Spanish grammar · Upper intermediate (B2)
Reported speech: dijo que vendría
How to report what someone said in Spanish: tense changes after dijo que, reported questions and commands, and useful reporting verbs.
When the tenses change
If the reporting verb is in the present or the present perfect (), the tenses don't change: → .
If the reporting verb is in a past tense (), the tenses usually move one step back into the past. If what was said is still true, you can keep the original tense: .
The tense changes
The table shows how each tense changes after a past reporting verb. The imperfect, the pluperfect and the conditional don't change.
| Direct speech | Reported after … |
|---|---|
| present: | imperfect: |
| preterite: | pluperfect (or preterite): |
| present perfect: | pluperfect: |
| future: | conditional: |
| : | : |
| present subjunctive: | imperfect subjunctive: |
| imperative: | + imperfect subjunctive: |
Questions and commands
Reported yes/no questions use (whether): → . Questions with a question word keep it, with its accent: → .
Commands and requests become + subjunctive, usually with or : → .
- Me preguntó si tenía coche.He asked me if I had a car.
- Me preguntó dónde vivía.She asked me where I lived.
- Me dijo que lo llamara.He told me to call him.
Reporting verbs and other changes
More precise verbs make a report sound natural: (to announce), (to say firmly), (to explain), (to add), (to admit), (to deny, usually + subjunctive), (to ask someone to do something), (to remind).
Words for time and place change too when you report later or elsewhere: → , → , → , → .
- Reconoció que había habido problemas.She admitted there had been problems.
- Negó que fuera a subir los impuestos.She denied she was going to raise taxes.
- Dijo que al día siguiente firmarían el contrato.She said they would sign the contract the next day.