Show navigation Hide navigation
  • The Project
    • Mission & Goals
    • Team
    • About COERLL
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • SpinTX Video Archive
    • Spanish Grammar in Context
    • More resources...
  • Research
    • Spanish in Texas Corpus
    • More resources...

Spanish Grammar in Context

A reference grammar with video examples from the Spanish in Texas collection

  • Credits
  • Index
  • About
  • Home
  • Adjectives
    • Introduction to Adjectives
    • Adjectives – Formation and Placement
    • Comparisons and Superlatives with Adjectives
    • Past Participles as Adjectives
    • Todo
    • Indefinite Adjectives
    • Adjectives Practice
  • Adverbs
    • Introduction to Adverbs
    • Adverbs – Formation and Placement
    • Comparative Adverbs
    • Adverbs Practice
  • Conjunctions
    • Introduction to Conjunctions
    • Coordinating Conjunctions
    • Subordinating Conjunctions
    • Conjunctions Practice
  • Determiners
    • Introduction to Determiners
    • Definite Articles
    • Indefinite Articles
    • Possessive Determiners
    • Demonstrative Determiners
    • Expressions of Quantity
    • Determiners Practice
  • Negation
    • Introduction to Negation
    • Basic Negation: No
    • Alternate Forms of Negation
    • One-word Negative Sentences
    • Negation Practice
  • Nouns
    • Introduction to Nouns
    • Nouns – Number
    • Nouns – Gender
    • Nouns Practice
  • Prepositions
    • Introduction to Prepositions
    • Common Prepositions
    • Por vs. Para
    • Prepositions Practice
  • Pronouns
    • Introduction to Pronouns
    • Subject Pronouns
    • Direct Object Pronouns
    • Indirect Object Pronouns
    • Reflexive Pronouns
    • Order of Object Pronouns
    • Relative Pronouns
    • Indefinite Pronouns
    • Demonstrative Pronouns
    • Possessive Pronouns
    • Pronouns Practice
  • Verbs
    • Introduction to Verbs
    • Tense/Mood
    • Introduction to Present Tense
      • -ar Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -er Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -ir Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
    • Ser “To Be”
    • Haber “To Have”
    • Reflexive Verbs
    • Preterit
    • Present Perfect
    • Imperfect
    • Narration: Preterit vs. Imperfect
    • Pluperfect
    • Future
    • Conditional
    • Past Conditional
    • Imperative Mood (commands)
    • Introduction to Subjunctive
      • Subjunctive – Present
      • Subjunctive – Past or Imperfect
      • Subjunctive – Present Perfect
      • Subjunctive – Pluperfect
      • Tense Sequences
    • Si Clauses (If Clauses)
    • Indirect Speech
      • Indirect Speech – Present
      • Indirect Speech – Past
    • Passive Voice
    • Language Contact
    • Verbs Practice
Share
Comment

    Comments and Questions

    Send your comments and questions to the developers of this website.

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your Comment

    captcha

    By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.

    Close

    Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint Friendly
    Practice quizzes: verbs

    Indirect Speech – Past

    Reporting Statements

    To report what has been said or thought in the past, link the main clause introduced by él dijo, ella afirmó, etc. and the subordinate clause with que. The tense of the verb in the subordinate clause also changes.

    Me dijeron que tenía que acabar high school.
    They told me that I had to finish high school.

    Which Tense in the Subordinate Clause?

    When the main clause is in the past, the subordinate clause must also be in the past tense. They belong to the same time frame. This rule is known in Spanish as the concordancia de tiempos, the agreement or concordance of the tenses. Look at this table:

    quote reported speech
    present => imperfect
    imperfect => imperfect
    preterit   => pluperfect
    imperative => past (imperfect) subjunctive
    future => conditional
    Me dijo que él nunca había conocido una mujer tan bonita como yo.
    He told me that he had never met a woman as pretty as me.

     Reporting Questions

    To report yes/no questions, use si.

    Le dije que si quería ser mi esposa y aceptó.
    I asked her if she wanted to be my wife and she accepted.

    To report an information question use an interrogative word like cúando, cómo, dónde, etc.:

    Me preguntó dónde vivía. She asked me where I lived.

    Reporting Answers

    Note that to report yes/no sentences, use que:

    Le dije que sí.
    I told him yes.

    COERLL • The University of Texas at Austin • info@coerll.utexas.edu Creative Commons License

    We use cookies and external scripts to enhance your experience. By using this site you are accepting the use of such cookies.

    Privacy settings

    General cookie information

    This site uses cookies – small text files that are placed on your machine to help the site provide a better user experience. In general, cookies are used to retain user preferences, store information for things like shopping carts, and provide anonymized tracking data to third party applications like Google Analytics. As a rule, cookies will make your browsing experience better. However, you may prefer to disable cookies on this site and on others. The most effective way to do this is to disable cookies in your browser. We suggest consulting the Help section of your browser or taking a look at the About Cookies website which offers guidance for all modern browsers.

    Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit.

    Read the entire privacy policy.

    NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.

    Google Analytics cookies

    We use cookies to analyze our website traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from use of their services. Cookies are alphanumeric identifiers that we transfer to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser. They make it possible for us to store your navigation habits, recognize your browser when you visit. It is possible to prevent cookies from being used in your browser by turning the feature off, but in order to make your experience better, your browser must be set to accept cookies.

    Powered by Cookie Information