Spanish reported speech: dice que, dijo que, me pidió que
Ana’s messages · pick one
You tell Pablo
Dijo que estaba cansada.
Dijoshe-saidquethatestabashe-wascansada.tired
DEE-hoh keh es-TAH-bah kan-SAH-dah · “She said she was tired.”
estoy→estabapresent → imperfect
yo→ellafirst person → third
Short answer: report a statement with decir que + the sentence. If the reporting verb is in the present (dice que), nothing else changes. If it is in the past (dijo que), the tenses move one step back: voy → iba, iré → iría. Commands become que + subjunctive (me pidió que viniera), and yes / no questions take si (“whether”).
Tense changes
Each tense moves one step into the past
When you report with a past verb (dijo, contó, explicó), the original words are now further in the past, so each tense moves back. This is called backshift. Three tenses do not move: the imperfect, the conditional and the pluperfect are already as far back as they go.
Ana said
Tense
Dijo que…
Becomes
«Trabajo en casa.»
present
dijo que trabajaba en casa
imperfect
«Estoy cocinando.»
present progressive
dijo que estaba cocinando
imperfect progressive
«He terminado.»
perfect
dijo que había terminado
pluperfect
«Llegué tarde.»
preterite
dijo que había llegado tarde
pluperfect (llegó also common)
«Iré mañana.»
future
dijo que iría al día siguiente
conditional
«Era muy tarde.»
imperfect
dijo que era muy tarde
no change
«Me gustaría ir.»
conditional
dijo que le gustaría ir
no change (person only)
Tap a row to hear the reported version. Red marks a tense that changes. In speech, if the fact is still true, many Spaniards keep the present: dijo que está cansada.
Other words that change
Hoy becomes ese día: people, time and place
Words that point to the speaker’s here and now also shift when you report later, somewhere else. Pronouns follow the people: Ana’s yo becomes ella, her tú may become yo.
Requests and orders
Ven, llama, no te preocupes: reporting commands
A command becomes que + the subjunctive (the verb form for wishes and requests). With dice it is the present subjunctive; with dijo or pidió it is the past subjunctive. More in the subjunctive.
Ana«Ven a las ocho.»Come at eight.
Dice que…que vaya a las ocho
Me pidió que…
Memepidióshe-askedquethatfueraI-wenta las ocho.at eight
meh pee-DYOH keh FWEH-rah ah lahs OH-choh · “She asked me to go at eight.”
Ana«Llámame.»Call me.
Dice que…que la llame
Me pidió que…
Memedijoshe-toldquethatlaherllamara.I-called
meh DEE-hoh keh lah yah-MAH-rah · “She told me to call her.”
meh DEE-hoh keh noh meh preh-oh-koo-PAH-rah · “She told me not to worry.”
Ana«Tráeme el libro.»Bring me the book.
Dice que…que le lleve el libro
Me pidió que…
Memepidióshe-askedquethatleto-herllevaraI-tookel libro.the book
meh pee-DYOH keh leh yeh-BAH-rah el LEE-broh · “She asked me to take her the book.”
Questions
Reporting questions: si, qué, dónde
A yes / no question is reported with si (“if, whether”). A question with a question word keeps it, still with its written accent: me preguntó dónde vivía. The question marks disappear and the word order becomes normal.
keh-REE-ah sah-BEHR keh keh-REE-ah · “She wanted to know what I wanted.”Querer saber is a softer way to say preguntar.
«¿Cuándo llegas?» When do you arrive?
Preguntashe-askscuándowhenllegas.you-arrive
preh-GOON-tah KWAN-doh YEH-gahs · “She’s asking when you arrive.”Present pregunta: no tense change.
Reporting verbs
Beyond decir: verbs that report
Spanish writers rarely repeat dijo. Each of these verbs adds meaning, and some need the subjunctive after que because they report a request or a wish. Tap to hear the example.
Red verbs (requests, advice, orders) take the subjunctive after que; dark ones take the indicative, the ordinary form.