunity
• João: Onde é que devo estacionar?Where should I park?Community → O João perguntou-me onde devia estacionarJoão asked me where he should parkCommunity

With questions, perguntarto askCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb is the most commonly used introductory verb, but you could also use questionarto questionCommunity for a more formal approach.

Changes in Pronouns & Determiners

Naturally, when we relay something that was said, we are shifting to a 3rd-person perspective, so we use different words. For example, we may use a person’s name, or a different personal pronoun:

• João: Eu faço anos amanhãIt's my birthday tomorrowCommunity → Ele disse que faz anos amanhãHe said it's his birthday tomorrowCommunity or O João disse que faz anos amanhãJoão said it's his birthday tomorrowCommunity

The same happens with possessive pronouns and determiners (meu, teu, seu, nosso, vosso, etc):

• Maria: O meu carro faz um barulho estranhoMy car makes a strange noiseCommunity Slow audio Play audio → Ela disse que o carro dela fazia um barulho estranhoShe said that her car was making a strange noiseCommunity
• Maria: Esta casa é vossa?Is this house yours(pl.) ?Community Slow audio Play audio → Ela perguntou se aquela casa era nossaShe asked if that house was oursCommunity

The demonstrative pronouns and determiners (este, esse, isto and isso) also may need to change to a 3rd-person perspective, if the object in question is not in our presence. Remember that aquele or aquilo refer to something far away, in either distance or time.

• Maria: Nunca vi isto!I've never seen this!Community Slow audio Play audio → Ela declarou que nunca tinha visto aquiloShe declared she had never seen thatCommunity Slow audio Play audio
• João: Esse computador está estragadoThat computer is ruinedCommunity → Ele disse que aquele computador estava estragadoHe said that computer was ruinedCommunity

Changes in Adverbs

Adverbs and expressions that are related to times and places may also need to change, depending on when and where you are relaying the message. Just like in English, where yesterday becomes the day before, and this becomes that, the same happens in Portuguese.
A few common transformations are:

• ontemyesterdayCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb → anteontemthe day before yesterdayCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb , no dia anteriorthe previous dayCommunity , na vésperaon the eveCommunity
• hojetodayCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb → naquele diaon that dayCommunity , ontemyesterdayCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb
• amanhãtomorrowCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb → hojetodayCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb , no dia seguintethe next dayCommunity
• aquihereCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb → alithereCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb
• cáhereCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb → láthereCommunity Slow audio Play audio Adverb

Examples:

• João: Estava doente ontemI was sick yesterdayCommunity → Ele disse-me que estava doente no dia anteriorHe told me he was sick the day beforeCommunity
• João: Eu amanhã venho cá deixar o sacoI'll come here tomorrow to drop off the bagCommunity → Ele disse que hoje ia lá deixar o sacoHe said he'd go there today to drop off the bagCommunity

Of course these changes will always depend on the time and place when relaying the message. Hoje in direct speech could still be hoje in indirect speech, if it’s still today.

Other Introductory Verbs

Just for a vocabulary boost, here are a few more Portuguese introductory verbs:

• explicarto explainCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb
• declararto declareCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb
• responderto respond, answerCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb
• contarto tell, recountCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb
• confessarto confessCommunity
• assegurarto secure, assureCommunity Slow audio Play audio Verb

Practice Time!

Now, let’s practice what you’ve just learned. Below, you’ll see 10 sentences that were spoken to you by someone named João. How would you tell someone else what João said? You can scroll down to check the correct answers below. 😉

1. Estás pronto para a viagem?– Are you ready for the trip?
2. Fecha a porta, por favor. – Close the door, please.
3. Que bela vista! – What a beautiful view!
4. Pode ajudar-me com este trabalho? – Can you help me with this job?
5. Boa sorte! – Good luck!
6. Cuidado com o cão! – Beware of the dog!
7. Precisas de ajuda com as compras? – Do you need help with the groceries?
8. Logo à noite vamos jantar fora. – We’re going out to dinner tonight.
9. Podes usar o meu carro. – You can use my car.
10. Eu vou estudar para casa da Joana. – I’m going to study at Joana’s house.

Answers:

1. O João perguntou se eu estava pronto para a viagemJoão asked if I was ready for the tripCommunity
2. O João pediu para eu fechar a portaJoão asked me to close the doorCommunity
3. O João disse que a vista era belaJoão said the view was beautifulCommunity
4. O João perguntou-me se eu o poderia ajudar com aquele trabalhoJoão asked me if I could help him with that jobCommunity
5. O João desejou-me boa sorteJoão wished me good luckCommunity
6. O João avisou-me para ter cuidado com o cãoJoão warned me to beware of the dogCommunity
7. O João perguntou se eu precisava de ajuda com as comprasJoão asked if I needed help with the shoppingCommunity
8. O João disse que naquela noite iam jantar foraJoão said they were going out to dinner that nightCommunity
9. O João disse que eu podia usar o carro deleJoão said I could use his carCommunity Slow audio Play audio
10. O João disse que ia estudar para casa da JoanaJoão said he was going to study at Joana's houseCommunity