Reported speech in full: questions, commands, tense shifts

In Reporting what someone said: dijo que… you reported simple statements with dijo que. At B2 you need the whole system: statements in any tense, questions, requests and commands, and the words for time and place that change when the moment of speaking changes.

When do tenses shift?

If the reporting verb is in the present (dice, comenta, pregunta), nothing shifts. If it is in the past (dijo, explicó, aseguró, preguntó), the reported verbs usually move one step back, as in English.

• El ministro dijo que la reforma entraría en vigor en enero.The minister said the reform would come into force in January.
• La portavoz aseguró que no habían recibido ninguna queja.The spokeswoman stated that they hadn't received any complaints.
• Dijo que nos llamaría en cuanto llegara al hotel.He said he would call us as soon as he got to the hotel.

If what was said is still true, you may keep the present: El director dijo que el museo abre a las diez (it still opens at ten). The backshifted abría is also correct and slightly more neutral.

• El guía nos explicó que la catedral abre a las nueve.The guide explained that the cathedral opens at nine.

Reporting questions

Yes/no questions are reported with si (if, whether, no accent). Questions with a question word keep the word and its accent: qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, cómo, cuánto, por qué.

• Mi jefa me preguntó si podía quedarme hasta tarde.My boss asked me if I could stay late.
• Los periodistas le preguntaron cuándo pensaba dimitir.The journalists asked him when he was planning to resign.

You can also add que before the question word in speech: Me preguntó que dónde vivía. It is very common in colloquial Spanish, but leave it out in writing.

Reporting commands and requests

A command (imperative) becomes que + subjunctive. The reporting verb decides which subjunctive (Which subjunctive? Sequence of tenses):

• present reporting verb → present subjunctive: Dice que vengas.
• past reporting verb → imperfect subjunctive: Dijo que vinieras / vinieses.

• Me dice que vengas tú también.He says you should come too.
• El médico me pidió que no fumara.The doctor asked me not to smoke.
• Nos aconsejaron que reserváramos con antelación.They advised us to book in advance.

Note the difference: Me dijo que venía (he told me he was coming: information) and Me dijo que viniera (he told me to come: an order).

Words that change with the point of view

• Ana comentó que al día siguiente tenía una entrevista.Ana mentioned that she had an interview the next day.

Reporting verbs beyond decir

Choose a verb that shows how something was said: afirmar, asegurar, explicar, comentar, reconocer (admit), advertir (warn), prometer, recordar (remind), negar (deny). Negar que takes the subjunctive, because it denies the content (Doubt and denial: no creo que vs creo que). Pedir, rogar, aconsejar, exigir always introduce an order or request, so they take the subjunctive too.

• El alcalde negó que hubiera recibido dinero de la constructora.The mayor denied having received money from the construction company.

Common mistakes

• Me preguntó sí tenía hambre: in reported questions si (whether) has no accent. Sí with an accent means yes.
• Me preguntó que tenía hambre: a yes/no question needs si, not que.
• Me dijo que cerraba la puerta for "he told me to close the door": a reported order needs the subjunctive, que cerrara la puerta.
• Dijo que vendrá mañana about a day that is already past: shift both the tense and the time word, dijo que vendría al día siguiente.
• Me preguntó donde vivía: the question word keeps its accent in indirect questions, dónde.

Latin America

The system is the same everywhere. Where Spain backshifts a present perfect (he terminado → había terminado), most of Latin America starts from a preterite (terminé) and often keeps it in reported speech: Dijo que terminó ayer. Both -ra and -se forms are correct; -ra is far more common in speech on both sides of the Atlantic.