Tense use in reported speech
Combien coûte le billet ? → Muriel demande combien coûte le billet. How much does this ticket cost? → Muriel is asking how much this ticket costs.
J’ai perdu mes clés. → Victor pense qu’il a perdu ses clés. I've lost my keys. → Victor thinks that he has lost his keys.
Je ne l’aime plus. → Je lui dirai que je ne l’aime plus. I don't love him any more. → I will tell him that I don't love him any more.
• Subsequent verbs in the present tense change into the imparfait (imperfect).
Je travaille à l’AIGF. → J’ai dit que je travaillais à l’AIGF. I work at the AIGF. → I said that I worked at the AIGF.
J’ai travaillé à l’AIGF pendant 3 ans. → Il nous a affirmé qu’il avait travaillé à l’AIGF pendant 3 ans. I worked at the AIGF for three years. → He claimed that he had worked at the AIGF for three years.
Un jour ils travailleront à l’AIGF. → Gérard a annoncé qu’un jour ils travailleraient à l’AIGF. One day they will work at the AIGF. → Gérard announced that they would work at the AIGF one day.
Muriel va travailler avec Victor. → Vous avez dit que Muriel allait travailler avec Victor. Muriel is going to work with Victor. → You said that Muriel was going to work with Victor.
À cette époque, je travaillais à l’AIGF. → J’ai dit qu’à cette époque je travaillais à l’AIGF. At the time, I was working at the AIGF. → I said that I was working at the AIGF at the time.
J’avais déjà travaillé à l’AIGF. → Il a affirmé qu’il avait déjà travaillé à l’AIGF. I had already worked at the AIGF. → He claimed that he had already worked at the AIGF.
J’aimerais bien travailler à l’AIGF. → Elle m’a annoncé qu’elle aimerait bien travailler à l’AIGF. I would really like to work at the AIGF. → She told me that she would really like to work at the AIGF.
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