Reporting another person's words
We do this using reported speech. To form it, we use a reporting verb (decir/to say, pensar/to think, creer/to believe, etc.) to introduce what we are going to report.
Ana: «Voy a vender el hotel» → Ana dice que va a vender el hotel.
Ana: "I'm going to sell the hotel" → Ana says that she's going to sell the hotel.
When the reporting verb is in the present (dice, piensa, etc.) or the present perfect (ha dicho, ha pensado, etc.) we keep the tense used by the person we're reporting (except when they've used an imperative), but adapt the conjugation.
«Estoy estar, presente cansada» → Dice/Ha dicho que está cansada.
"I'm tired" → She says/She has said that she's tired.
«Fui ir, pret. indefinido al teatro» → Dice/Ha dicho que fue al teatro.
“I went to the theater” → He says/He has said he went to the theater.
We introduce que, si or a question word between the reporting verb and the one we are reporting.
- Que (that): when we report an affirmative or negative statement.
«Quiero ir a la fiesta» → Nacho dice que quiere ir a la fiesta.
“I want to go to the party” → Nacho says that he wants to go to the party.
- Si (if): when we report a yes/no question.
«¿Quieres ir a la fiesta?» → Nacho pregunta si quieres ir a la fiesta.
“Do you want to go to the party?” → Nacho asks if you want to go to the party.
- Question word (qué, dónde, cuándo, etc.): when we report a question that includes it.
«¿A qué horas quieres ir a la fiesta?» → Nacho pregunta a qué horas quieres ir a la fiesta.
“At what time do you want to go to the party?” → Nacho asks at what time you want to go to the party.
Note: when forming reported speech, we also adapt the pronouns and possessives.
Me Pronombres CI gusta mucho dormir → Ella dice que le gusta mucho dormir.
I really like sleeping → She says she really likes sleeping.
Estoy en mi Adjetivos posesivos átonos apartamento → Carolina dice que está en su apartamento.
I am in my apartment → Carolina says she is in her apartment.
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