Mastering Reported Speech In Portuguese

Hey guys! Today, we're diving into the fascinating world of reported speech in Portuguese. If you've ever tried to retell a conversation or share what someone else said, you've already dabbled in this topic. But mastering the nuances of reported speech can significantly enhance your Portuguese communication skills. So, let's get started!

What is Reported Speech?

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is how we convey what someone else has said without using their exact words. Instead of quoting them directly, we paraphrase their message. In Portuguese, just like in English, this involves changes in verb tenses, pronouns, and adverbs to reflect the shift in perspective and time.

To truly grasp reported speech, let's consider a simple example:

• Direct Speech: Ela disse: "Eu vou ao cinema." (She said: "I am going to the cinema.")
• Reported Speech: Ela disse que ia ao cinema. (She said that she was going to the cinema.)

Notice how the verb tense changed from vou (present tense of ir, to go) to ia (imperfect tense of ir). Also, the pronoun eu (I) is implied in the reported speech.

Understanding the mechanics of these changes is crucial. So, let's break down the key aspects of converting direct speech into reported speech in Portuguese.

Key Changes in Reported Speech

1. Verb Tense Shifts

One of the most important adjustments in reported speech involves shifting verb tenses. The specific change depends on the tense of the verb in the original statement and the tense of the reporting verb (the verb used to introduce the reported speech, such as disseram – they said, or afirmou – he affirmed).

Here's a breakdown of common tense shifts:

• Present Tense → Imperfect Tense: If the direct speech is in the present tense, it usually shifts to the imperfect tense in reported speech.

  • Direct: Ele diz: "Eu gosto de chocolate." (He says: "I like chocolate.")
  • Reported: Ele diz que gostava de chocolate. (He says that he liked chocolate.)

  The present tense gosto (I like) becomes the imperfect tense gostava (I liked).

• Preterite (Past) Tense → Pluperfect Tense: When the direct speech is in the preterite (simple past) tense, it often changes to the pluperfect tense in reported speech.

  • Direct: Ela falou: "Eu comprei um carro." (She said: "I bought a car.")
  • Reported: Ela falou que tinha comprado um carro. (She said that she had bought a car.)

  The preterite tense comprei (I bought) transforms into the pluperfect tense tinha comprado (I had bought).

• Future Tense → Conditional Tense: The future tense in direct speech typically becomes the conditional tense in reported speech.

  • Direct: Eles prometeram: "Nós iremos à festa." (They promised: "We will go to the party.")
  • Reported: Eles prometeram que iriam à festa. (They promised that they would go to the party.)

  The future tense iremos (we will go) shifts to the conditional tense iriam (we would go).

These tense shifts are essential for maintaining the correct timeline and context when reporting what someone said. Failing to adjust the tenses can lead to confusion or misunderstandings.

2. Pronoun Changes

Pronouns often need to be adjusted to reflect the change in speaker. This is especially important when the subject of the original statement is different from the person reporting it.

Consider the following:

• Direct: Eu disse: "Eu estou cansado." (I said: "I am tired.")
• Reported: Eu disse que estava cansado. (I said that I was tired.)

In this case, the pronoun eu (I) remains the same because the speaker is reporting their own statement. However, if someone else were reporting my statement, the pronoun would change:

• Reported by someone else: Ele disse que ele estava cansado. (He said that he was tired.)

Here, eu becomes ele to reflect that the speaker is now someone else.

Pay close attention to possessive pronouns as well:

• Direct: Ela comentou: "Este é o meu livro." (She commented: "This is my book.")
• Reported: Ela comentou que aquele era o livro dela. (She commented that that was her book.)

Meu (my) changes to dela (hers) to match the new context.

3. Adverbial Changes

Adverbs of time and place often require adjustments in reported speech to maintain accurate context. For instance, adverbs indicating proximity (like aqui - here, or agora - now) might need to be changed to reflect the shift in perspective.

• Direct: Ele falou: "Eu estou aqui agora." (He said: "I am here now.")
• Reported: Ele falou que estava lá naquele momento. (He said that he was there at that moment.)

Aqui (here) becomes lá (there), and agora (now) transforms into naquele momento (at that moment) to accurately reflect the change in location and time frame.

Here are some common adverbial changes:

• Hoje (today) → Naquele dia (that day)
• Ontem (yesterday) → No dia anterior (the day before) / Um dia antes (one day before)
• Amanhã (tomorrow) → No dia seguinte (the next day)
• Aqui (here) → Lá (there)
• Este/Esta (this) → Aquele/Aquela (that)

These changes ensure that the reported speech aligns with the current context and perspective.

4. Use of Conjunctions

The conjunction que (that) is frequently used to introduce the reported clause. While it's often optional in English, it is generally used in Portuguese, especially in formal contexts.

• Direct: Nós dissemos: "Nós vamos estudar." (We said: "We are going to study.")
• Reported: Nós dissemos que íamos estudar. (We said that we were going to study.)

In some cases, se (if/whether) is used when reporting questions:

• Direct: Ela perguntou: "Você vai sair?" (She asked: "Are you going out?")
• Reported: Ela perguntou se eu ia sair. (She asked if I was going out.)

Practical Examples

Let’s solidify our understanding with more examples:

1. Direct: O professor explicou: "A lição é fácil." (The teacher explained: "The lesson is easy.") Reported: O professor explicou que a lição era fácil. (The teacher explained that the lesson was easy.)
2. Direct: Meu amigo disse: "Eu vi um filme ótimo ontem." (My friend said: "I saw a great movie yesterday.") Reported: Meu amigo disse que tinha visto um filme ótimo no dia anterior. (My friend said that he had seen a great movie the day before.)
3. Direct: Eles perguntaram: "Vocês podem nos ajudar?" (They asked: "Can you help us?") Reported: Eles perguntaram se nós podíamos ajudá-los. (They asked if we could help them.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Incorrect Tense Shifts: Forgetting to shift verb tenses or shifting them incorrectly is a common error. Always double-check the original tense and the corresponding shift in reported speech.
• Ignoring Pronoun Changes: Failing to adjust pronouns to reflect the new speaker can lead to confusion. Pay attention to who is speaking and adjust pronouns accordingly.
• Neglecting Adverbial Adjustments: Overlooking changes in adverbs of time and place can distort the context of the reported speech. Remember to update adverbs to maintain accuracy.
• Omitting Que: While sometimes optional, omitting que can make your speech sound less formal. It’s generally safer to include it, especially in writing and formal conversations.

Tips for Mastering Reported Speech

• Practice Regularly: The more you practice, the more natural these transformations will become. Try converting sentences from news articles or dialogues into reported speech.
• Listen to Native Speakers: Pay attention to how native speakers use reported speech in conversations and media. This will help you internalize the nuances and subtleties of the language.
• Use Online Resources: There are many online resources, including grammar exercises and quizzes, that can help you practice and reinforce your understanding of reported speech.
• Get Feedback: Ask a native speaker or a language tutor to review your attempts at reported speech and provide feedback. This can help you identify and correct any mistakes.

Conclusion

Mastering reported speech in Portuguese is a significant step toward fluency. While it might seem daunting at first, understanding the key changes in verb tenses, pronouns, and adverbs will make the process much smoother. With consistent practice and attention to detail, you’ll be able to confidently and accurately report what others have said. Keep practicing, and before you know it, you'll be a pro! Boa sorte, pessoal! (Good luck, guys!)