B2 · فوق المتوسط فصل 7

Reporting the Past and Expressing Regret

8 القواعد الإجمالية
88 أمثلة
7 دقيقة
القواعد في هذا الفصل تدريب سريع

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying information and expressing complex regrets with precision and native-level flow.

  • Report statements and commands accurately using correct tense shifts.
  • Formulate polite indirect questions to sound more professional.
  • Express hypothetical past regrets using the third conditional structure.
Speak with nuance: report conversations and reflect on life.

ما ستتعلمه

In this chapter, you're going to master Portuguese like a native speaker! No more worrying about how to tell someone what another person said, or how to express those deep regrets about past actions you wish you could change. We're diving deep into indirect speech. You'll learn how to accurately report statements like He said that... and correctly shift tenses, for instance, reporting

He said he was ill
(not he is ill). These advanced rules will equip you to speak politely, professionally, and precisely. Imagine you're at a friendly gathering or a business meeting, and you need to relay someone else's words or ask a question very courteously, such as:
He asked if we could go?
(instead of a blunt Can we go?). Or perhaps you're reflecting on a past decision and wish to say,
If I had known, I never would have done that.
This chapter will teach you how to perfectly convey true regret with phrases like
If... this would have happened...
. By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to flawlessly report conversations, confidently ask indirect questions, and discuss past actions or inactions with the nuance and sophistication of a native Portuguese speaker. Your speech won't just be correct; it'll be natural and eloquent. Ready? Let's dive in!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: accurately report what someone said in a professional context.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: express deep past regrets using conditional structures.

دليل الفصل

نظرة عامة

Welcome to this advanced Portuguese grammar B2 chapter, where you'll unlock the secrets to speaking with incredible nuance and precision. Moving beyond basic sentence structures, this chapter focuses on two vital aspects of native-like communication: indirect speech and expressing regret. Mastering these will not only make your Portuguese more accurate but also significantly more sophisticated, allowing you to navigate complex social and professional interactions with ease.
Imagine you're in a situation where you need to relay information from a third party, perhaps in a business meeting or a casual chat. Instead of simply quoting, you'll learn how to seamlessly integrate someone else's words into your own narrative using reported speech, like He said that... or She asked if.... This involves crucial tense shifting rules that distinguish a B2 speaker from an intermediate one.
Furthermore, we'll tackle the art of expressing regret about past actions or missed opportunities, equipping you with the Portuguese third conditional – phrases like
If I had known, I would have...
– to convey deep reflection and hypothetical past scenarios.
By the end of this journey, you won't just be forming grammatically correct sentences; you'll be conveying messages with the politeness, professionalism, and emotional depth of a native speaker. These advanced rules are essential for anyone aiming for true fluency and confidence in their Portuguese grammar B2 skills. Get ready to elevate your communication!

كيف تعمل هذه القاعدة

This chapter delves into the intricacies of indirect speech and the hypothetical past in Portuguese, crucial for advanced communication. When reporting what someone else said, asked, or commanded, you often need to adjust tenses and pronouns.
Indirect Speech (He said that...) is formed using verbs like dizer que (to say that) or contar que (to tell that). A key aspect is tense shifting. If the original statement was in the present, it often shifts to the imperfect in reported speech.
For example, if someone says Eu estou cansado (I am tired), you'd report it as: Ele disse que estava cansado. (He said that he was tired.) The present estou becomes the imperfect estava.
For Indirect Questions, we use perguntar se (to ask if) for yes/no questions, or an interrogative pronoun (e.g., onde, quando, quem) followed by the conjugated verb. So, Você pode vir? (Can you come?) becomes: Ela perguntou se eu podia vir. (She asked if I could come.) And Onde você mora? (Where do you live?) becomes: Ele perguntou onde eu morava. (He asked where I lived.)
Reported Commands typically use verbs like pedir para (to ask to) or dizer para (to tell to), followed by the infinitive. For instance, Vá embora! (Go away!) can be reported as: Ele me pediu para ir embora. (He asked me to go away.)
The Future in the Past (using iria) is vital for reporting someone's past intention about a future event. If someone said,
Eu vou viajar amanhã
(I will travel tomorrow), you report it as: Ele disse que iria viajar no dia seguinte. (He said he would travel the next day.)
Finally, for Hypothetical Past and Third Conditional to express regret, we combine the pluperfect subjunctive (for the if clause) with the conditional perfect (for the main clause). This structure, Se eu tivesse... teria... (If I had...
I would have...), is perfect for expressing regrets. For example: Se eu tivesse estudado mais, teria passado no exame. (If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.) This allows for sophisticated expression of past actions and their potential, unrealized consequences.

الأخطاء الشائعة

  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Ele disse que *está* ocupado.
    (He said that he *is* busy.)
✓ Correct:
Ele disse que *estava* ocupado.
(He said that he *was* busy.)
*Explanation:* When reporting past statements, the present tense in the original statement usually shifts to the imperfect tense in Portuguese reported speech. This reflects that the reported action was contemporary with the moment it was said, not necessarily the current moment.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Ela perguntou: *Você vem?*
    (She asked: *Are you coming?*)
✓ Correct:
Ela perguntou *se eu viria*.
(She asked *if I would come*.)
*Explanation:* When converting a direct question into an indirect one, you must use se (if) for yes/no questions, and the verb tense often shifts. The direct question mark is removed, and the sentence structure changes to that of a statement.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Se eu *sabia*, eu *não faria* isso.
    (If I *knew*, I *wouldn't do* that.)
✓ Correct:
Se eu *tivesse sabido*, eu *não teria feito* isso.
(If I *had known*, I *wouldn't have done* that.)
*Explanation:* To express regret or a hypothetical situation in the past (the Third Conditional), both parts of the sentence require specific past tenses: the pluperfect subjunctive in the if clause (tivesse sabido) and the conditional perfect in the result clause (teria feito).

محادثات حقيقية

A

A

A Maria disse que não podia vir à festa, porque estava doente. (Maria said that she couldn't come to the party, because she was sick.)
B

B

Que pena! Eu perguntaria se ela queria que eu levasse algo, mas já é tarde. (What a shame! I would ask if she wanted me to bring something, but it's already too late.)
A

A

O João perguntou onde nós tínhamos guardado os documentos importantes. (João asked where we had kept the important documents.)
B

B

Eu disse a ele que os tínhamos deixado no escritório, mas ele não pareceu acreditar. (I told him that we had left them in the office, but he didn't seem to believe it.)
A

A

Se eu tivesse escutado o seu conselho, não teria cometido aquele erro. (If I had listened to your advice, I wouldn't have made that mistake.)
B

B

Não se preocupe, acontece. O importante é aprender com os erros. (Don't worry, it happens. The important thing is to learn from mistakes.)

أسئلة شائعة

Q

How do you report a past statement in Portuguese when the original statement was in the present?

You generally shift the present tense to the imperfect tense. For example, Eu estou feliz becomes

Ele disse que estava feliz.

Q

What is the Portuguese third conditional used for?

The Portuguese third conditional (Se eu tivesse... teria...) is used to express hypothetical situations in the past and their unrealized consequences, often conveying regret or what *would have happened* if things had been different.

Q

When do I use iria in reported speech?

You use iria (the conditional form of ir) to express the

future in the past,
reporting what someone said they *would do* from a past perspective. For example,
Ela disse que iria viajar.

Q

Are there alternatives to dizer que for reported speech in Portuguese?

Yes, verbs like contar que (to tell that), afirmar que (to affirm that), mencionar que (to mention that), or explicar que (to explain that) can also be used, depending on the nuance you want to convey.

السياق الثقافي

In Portuguese, the precise use of reported speech and the conditional perfect for regret is a hallmark of educated and polite discourse. It demonstrates an ability to convey information accurately and reflect on past events with depth. While informal conversations might sometimes skip strict tense agreement, particularly in Brazilian Portuguese, mastering these structures is crucial for professional settings, academic writing, and expressing empathy or nuanced opinions.
Using the Portuguese third conditional for regret, for instance, adds a layer of emotional maturity to your communication, showing you can reflect on consequences and learn from experience.

أمثلة رئيسية (6)

1

O Pedro disse que não ia à festa porque estava doente.

Pedro said he wasn't going to the party because he was sick.

الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)
2

A recepcionista perguntou se eu tinha agendamento.

The receptionist asked if I had an appointment.

الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)
3

Você sabe `se` tem Wi-Fi aqui?

هل تعرف إذا كان هناك واي فاي هنا؟

الأسئلة غير المباشرة: استخدام Se وأدوات الاستفهام
4

Não me lembro `onde` estacionei o carro.

لا أتذكر أين ركنت السيارة.

الأسئلة غير المباشرة: استخدام Se وأدوات الاستفهام
5

Se você tivesse me avisado, eu não teria vindo.

If you had warned me, I wouldn't have come.

الشرط الثالث: الندم في الماضي (Se eu tivesse...)
6

Se a gente tivesse saído antes, não tinha pego esse trânsito.

If we had left earlier, we wouldn't have hit this traffic.

الشرط الثالث: الندم في الماضي (Se eu tivesse...)

نصائح وحيل (4)

💡

Check your tenses

Always ask: did this happen in the past? If yes, backshift!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)
⚠️

فخ الـ 'Que' الزائدة

كتير من المتعلمين بيغلطوا وبيحطوا 'que' قبل 'se' أو 'onde'. في البرتغالية، أداة الاستفهام كفاية جداً:
Eu perguntei onde ela estava.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الأسئلة غير المباشرة: استخدام Se وأدوات الاستفهام
🎯

اختصار "Para" السحري

إذا كنت محتاراً في تصريفات صيغة المنصوب (Subjunctive)، فالحل البسيط هو استخدام 'Pedir para' متبوعاً بالمصدر. هذه الطريقة صحيحة تماماً ومستخدمة بكثرة في البرازيل، مثل:
Ele pediu para eu falar.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الأوامر المنقولة (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)
🎯

غراء الجملة 'Que'

لا تنسَ أبداً كلمة 'que'! في الإنجليزية قد نحذف 'that'، لكن في البرتغالية قولك
Ele disse que estava...
إلزامي تماماً.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الكلام غير المباشر: من المضارع إلى الماضي الناقص (قال إنه كان...)

المفردات الرئيسية (6)

afirmar to state/affirm questionar to question ordenar to order arrependimento regret hipotético hypothetical relatar to report

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Office Update

Review Summary

  • Verbo + que + oração
  • Se + pretérito mais-que-perfeito subjuntivo + futuro do pretérito composto

أخطاء شائعة

When the reporting verb is in the past, the reported verb must shift back.

Wrong: Ele disse que é feliz.
صحيح: Ele disse que era feliz.

Indirect questions need the correct interrogative particle.

Wrong: Ele perguntou que eu queria.
صحيح: Ele perguntou o que eu queria.

The 'if' clause in the third conditional must use the subjunctive.

Wrong: Se eu teria sabido...
صحيح: Se eu tivesse sabido...

القواعد في هذا الفصل (8)

1

الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)

B2
When reporting the past, shift Present to Imperfect, Future to Conditional, and adjust 'here' to 'there'.
O Pedro disse que não ia à festa porque estava doe...
12 أمثلة
2

الأسئلة غير المباشرة: استخدام Se وأدوات الاستفهام

B2
استخدم الأسئلة غير المباشرة مع se أو أدوات الاستفهام عشان تبان مهذب ومحترف في تواصلك الاجتماعي بالبرتغالية.
Você sabe `se` tem Wi-Fi aqui?
10 أمثلة
3

الأوامر المنقولة (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)

B2
لنقل أي أمر أو طلب، حوّل الفعل المباشر إلى صيغة para + infinitive للحديث اليومي، أو que + subjunctive للمواقف الرسمية، مع مراعاة تناسق الأزمنة.
A mãe pediu para eu lavar a louça.
11 أمثلة
4

الكلام غير المباشر: من المضارع إلى الماضي الناقص (قال إنه كان...)

B2
عندما تنقل كلاماً قيل في الماضي، حوّل الفعل من الحاضر إلى الماضي المستمر (Imperfect). الأدوات الأساسية هي que للجمل و se للأسئلة.
O Pedro disse que não gostava de comida japonesa.
12 أمثلة
5

الكلام المنقول في الماضي (Ele disse que...)

B2
القاعدة الذهبية: لما تبدأ جملتك بفعل ماضي مثل disse أو perguntou، لازم تسحب الفعل اللي بعده خطوة للماضي. فكر فيها كأنها «آلة زمن» لغوية!
O Tiago disse que não podia ir à festa.
11 أمثلة
6

المستقبل في الماضي: نقل ما 'سيفعله' شخص ما (Iria)

B2
حوّل خطط المستقبل لصيغة الشرط (Conditional) لما تحكي عن حاجة اتقالت في الماضي. استخدم
futuro do pretérito
أو الاختصار ia fazer للسهولة.
Ele disse que `viria` à festa hoje.
11 أمثلة
7

الماضي الافتراضي (لو كنت عرفت...)

B2
عشان تتكلم عن ندمك أو مواقف خيالية في الماضي، ادمج tivesse مع teria وأضف الفعل الأساسي. تذكر هالثلاثة: se, tivesse, teria.
Se eu tivesse acordado cedo, não teria perdido o ô...
11 أمثلة
8

الشرط الثالث: الندم في الماضي (Se eu tivesse...)

B2
To say
If I had done X, Y would have happened,
use Se tivesse + participle and teria + participle.
Se você tivesse me avisado, eu não teria vindo.
10 أمثلة

Next Steps

You've tackled some of the hardest grammar in Portuguese! Keep practicing these structures in your daily conversations.

Listen to a Portuguese podcast and try to summarize what the host said using indirect speech.

Continue to: Mastering Object Pronoun Forms

تدريب سريع (10)

جد الخطأ وقم بتصحيحه

Find and fix the mistake:

Você sabe que horas são.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você sabe que horas são?
إذا كانت الجملة الرئيسية سؤالاً ('Você sabe...?')، فيجب وضع علامة استفهام في النهاية.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الأسئلة غير المباشرة: استخدام Se وأدوات الاستفهام

Complete the sentence.

Ele disse que ___ (ir) à festa.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ia
Backshift from present to imperfect.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)

جد الخطأ وصححه في جملة النقل هذه.

O técnico disse que o time ganhará o jogo ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: O técnico disse que o time ganharia o jogo ontem.
مينفعش نستخدم المستقبل البسيط 'ganhará' مع كلمة 'ontem' (أمس) في سياق نقل ماضي. لازم نستخدم 'ganharia'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المستقبل في الماضي: نقل ما 'سيفعله' شخص ما (Iria)

Select the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct conjugation.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الشرط الثالث: الندم في الماضي (Se eu tivesse...)

Choose the correct indirect form.

Direct: 'Eu como'. Indirect: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele disse que comia.
Present shifts to imperfect.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)

Find the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Se eu teria visto, teria falado.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Conditional in 'if' clause is wrong.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الشرط الثالث: الندم في الماضي (Se eu tivesse...)

جد الخطأ في جملة نقل الأمر التالية.

O chefe mandou que nós chegamos cedo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer:
بما أن 'mandou' في الماضي، يجب أن يكون الفعل التالي في صيغة الماضي المنصوب ('chegássemos') وليس المضارع ('chegamos').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الأوامر المنقولة (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)

ابحث عن الخطأ في زمن الفعل وصححه.

Ela disse que vai ao cinema ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela disse que ia ao cinema ontem.
بما أن الفعل الأصلي يعبر عن نية (vou)، يجب تحويله إلى (ia) ليتناسب مع فعل القول الماضي.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الكلام المنقول في الماضي (Ele disse que...)

املأ الفراغ بصيغة الشرط الصحيحة.

Ela disse que ___ (comprar) o pão.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: compraria
بما إن فعل النقل 'disse' في الماضي، بنستخدم صيغة الشرط 'compraria' لنقل النية المستقبلية.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: المستقبل في الماضي: نقل ما 'سيفعله' شخص ما (Iria)

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ele disse que eu estou cansado.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele disse que ele estava cansado.
Pronoun and tense shift.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: الكلام غير المباشر (قال أن...)

Score: /10

أسئلة شائعة (6)

Usually yes, if the reporting verb is in the past. If the reporting verb is in the present, you don't need to backshift.
Yes, especially in Brazil. It's very common in informal speech.
هو طريقة لسؤال شيء ما داخل جملة أخرى، مثل 'أريد أن أعرف إذا كان...' بدلاً من مجرد 'هل هو...؟'. هذا يجعلك تبدو أكثر تهذيباً، مثل:
Queria saber se você está bem.
استخدم 'se' للأسئلة أو عدم اليقين مثل:
Não sei se ele vem.
. أما 'que' فتستخدم للحقائق أو التأكيدات مثل:
Ele disse que vem.
لا، فعل 'Perguntar' يستخدم للأسئلة فقط. لنقل الأوامر أو الطلبات، يجب استخدام 'Pedir'، مثل:
Ele pediu para eu vir.
فقط إذا كنت تستخدم طريقة المنصوب (Subjunctive)، مثل:
Ele pediu que ficasse
. أما مع المصدر، نستخدم 'para':
Ele pediu para ficar.
الفصل السابق
Advanced Flow and Contrast
الفصل التالي
Mastering Object Pronoun Forms
العودة إلى خارطة الطريق