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Reporting commands, requests, advice and instructions.
Practice: build the sentences →Commands, requests, instructions, advice, and warnings can be reported using different verb patterns depending on the communicative purpose.
Common structures include reporting verb + object + to-infinitive, reporting verb + object + not + to-infinitive, and reporting verb + that-clause or gerund in some cases.
She told me to close the door.
Она велела мне закрыть дверь.
Reported command: tell + object + to-infinitive.
He asked me to help him.
Он попросил меня помочь ему.
Reported request: ask + object + to-infinitive.
She advised me to wait.
Она посоветовала мне подождать.
Reported advice: advise + object + to-infinitive.
Tell is commonly followed by an object and a to-infinitive when reporting a command or instruction.
For example, "Close the door" becomes She told me to close the door.
She told me to close the door.
Она велела мне закрыть дверь.
Tell + object + to-infinitive.
He told us to wait outside.
Он велел нам ждать снаружи.
Tell + object + to-infinitive.
Ask can be followed by an object and a to-infinitive when reporting a request.
For example, "Please help me" becomes She asked me to help her.
She asked me to help her.
Она попросила меня помочь ей.
Ask + object + to-infinitive.
He asked me to wait.
Он попросил меня подождать.
Ask + object + to-infinitive.
Instructions can be reported using verbs such as tell, instruct, direct, and order followed by an object and a to-infinitive.
For example, The officer instructed us to wait outside.
The officer instructed us to wait outside.
Офицер приказал нам ждать снаружи.
Instruct + object + to-infinitive.
She directed me to the nearest exit.
Она указала мне на ближайший выход.
Direct + object + to-infinitive.
Negative commands are commonly reported with object + not + to-infinitive.
For example, "Do not touch it" becomes He told me not to touch it.
He told me not to touch it.
Он велел мне не трогать это.
Negative command: tell + object + not + to-infinitive.
She told us not to be late.
Она велела нам не опаздывать.
Negative command.
Negative requests can be reported with a structure such as ask + object + not + to-infinitive.
For example, "Please do not tell anyone" becomes She asked me not to tell anyone.
She asked me not to tell anyone.
Она попросила меня никому не рассказывать.
Negative request: ask + object + not + to-infinitive.
He asked me not to worry.
Он попросил меня не беспокоиться.
Negative request.
Advise can be followed by an object and a to-infinitive when reporting advice directed at a particular person.
For example, "You should wait" becomes She advised me to wait.
She advised me to wait.
Она посоветовала мне подождать.
Advise + object + to-infinitive.
He advised us to leave early.
Он посоветовал нам уйти рано.
Advise + object + to-infinitive.
Tell + object + to-infinitive can also report advice or strong recommendations depending on context.
For example, The doctor told him to get some rest.
The doctor told him to get some rest.
Врач велел ему отдохнуть.
Tell + object + to-infinitive for strong advice.
She told me to be careful.
Она велела мне быть осторожным.
Tell + object + to-infinitive.
Warn can be followed by an object and a to-infinitive when reporting a warning about an action.
For example, "Do not go there" becomes She warned me not to go there.
She warned me not to go there.
Она предупредила меня не ходить туда.
Warn + object + not + to-infinitive.
He warned us not to be late.
Он предупредил нас не опаздывать.
Warn + object + not + to-infinitive.
Warn can also be followed by an object + against + gerund when warning someone about an activity.
For example, He warned us against driving on the icy roads.
He warned us against driving on the icy roads.
Он предупредил нас против вождения по обледенелым дорогам.
Warn + object + against + gerund.
She warned him against investing all his money.
Она предостерегла его от вложения всех денег.
Warn + object + against + gerund.
Order can be followed by an object and a to-infinitive to report an authoritative command.
For example, The officer ordered the soldiers to leave the building.
The officer ordered the soldiers to leave the building.
Офицер приказал солдатам покинуть здание.
Order + object + to-infinitive.
She ordered him to stop.
Она приказала ему остановиться.
Order + object + to-infinitive.
Beg can be followed by an object and a to-infinitive when reporting an urgent or emotional request.
For example, He begged me to stay.
He begged me to stay.
Он умолял меня остаться.
Beg + object + to-infinitive.
She begged him not to leave.
Она умоляла его не уходить.
Negative request with beg.
Some verbs used to report recommendations take different complement patterns depending on the verb.
For example, She advised me to wait, while She recommended waiting is standard.
She advised me to wait.
Она посоветовала мне подождать.
Advise + object + to-infinitive.
She recommended waiting.
Она рекомендовала подождать.
