Reported Speech
¿Para qué se usa?
Usamos el reported speech para contar lo que otra persona dijo, es decir, para repetir un mensaje.
Como cuando contamos un chisme.
IMPORTANTE: el verbo cambia al pasado.
Estructura
Afirmativas y negativas:
sujeto + said / told (me) + (that) + sujeto + verbo en pasado
"My mum is ill" → She said (that) her mum was ill.
"Lorenzo is doing his homework" → He told me (that) Lorenzo was doing his homework.
Said = no se dice a quién se lo dijo.
Told (me) = se usa cuando decimos a quién se lo dijo.
Preguntas (interrogativas):
sujeto + asked (me) + palabra interrogativa / if + sujeto + verbo en pasado
What is she doing? → She asked me what she was doing.
Have you done your homework? → He asked me if I had done my homework.
Usa if para preguntas que se responden con “sí” o “no”.
Usa palabras interrogativas (what, where, why…) si la pregunta empieza con una de ellas.
Cambios de tiempo verbal
Direct Speech (lo que dijo) Reported Speech (cómo lo contamos)
Present Simple Past Simple
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Simple Past Perfect
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Past Perfect (no cambia)
Will Would
Direct Speech (lo que dijo) Reported Speech (cómo lo contamos)
Would Would (no cambia)
Can Could
May Might
Must / Have to Had to
Cambios en palabras de tiempo y lugar
Palabra original Palabra en reported speech
this / these that / those
here there
today that day
yesterday the day before
tomorrow the following day
tonight that night
next week/month/year the following week/month/year
last week/month/year the previous week/month/year
a week/month ago a week/month before
Ejercicios:
Práctica: Rewrite the following sentences in reported speech using the appropriate tense.
1. De Presente Simple a Pasado Simple
1. "I like chocolate," she said.
2. "He studies every day," they told me.
3. "We live in a small town," she explained.
4. "I don’t speak German," he said.
5. "Does she work here?" they asked.
2. De Presente Continuo a Pasado Continuo
6. "I am reading a great book," she said.
7. "They are watching TV," he told me.
8. "We aren’t going to the party," she said.
9. "Is he working on the project?" they asked.
10. "I am not feeling well today," she explained.
3. De Presente Perfecto a Pasado Perfecto
11. "I have finished my homework," he said.
12. "She hasn’t seen that movie," they told me.
13. "We have already eaten lunch," he explained.
14. "Has she completed the task?" they asked.
15. "I have never been to Paris," she said.
4. De Pasado Simple a Pasado Perfecto
16. "I visited my grandparents last weekend," he said.
17. "She didn’t call me yesterday," he explained.
18. "Did they go to the concert?" she asked.
19. "I met her at the library," he told me.
20. "We didn’t see the movie," they said.
5. De Pasado Continuo a Pasado Perfecto Continuo
21. "I was cooking when the phone rang," she said.
22. "They were studying for the test," he explained.
23. "She wasn’t waiting for you," he told me.
24. "Were they traveling when it started raining?" she asked.
25. "I was working on the report all day," he said.
6. De Pasado Perfecto a Pasado Perfecto
26. "I had already eaten before you arrived," she said.
27. "They hadn’t left when we got there," he explained.
28. "Had she finished her work?" they asked.
29. "I had never been so scared," he said.
30. "We had completed the project by the deadline," she told me.
7. De Will a Would
31. "I will call you tomorrow," she said.
32. "He will finish his homework later," they told me.
33. "We won’t attend the meeting," he said.
34. "Will they arrive on time?" she asked.
35. "I will always remember this moment," he said.
8. De Would a Would
36. "I would go to the party if I were invited," she said.
37. "He wouldn’t take the job," they told me.
38. "Would you help me with this task?" he asked.
39. "She said she would try her best," he explained.
40. "I wouldn’t change a thing," she said.
9. De Can a Could
41. "I can play the guitar," he said.
42. "She can’t swim very well," they told me.
43. "Can you help me with my homework?" she asked.
44. "We can’t attend the concert," he explained.
45. "I can finish this by tomorrow," she said.
10. De May a Might
46. "I may visit my grandparents this weekend," he said.
47. "She may not like the gift," they told me.
48. "May I borrow your book?" she asked.
49. "We may go to the beach tomorrow," he said.
50. "It may rain later," she told me.
11. De Must/Have to a Had to
51. "I must finish this project," he said.
52. "We have to leave now," they told me.
53. "She must not be late," he explained.
54. "Do we have to attend the meeting?" she asked.
55. "I must complete my work before the deadline," he said.
Práctica 2: Rewrite the following sentences in reported speech using the appropriate tense.
1. "I am watching a movie now," she said.
2. "We didn’t finish the report on time," he explained.
3. "She has already left for the airport," they told me.
4. "Will you attend the meeting tomorrow?" he asked.
5. "I must submit this assignment today," she said.
6. "They were playing soccer when it started raining," he said.
7. "I have never visited Italy before," she said.
8. "Can you help me with this task?" he asked.
9. "We are not going to the party tonight," they explained.
10. "She will call you as soon as possible," he told me.
11. "I had already eaten when you arrived," she said.
12. "May I borrow your laptop for a few hours?" he asked.
13. "I was cooking dinner when the phone rang," she said.
14. "Do they usually come to this café?" he asked.
15. "We would buy the house if it were cheaper," they explained.
16. "I don’t know the answer to this question," he said.
17. "She might visit us this weekend," they said.
18. "Did you finish the homework yesterday?" he asked.
19. "I am not feeling well today," she explained.
20. "You have to be careful with this fragile vase," she told me.
