Direct and Reported Speech Tense Changes Table

Classified in Spanish

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Direct and Reported Speech Tense Changes

This table illustrates how verb tenses shift when converting direct speech into reported speech.

Direct SpeechReported Speech
Present SimplePast Simple
  • She said, "I am happy." (Ella dijo, "Estoy feliz")
  • He said: "I work everyday." (Él dijo, "Trabajo a diario")
  • She said that she was happy. (Ella dijo que estaba feliz)
  • He said that he worked everyday. (Él dijo que trabajaba a diario)
Present ProgressivePast Progressive
  • You said, "They are reading." (Usted dijo, "Ellos están leyendo")
  • You said that they were reading. (Usted dijo que ellos estaban leyendo)
Present Perfect SimplePast Perfect Simple
  • He said, "I have bought a car." (Él dijo, "He comprado un auto")
  • He said that he had bought a car. (Él dijo que había comprado un auto)
Past SimplePast Perfect Simple
  • He said, "I bought a piano." (Él dijo, "Compré un piano")
  • He said that he had bought a piano. (Él dijo que había comprado un piano)
Past ProgressivePast Perfect Progressive
  • He said, "I was working." (Él dijo, "Estaba trabajando")
  • He said that he had been working. (Él dijo que había estado trabajando)
Future (Going to)Past (Going to)
  • She said, "I am going to win." (Ella dijo, "Voy a ganar")
  • She said that she was going to win. (Ella dijo que iba a ganar)
Future SimpleConditional Simple
  • They said, "We will lose." (Ellos dijeron, "Perderemos")
  • They said that they would lose. (Ellos dijeron que perderían)
Future PerfectPerfect Conditional
  • He said, "I will have bought the house by June 2010."
  • He said that he would have bought the house by June 2010.
Future ProgressiveProgressive Conditional
  • She said, "I will be having tea with Helen at 5 pm."
  • She said that she would be having tea with Helen at 5 pm.
Present Perfect ProgressivePast Perfect Progressive
  • She said, "I have been painting the walls."
  • She said that she had been painting the walls.

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