B1 · Mittelstufe Kapitel 1

Repeating What People Said

4 Gesamtregeln
48 Beispiele
5 Min.
Regeln in diesem Kapitel Schnelle Übung

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of sharing past conversations and anecdotes with clarity and ease.

  • Distinguish between 'say' and 'tell' in reported speech.
  • Apply correct tense backshifting to maintain chronological accuracy.
  • Modify time and place references for natural-sounding narrative flow.
Master the art of the perfect retell.

Was du lernen wirst

Ever wonder how to tell exciting stories about past chats? This chapter will help you master shifting tenses and choosing between 'say' and 'tell' so your recounted conversations sound perfectly natural and engaging. You'll be sharing anecdotes with confidence!

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 a past conversation using correct tense shifts and time references.

Kapitel-Leitfaden

Overview

Mastering how to talk about past conversations is a vital step in your journey to confident B1 English grammar. Imagine trying to recount an exciting story or relay important information without the right tools – it can feel clunky and unnatural. This chapter is your guide to sounding smooth and authentic when you're repeating what people said.
We'll demystify the subtle but crucial difference between say and tell, explore other useful reporting verbs, and show you how to effortlessly shift tenses and adjust time expressions so your recounted conversations make perfect sense to your listener.
For B1 learners, this skill isn't just about passing a grammar test; it's about connecting with others. Whether you're telling a friend about a funny chat you had yesterday, explaining a colleague's request, or sharing news you heard while traveling, knowing how to accurately and naturally report speech will transform your storytelling and communication. You'll gain the confidence to share anecdotes and information without getting tangled in grammatical knots, making your English sound more polished and fluent.
Get ready to tell your stories with precision and charm!

How This Grammar Works

At the heart of repeating what people said is choosing the right reporting verb. You generally use say when focusing on the message itself. For example,
He said he was busy.
Here, the important part is the message, he was busy. You use tell when you want to mention the person who received the message – it *always* needs a direct or indirect object (like *me*, *her*, *us*, *them*).
So,
He told *me* he was busy.
Other common reporting verbs include ask (for questions), explain, or agree, each adding a specific nuance to the reported statement.
Once you’ve chosen your reporting verb, the next crucial step is tense backshift. When you report something that was said in the past, the original tense of the reported clause usually shifts one step back into the past. For instance, if someone says, I *am* happy, when you report it later, you'd say,
She said she *was* happy.
The present simple am shifts to the past simple was. Similarly, I *will* go becomes
He said he *would* go,
and I *have finished* becomes
She told me she *had finished*.
Finally, you need to adjust time and place words to reflect your current perspective. If someone said, "I'll see you *tomorrow*," and you're reporting it the next day, tomorrow is no longer accurate. It becomes "He said he'd see me *the next day*. Likewise, here often becomes there, and now might become then." These small but significant changes ensure your reported speech is clear and makes sense in your present context.
By combining these rules, you can accurately and naturally convey past conversations.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Confusing 'say' and 'tell' without an object.
✗ He told he was tired.
✓ He said he was tired.
✓ He told *me* he was tired.
*Explanation*: Remember, tell *always* needs to say *who* was told (an object), while say focuses on the message and can stand alone.
  1. 1Forgetting to backshift the tense.
✗ She said she *is* coming. (Original: I am coming.)
✓ She said she *was* coming.
*Explanation*: When reporting past speech, the verb in the reported clause usually moves one tense into the past. Am becomes was.
  1. 1Not changing time or place expressions.
✗ He told me he'd meet me *here* tomorrow. (If you're reporting this the next day, not at the original location.)
✓ He told me he'd meet me *there* the next day.
*Explanation*: Words like here, now, today, tomorrow, and yesterday need to be adjusted to align with the current time and place of your reporting.

Real Conversations

A

A

Hey, I saw Sarah at the café.
B

B

Oh really? What did she say?
A

A

She told me she was going on holiday the following week. She said she was really excited!
A

A

Did you hear about Mark's new job?
B

B

No, I hadn't! What did he tell you?
A

A

He explained that he *had been offered* a position at a tech company. He told me he *was starting* the next month.

Quick FAQ

Q

Do I always have to backshift the tense when repeating what people said?

Not always! If the reported statement is still true or refers to a general truth, you don't *have* to backshift. For example,

She said that London *is* a big city
is perfectly fine because London is still a big city. However, backshifting to
She said that London *was* a big city
is also grammatically correct, especially if the context is firmly in the past.

Q

Can I always use the word that after a reporting verb?

You can, but it's often optional, especially in informal speech. For instance,

He said that he was tired
is correct, but
He said he was tired
is also common and natural. It's often included for clarity or in more formal contexts.

Q

What happens if the original speaker used a modal verb like 'can' or 'will'?

Similar to regular verbs, modal verbs often backshift. Can becomes could, will becomes would, may becomes might, and must often becomes had to. For example, "He said, 'I *can* swim.' becomes He said he *could* swim."

Cultural Context

Native English speakers sometimes omit tense backshift in very informal, immediate contexts, especially if the reported statement is still current. For example,
He said he *is* coming
instead of
He said he *was* coming
if he's due to arrive any minute. However, for clear, accurate communication, especially in writing or when there's a time gap, using tense backshift and adjusting time and place changes is the standard.
It adds polish and precision to your storytelling, making your B1 English grammar sound very natural.

Wichtige Beispiele (8)

1

My friend said he'd be here by 7 PM.

Mein Freund sagte, er sei bis 19 Uhr hier.

Indirekte Rede: Say vs. Tell
2

She told me she passed the exam!

Sie erzählte mir, dass sie die Prüfung bestanden hat!

Indirekte Rede: Say vs. Tell
3

My friend **insisted on** buying me coffee this morning, even though I offered.

Mein Freund hat heute Morgen darauf bestanden, mir einen Kaffee auszugeben, obwohl ich angeboten hatte.

Berichtsverben: Wer hat was gesagt?
4

The HR manager **announced that** the new work-from-home policy would start next month.

Die Personalmanagerin gab bekannt, dass die neue Homeoffice-Regelung nächsten Monat beginnen würde.

Berichtsverben: Wer hat was gesagt?
5

She told me `she was feeling` great.

Sie sagte mir, sie fühle sich großartig.

Wiedergabe von Gesagtem (Zeitenverschiebung)
6

He said `he liked` the new song.

Er sagte, ihm gefalle das neue Lied.

Wiedergabe von Gesagtem (Zeitenverschiebung)
7

She said, "I'll meet you *tomorrow*."

Sie sagte: „Ich treffe dich morgen.“

Indirekte Rede: Zeit- und Ortsangaben
8

He mentioned that he had seen us *the day before*.

Er erwähnte, dass er uns am Vortag gesehen hatte.

Indirekte Rede: Zeit- und Ortsangaben

Tipps & Tricks (4)

🎯

Immer nach dem Zuhörer suchen

Bevor du 'say' oder 'tell' wählst, frag dich: Gibt es ein direktes Objekt (die Person, mit der gesprochen wird) direkt nach dem Verb? Wenn ja, ist es wahrscheinlich 'tell'.
She told me her secret.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirekte Rede: Say vs. Tell
💡

Achte auf die Nuance!

Wenn du indirekte Rede hörst, pass auf das Berichtsverb auf. Verrät es dir, ob der Sprecher glücklich, wütend oder neutral war? Das hilft dir, die feinen Bedeutungen zu verstehen.
He admitted his mistake.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Berichtsverben: Wer hat was gesagt?
💡

Denk 'Einen Schritt zurück'

Wenn du in der Vergangenheit berichtest, stell dir vor, die Zeitform wandert einen Schritt zurück auf der Zeitlinie. Präsens wird Präteritum, Präteritum wird Plusquamperfekt. Das hilft meistens:
He said he was going to the gym.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Wiedergabe von Gesagtem (Zeitenverschiebung)
💡

Denk aus DEINER Perspektive

Stell dir immer vor, DU erzählst die Geschichte. Macht 'now' noch Sinn? Ist 'here' immer noch derselbe Ort? Pass die Zeit- und Ortswörter an deine aktuelle Sicht an.
She said she was busy then.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirekte Rede: Zeit- und Ortsangaben

Wichtige Vokabeln (5)

Report to give a spoken or written account Backshift moving a verb tense into the past Indirect speech reporting what someone said without direct quotes Statement a definite or clear expression of something Attribution crediting speech to a speaker

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Sharing Office News

Review Summary

  • Subject + said + (that) + clause / Subject + told + object + (that) + clause
  • Present -> Past
  • now -> then, today -> that day, tomorrow -> the next day

Häufige Fehler

You cannot use 'said' directly with an object like 'me'. Use 'told' instead.

Wrong: He said me he was tired.
Richtig: He told me he was tired.

Even if she is still happy, in reported speech, we usually backshift the verb to match the reporting verb.

Wrong: She said she is happy.
Richtig: She said she was happy.

'Tell' must have an object (who he told). If no object is mentioned, use 'said'.

Wrong: He told that he likes pizza.
Richtig: He said that he liked pizza.

Next Steps

You have mastered the foundation of reported speech! Keep practicing, and your storytelling will be unstoppable.

Listen to a news report and summarize it for a friend.

Continue to: Reporting Questions and Requests

Schnelle Übung (10)

Welcher Satz verwendet ein Berichtsverb korrekt?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He suggested joining the club.
Suggest wird typischerweise von einem Gerundium (-ing Form) gefolgt. Obwohl 'He suggested that I join the club' auch korrekt ist, ist 'suggested me to join' ein häufiger Fehler.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Berichtsverben: Wer hat was gesagt?

Wähle den korrekten Satz:

Wähle den korrekten Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She announced that the meeting `was` postponed.
Direkte Rede:
The meeting is postponed.
Present Simple wird zu Past Simple.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Wiedergabe von Gesagtem (Zeitenverschiebung)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler im Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

My coach advised me to don't give up on my dream.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My coach advised me not to give up on my dream.
Wenn du negative Ratschläge oder Anweisungen mit 'advise' + Objekt + to-Infinitiv wiedergibst, kommt die Verneinung not vor to.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Berichtsverben: Wer hat was gesagt?

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler im Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

The news reporter told that the storm was approaching.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The news reporter said that the storm was approaching.
'Tell' benötigt ein direktes Objekt direkt danach. Da hier kein Objekt ('us', 'them' usw.) vorhanden ist, ist 'said' die richtige Wahl, um die berichtete Information einzuleiten.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirekte Rede: Say vs. Tell

Wähle die richtige Form, um den Satz zu vervollständigen.

She ___ on arriving early to get good seats for the concert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: insisted
Das Verb insist wird oft von on + Gerundium oder einem that-Satz gefolgt. In diesem Kontext passt insisted am besten zur Idee, bei etwas standhaft zu bleiben.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Berichtsverben: Wer hat was gesagt?

Welcher berichtete Satz ändert den Zeitbegriff korrekt?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he had finished it the day before.
Wenn 'yesterday' berichtet wird, ändert es sich typischerweise zu 'the day before' oder 'the previous day', und das Simple Past ('finished') verschiebt sich zum Past Perfect ('had finished').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirekte Rede: Zeit- und Ortsangaben

Wähle die korrekte Form, um die indirekte Rede zu vervollständigen.

She said she ___ busy yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was
Direkte Rede:
I am busy.
Present Simple 'am' wird zu Past Simple 'was'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Wiedergabe von Gesagtem (Zeitenverschiebung)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler im berichteten Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

He told me he `go` to the concert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me he `went` to the concert.
Direkte Rede:
I go to the concert.
Present Simple 'go' wird zu Past Simple 'went', wenn in der Vergangenheit berichtet wird.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Wiedergabe von Gesagtem (Zeitenverschiebung)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler im berichteten Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

She told me she was here last week.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She told me she had been there the week before.
Sowohl der Ort ('here' zu 'there') als auch die Zeit ('last week' zu 'the week before') müssen für die korrekte indirekte Rede verschoben werden, und die Zeitform verschiebt sich auch vom Simple Past zum Past Perfect.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirekte Rede: Zeit- und Ortsangaben

Wähle die richtige Form, um den Satz zu vervollständigen.

She ___ me she couldn't make it to the party.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
Das Wort 'me' ist ein direktes Objekt, das dem Verb folgt, daher ist 'told' erforderlich. Du 'tell'st jemandem etwas.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirekte Rede: Say vs. Tell

Score: /10

Häufige Fragen (6)

Der Kernunterschied ist, dass 'tell' *immer* ein direktes Objekt (wem du etwas erzählst) direkt danach braucht, wie 'she told *me*'. 'Say' hat normalerweise kein direktes Objekt oder benutzt 'to + object', wie 'he said (to *me*)'.
Ja, aber es ist weniger gebräuchlich und klingt oft formeller oder spezifischer. Du würdest sagen 'He said to me that...' anstatt 'He said me that...'. Bei 'tell' ist das Objekt obligatorisch und kommt direkt danach, z.B. 'He told me that...'.
„Say“ ist allgemein, während „state“ eine formellere oder offizielle Erklärung impliziert. Denk mal an: He said hello (ganz normal) vs.
The President stated his policy
(offizieller und wichtiger).
„Admit“ bedeutet, etwas als wahr zu akzeptieren, oft widerwillig (
He admitted his mistake
). „Confess“ impliziert normalerweise, etwas Falsches oder Illegales zuzugeben, oft mit einem Gefühl der Schuld (
She confessed to the crime
).
Tense Backshift bedeutet, dass du das Verb im Nebensatz eine Zeitstufe weiter in die Vergangenheit verschiebst. Zum Beispiel wird aus dem Present Simple in der direkten Rede das Past Simple in der indirekten Rede.
Wir nutzen es, um die Zeitlinie logisch konsistent zu halten. Wenn du etwas berichtest, das in der Vergangenheit gesagt wurde, macht die Zeitverschiebung klar, dass die ursprüngliche Aussage auch in einem vergangenen Kontext zu deinem Bericht stand.
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Reporting Questions and Requests
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