Recommend + gerund.
Permission can be reported using verbs and expressions such as allow, permit, let, and give permission.
For example, "You can leave" can become They allowed us to leave.
They allowed us to leave.
Они позволили нам уйти.
Allow + object + to-infinitive.
She let me use her phone.
Она разрешила мне воспользоваться её телефоном.
Let + object + bare infinitive.
Allow is followed by an object and a to-infinitive when reporting that someone was permitted to do something.
For example, The teacher allowed us to leave early.
The teacher allowed us to leave early.
Учитель разрешил нам уйти рано.
Allow + object + to-infinitive.
They allowed him to enter.
Они позволили ему войти.
Allow + object + to-infinitive.
Permit can be followed by an object and a to-infinitive in formal or official reporting.
For example, The regulations permitted residents to park there.
The regulations permitted residents to park there.
Правила разрешали жителям парковаться там.
Permit + object + to-infinitive.
They permitted us to use the equipment.
Они разрешили нам пользоваться оборудованием.
Permit + object + to-infinitive.
Let can report permission, but its grammatical pattern differs from allow and permit.
For example, "You can use my phone" can become She let me use her phone. Let is followed by an object and a bare infinitive.
She let me use her phone.
Она разрешила мне воспользоваться её телефоном.
Let + object + bare infinitive.
They let us go early.
Они позволили нам уйти рано.
Let + object + bare infinitive.
When ask reports a request for information rather than a request for an action, it normally takes if, whether, or a wh-clause instead of an object + to-infinitive.
For example, She asked me if I was ready contrasts with She asked me to wait.
She asked me if I was ready.
Она спросила меня, готов ли я.
Ask + if + clause.
She asked me to wait.
Она попросила меня подождать.
Ask + object + to-infinitive.
Commands can sometimes be reported with passive structures when the person receiving the command is not important or is understood.
For example, Staff were told to remain in the building.
Staff were told to remain in the building.
Персоналу было велено оставаться в здании.
Passive: be told + to-infinitive.
We were asked to leave.
Нас попросили уйти.
Passive: be asked + to-infinitive.
A perfect infinitive can occasionally report an instruction concerning an action expected to have been completed earlier.
For example, He was told to have the report completed by Friday.
He was told to have the report completed by Friday.
Ему велели закончить отчёт к пятнице.
Perfect infinitive in reported command.
She was asked to have the documents ready by noon.
Её попросили подготовить документы к полудню.
Perfect infinitive.
Please in direct requests is normally not retained as a separate word in the reported structure.
For example, "Please sit down" becomes She asked me to sit down.
She asked me to sit down.
Она попросила меня сесть.
Please omitted in reported request.
He asked me to close the window.
Он попросил меня закрыть окно.
Reported request without please.
Pronouns in reported commands and requests change according to the relationship between the original speaker, listener, and reporter.
For example, "Help me" becomes He told her to help him.
He told her to help him.
Он велел ей помочь ему.
Me → him, you → her.
She told me to wait for her.
Она велела мне ждать её.
Pronoun changes.
Time and place references may change when commands or requests are reported from a different context.
For example, "Come here tomorrow" may become She told me to go there the next day, depending on the reporting viewpoint.
She told me to go there the next day.
Она велела мне пойти туда на следующий день.
Here → there, tomorrow → the next day.
He told me to bring the book that day.
Он велел мне принести книгу в тот день.
Time reference adjusted.
Different reporting verbs add different meanings such as authority, urgency, persuasion, warning, or politeness.
Compare told me to leave, asked me to leave, ordered me to leave, begged me to leave, and warned me not to stay.
She told me to leave.
Она велела мне уйти.
Tell: neutral command.
She asked me to leave.
Она попросила меня уйти.
Ask: polite request.
She ordered me to leave.
Она приказала мне уйти.
Order: authoritative.
She begged me to leave.
Она умоляла меня уйти.
Beg: urgent/emotional.
Use the reporting verb and complement pattern that matches the original communicative purpose.
Common mistakes include using a that-clause after tell for a command, adding to after let, forgetting the object after tell, using if for an action request, and using the wrong negative infinitive pattern.
She told me to close the door.
Она велела мне закрыть дверь.
Correct: tell + object + to-infinitive.
She told that I close the door.
Она сказала, чтобы я закрыл дверь.
Incorrect: tell requires an object.
She let me to use her phone.
Она разрешила мне воспользоваться её телефоном.
Incorrect: let + object + bare infinitive (no to).
She asked me if to wait.
Она спросила меня, ждать ли.
Incorrect: if not used with to-infinitive for request.