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Overview of direct and reported speech and the basic reporting structure.
Practice: build the sentences →Reported speech presents what someone said without necessarily repeating their exact words.
It is used to report statements, questions, requests, commands, advice, and other types of communication.
She said that she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
Reported statement without exact wording.
He asked me to wait.
Он попросил меня подождать.
Reported request.
They asked if I was ready.
Они спросили, готов ли я.
Reported yes/no question.
Direct speech reports a speaker's original words using quotation marks.
For example, She said, "I am tired." The quoted words represent the original wording.
She said, "I am tired."
Она сказала: «Я устала».
Direct speech with quotation marks.
He said, "I will call you tomorrow."
Он сказал: «Я позвоню тебе завтра».
Exact original words quoted.
Reported speech expresses the content of what someone said without necessarily preserving the original wording.
For example, She said that she was tired.
She said that she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
Content reported without quotation marks.
He said that he would call me the next day.
Он сказал, что позвонит мне на следующий день.
Tense and time reference shifted.
Direct speech quotes the original words, while reported speech presents their meaning within a new grammatical structure.
For example, He said, "I am busy" becomes He said that he was busy.
He said, "I am busy."
Он сказал: «Я занят».
Direct speech.
He said that he was busy.
Он сказал, что занят.
Reported version of the same message.
A reporting clause identifies the source of the information being reported.
Common reporting clauses include he said, she told me, they explained, and the teacher asked.
He said that he was late.
Он сказал, что опоздал.
Reporting clause: he said.
She told me that she was ready.
Она сказала мне, что готова.
Reporting clause: she told me.
The teacher asked the students to be quiet.
Учитель попросил учеников быть тише.
Reporting clause: the teacher asked.
Statements can commonly be reported using a that-clause after reporting verbs such as say and think.
For example, She said that she was tired and He thought that the plan would work.
She said that she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
That-clause after "say".
He thought that the plan would work.
Он думал, что план сработает.
That-clause after "think".
That can often be omitted in reported statements without changing the basic meaning.
For example, She said that she was tired and She said she was tired are both standard.
She said that she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
With that.
She said she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
That omitted; meaning unchanged.
A reported that-clause functions as the complement of many reporting verbs.
For example, They explained that the road was closed and We believed that he was right.
They explained that the road was closed.
Они объяснили, что дорога закрыта.
That-clause after "explain".
We believed that he was right.
Мы верили, что он прав.
That-clause after "believe".
Reported speech normally focuses on the content or meaning of the original message rather than reproducing its exact wording.
A speaker can change vocabulary and grammar while preserving the essential meaning of the original statement.
She said, "I am exhausted."
Она сказала: «Я измотана».
Direct speech.
She said that she was very tired.
Она сказала, что очень устала.
Content preserved, wording changed.
Moving from direct to reported speech can require changes in tense, pronouns, time expressions, place expressions, and other grammatical elements.
For example, I becomes he or she, today may become that day, and present forms may change to past forms depending on context.
She said, "I am ready."
Она сказала: «Я готова».
Direct speech.
She said that she was ready.
Она сказала, что готова.
Tense and pronoun changes.
He said, "I will see you tomorrow."
Он сказал: «Я увижу тебя завтра».
Direct speech with time expression.
He said that he would see me the next day.
Он сказал, что увидит меня на следующий день.
Tense and time expression changed.
Reported speech adapts the original message to the viewpoint and context of the person doing the reporting.
Pronouns, time expressions, and references to places may change because the original speaker and reporter have different perspectives.
She said, "I will call you here tomorrow."
Она сказала: «Я позвоню тебе здесь завтра».
Original speaker's viewpoint.
She said that she would call me there the next day.
Она сказала, что позвонит мне туда на следующий день.
Pronouns and place expressions adjusted.
Reported speech can be used to report not only spoken words but also thoughts, beliefs, ideas, and opinions.
For example, She thought that he was right and He believed that they would arrive soon.
She thought that he was right.
Она думала, что он прав.
Reported thought.
He believed that they would arrive soon.
Он верил, что они скоро приедут.
Reported belief.
Both affirmative and negative statements can be reported using appropriate reporting structures.
For example, He said that he was ready and He said that he was not ready.
He said that he was ready.
Он сказал, что готов.
Reported affirmative statement.
He said that he was not ready.
Он сказал, что не готов.
Reported negative statement.
Yes/no questions are reported using structures such as ask if or ask whether rather than normal direct-question word order.
