How do you use "Basic Reported Speech" in a sentence?

I'm tired.' → She said she was tired. I love pizza.' → He said he loved pizza. I can help.' → She said she could help. I'll come.' → He said he would come.

Basic Reported Speech

Q: What does "Basic Reported Speech" mean?

Reporting what someone said in the past When reporting speech, pronouns change (I → he/she) and tenses often shift back: present → past, past → past perfect. Time expressions also change: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day.

Grammar Pattern BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: Reporting what someone said in the past

报告过去某人说的话

Reportar lo que alguien dijo en el pasado

過去に誰かが言ったことを報告する

과거에 누군가가 한 말을 전달하기

When reporting speech, pronouns change (I → he/she) and tenses often shift back: present → past, past → past perfect. Time expressions also change: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day.

报告别人说的话时，代词要改变（I→he/she），时态通常后移：现在时→过去时，过去时→过去完成时。时间表达也要改变：today→that day, tomorrow→the next day。

Al reportar el habla, los pronombres cambian (I → he/she) y los tiempos a menudo retroceden: presente → pasado, pasado → pasado perfecto. Las expresiones de tiempo también cambian: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day.

話を報告する時、代名詞が変わり（I→he/she）、時制は通常後退します：現在→過去、過去→過去完了。時間表現も変わります：today→that day, tomorrow→the next day。

말을 전달할 때 대명사가 바뀌고(I → he/she) 시제가 한 단계 과거로 이동합니다: 현재 → 과거, 과거 → 과거완료. 시간 표현도 바뀝니다: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day.

Examples

I'm tired.' → She said she was tired.
我累了。' → 她说她累了。
Estoy cansada.' → Ella dijo que estaba cansada.
疲れました。' → 彼女は疲れたと言いました。
피곤해요.' → 그녀는 피곤하다고 말했습니다.
I love pizza.' → He said he loved pizza.
我喜欢披萨。' → 他说他喜欢披萨。
Me encanta la pizza.' → Él dijo que le encantaba la pizza.
ピザが好きです。' → 彼はピザが好きだと言いました。
피자를 좋아해요.' → 그는 피자를 좋아한다고 말했습니다.
I can help.' → She said she could help.
我可以帮忙。' → 她说她可以帮忙。
Puedo ayudar.' → Ella dijo que podía ayudar.
手伝えます。' → 彼女は手伝えると言いました。
도와줄 수 있어요.' → 그녀는 도와줄 수 있다고 말했습니다.
I'll come.' → He said he would come.
我会来的。' → 他说他会来的。
Vendré.' → Él dijo que vendría.
行きます。' → 彼は来ると言いました。
갈게요.' → 그는 오겠다고 말했습니다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: reporting

✓ Do Say

He said he was busy.
他说他很忙。
Él dijo que estaba ocupado.
彼は忙しいと言いました。
그는 바쁘다고 말했습니다.
She told me she liked the food.
她告诉我她喜欢那个食物。
Ella me dijo que le gustaba la comida.
彼女は食べ物が好きだと言いました。
그녀는 음식이 마음에 든다고 나에게 말했습니다.
They said they would come later.
他们说他们会晚点来。
Ellos dijeron que vendrían más tarde.
彼らは後で来ると言いました。
그들은 나중에 오겠다고 말했습니다.
He mentioned he had been there before.
他提到他以前去过那里。
Él mencionó que había estado allí antes.
彼は以前そこに行ったことがあると言いました。
그는 전에 거기 가 본 적이 있다고 언급했습니다.
She told me she liked it.
她告诉我她喜欢。
Me dijo que le gustó.
彼女は気に入ったと私に言いました。
그녀는 그것이 마음에 든다고 말했어요.

✗ Don't Say

He said he is busy. (tense shift in past reporting)
He said he is busy.（过去报告时需要时态后移）
He said he is busy. (en el estilo indirecto en pasado se retrocede el tiempo verbal)
He said he is busy.（過去の報告では時制を後退させる）
He said he is busy.（과거 보고 시 시제를 후퇴시켜야 함）
She said me she liked it. ('told me' not 'said me')
She said me she liked it.（用'told me'不是'said me'）
She said me she liked it. (se usa 'told me', no 'said me')
She said me she liked it.（「said me」ではなく「told me」）
She said me she liked it.（'said me'가 아니라 'told me'）

Origin & History

Indirect speech structure

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal