Quoting what someone else has said: Magda dice che l'hotel è pieno (Magda says that the hotel is full)
When we quote what someone else has said, we use indirect speech. To form this type of sentence, we use an introductory verb like dire (to say), pensare (to think), credere (to think, to believe), etc.
Anna: «Venderò l'hotel» → Anna dice che venderà l'hotel.
Anna: “I will sell the hotel” → Anna says that she will sell the hotel.
When the introductory verb is in the present tense or il passato prossimo (the perfect tense), we use the same tense that was used in the direct speech, only making changes if we need to change the subject(s).
«Sono essere, presente stanca» → Dice/Ha detto che è essere, presente stanca.
“I am tired” → She says/she said that she is tired.
«Ero essere, imperfetto a teatro» → Dice/Ha detto che era essere, imperfetto a teatro.
“I was at the theater” → He says/said he was at the theatre.
Between the introductory verb and the speech we are reporting, we need to use che (that), se (if) or a question word:
- Che (that): when we are quoting an affirmative or negative statement.
«Voglio andare alla festa» → Ciro dice che vuole andare alla festa.
“I want to go to the party” → Ciro says that he wants to go to the party.
- Se (if, whether): when we are relaying a yes/no question.
«Vuoi andare alla festa?» → Ciro chiede se vuoi andare alla festa.
“Do you want to go to the party?” → Ciro is asking if you want to go to the party.
- A question word such as che (what), dove (where), quando (when), etc.: when we are quoting a question that includes one of these words.
«A che ora vuoi andare alla festa?» → Ciro chiede a che ora vuoi andare alla festa.
“What time do you want to go to the party?” → Ciro is asking what time you want to go to the party.
Note: when we use indirect speech, we generally need to change possessive, direct and indirect pronouns.
«Mi piace molto dormire» → Lei dice che le Pronomi CI piace molto dormire.
“I really like sleeping” → She says that she really likes sleeping (literally, “Sleeping is really pleasing to me → She says that sleeping is really pleasing to her”).
«Sono nel mio appartamento» → Carlotta dice che è nel suo Aggettivi possessivi appartamento.
“I'm in my apartment” → Carlotta says that she is in her apartment.
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