For example, "Are you ready?" becomes She asked if I was ready.
She asked, "Are you ready?"
Она спросила: «Ты готов?»
Direct yes/no question.
She asked if I was ready.
Она спросила, готов ли я.
Reported with "if".
She asked whether I was ready.
Она спросила, готов ли я.
Reported with "whether".
Wh-questions are reported using the question word followed by statement word order.
For example, "Where do you live?" becomes He asked where I lived.
He asked, "Where do you live?"
Он спросил: «Где ты живёшь?»
Direct wh-question.
He asked where I lived.
Он спросил, где я живу.
Reported wh-question with statement word order.
She asked when the train would arrive.
Она спросила, когда прибудет поезд.
Reported wh-question.
Commands and requests are commonly reported using structures such as tell or ask + object + to-infinitive.
For example, "Close the door" becomes She told me to close the door.
She said, "Close the door."
Она сказала: «Закрой дверь».
Direct command.
She told me to close the door.
Она велела мне закрыть дверь.
Reported command with tell + object + to-infinitive.
He asked me to wait.
Он попросил меня подождать.
Reported request with ask + object + to-infinitive.
Advice can be reported using verbs and structures such as advise + object + to-infinitive or suggest + gerund or that-clause.
For example, He advised me to wait and She suggested that we leave early.
He advised me to wait.
Он посоветовал мне подождать.
Reported advice with advise + object + to-infinitive.
She suggested that we leave early.
Она предложила, чтобы мы ушли рано.
Reported suggestion with that-clause.
She suggested leaving early.
Она предложила уйти рано.
Reported suggestion with gerund.
Direct speech normally uses quotation marks to show the exact words spoken.
Punctuation and quotation-mark conventions vary somewhat between British and American English, but the quoted material is clearly separated from the reporting clause.
She said, "I am tired."
Она сказала: «Я устала».
Quotation marks show exact words.
He asked, "Where are you going?"
Он спросил: «Куда ты идёшь?»
Direct question with quotation marks.
A reporting clause can come before the quoted speech.
For example, She said, "I am tired."
She said, "I am tired."
Она сказала: «Я устала».
Reporting clause first.
He asked, "Where do you live?"
Он спросил: «Где ты живёшь?»
Reporting clause before quotation.
A reporting clause can follow direct speech.
For example, "I am tired," she said.
"I am tired," she said.
«Я устала», — сказала она.
Reporting clause after speech.
"Where do you live?" he asked.
«Где ты живёшь?» — спросил он.
Reporting clause after question.
A reporting clause can occur inside a quotation when the speech is interrupted or attributed in stages.
For example, "I am," she said, "too tired to continue."
"I am," she said, "too tired to continue."
«Я, — сказала она, — слишком устала, чтобы продолжать».
Reporting clause interrupts the quotation.
"The problem is," he explained, "that we have no time."
«Проблема, — объяснил он, — в том, что у нас нет времени».
Interrupted direct speech.
The correct reported form depends on the relationship between the original statement, the reporting time, and the current context.
A reporter does not always need to change every tense or reference if the original information remains valid or the context makes the original form appropriate.
She said, "I am busy."
Она сказала: «Я занята».
Direct speech at the time of speaking.
She said that she is busy.
Она сказала, что она занята.
No backshift; information still valid.
She said that she was busy.
Она сказала, что была занята.
Backshift used when reporting later.
Reported speech should preserve the intended meaning of the original message even when its grammatical structure changes.
The reporter may adjust tense, pronouns, time references, and other expressions to fit the new context.
She said, "I will help you tomorrow."
Она сказала: «Я помогу тебе завтра».
Direct speech.
She promised to help me the next day.
Она пообещала помочь мне на следующий день.
Meaning preserved with reporting verb "promise".
Use an appropriate reporting structure and distinguish direct speech from reported speech.
Common mistakes include retaining inappropriate quotation marks, using direct-question word order in reported questions, forgetting necessary pronoun changes, and changing every tense mechanically without considering context.
She said that she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
Correct reported statement.
She said that "I was tired".
Она сказала, что «я устала».
Incorrect: quotation marks not needed in reported speech.
She asked where did I live.
Она спросила, где я живу.
Incorrect: reported wh-question uses statement word order.
She asked where I lived.
Она спросила, где я живу.
Correct reported wh-question.
He told that he was ready.
Он сказал, что готов.
Incorrect: "tell" requires an object.
He told me that he was ready.
Он сказал мне, что готов.
Correct: tell + object + that-clause.