B1 · Mittelstufe Kapitel 36

Reported Speech: Telling What Others Said

6 Gesamtregeln
1 Min.
Regeln in diesem Kapitel Schnelle Übung

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying information and conversations accurately in Croatian.

  • Distinguish between direct and indirect speech styles.
  • Transform statements, questions, and commands into reported speech.
  • Adjust pronouns, adverbs, and tenses to maintain logical context.
Master the art of the relay.

Was du lernen wirst

Learn how to report what someone else has said, both directly and indirectly. This chapter covers the necessary changes in tense and pronouns.

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Convert direct quotes into flowing indirect speech sentences.

Tipps & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'da' rule

Always use 'da' after reporting verbs. It is the glue of reported speech.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech
🎯

The 'That' Rule

In English, we often say 'He said he's tired.' In Croatian, NEVER skip the 'da'. Always say 'Rekao je DA je umoran.'
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Statements (Rekao je da...)
💡

Use 'li' for Yes/No

Always use 'li' when there is no question word.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Questions (Pitao je je li...)
💡

The 'Da' Rule

Always use 'da' to bridge the reporting verb and the speech, then immediately check your pronouns.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Changes in Pronouns and Adverbs in Reported Speech

Wichtige Vokabeln (6)

reći to say pitati to ask izjaviti to declare narediti to order/command tada then/at that time tamo there

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Office Gossip

Review Summary

  • Quote vs. Paraphrase
  • Subject + rekao je + da + Clause
  • Subject + pitao je + je li / tko / što + Clause
  • Shift I->On, Danas->Tog dana
  • Past main verb -> Past subordinate
  • Subject + rekao je + da + Present Verb

Häufige Fehler

In indirect speech, pronouns must shift to match the subject of the reporting verb.

Wrong: Rekao je da ja sam umoran.
Richtig: Rekao je da je on umoran.

While 'da li' is used, 'je li' is more standard in formal Croatian reported questions.

Wrong: Pitao je da li ja radim.
Richtig: Pitao je radim li ja.

Commands in reported speech must use the present tense, not the imperative form.

Wrong: Rekao je da dođi sutra.
Richtig: Rekao je da dođem sutra.

Next Steps

You've navigated the complex world of reported speech with ease. Keep practicing, and you'll be telling stories like a native speaker in no time!

Listen to a news report and summarize it in your own words using reported speech.

Continue to: Diminutives and Augmentatives: Adding Nuance to Nouns

Schnelle Übung (10)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Znam gdje on živi.
Subject before verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Questions (Pitao je je li...)

Correct the error: Marko je rekao da je ovo njegova kuća (pointing to a house far away).

Find and fix the mistake:

Marko je rekao da je ___ njegova kuća.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to
'Ovo' (this) shifts to 'to' (that) when the object is not right next to the reporter.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Changes in Pronouns and Adverbs in Reported Speech

Choose the correct reported sentence.

Direct: 'Ja sam gladan.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct pronoun and verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech

Fill in the blank with the correct form.

Rekao je da ___ (raditi) jučer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Past action requires past tense.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tense Shift in Reported Speech (When applicable)

Fill in the blank with 'da' or 'li'.

Rekao je ___ dolazi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
It's a statement.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Zamolio me je da kupiti kruh.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kupim
Must be conjugated.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Commands and Requests

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Rekao je da on je došao.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Word order: da + auxiliary + pronoun.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tense Shift in Reported Speech (When applicable)

Correct the clitic placement: 'Rekao je da vidi ga.'

Find and fix the mistake:

Rekao je da ___ vidi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ga
The clitic 'ga' must follow 'da' immediately.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Statements (Rekao je da...)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Rekao je da radim.
Conjugated verb after 'da'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Commands and Requests

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Pitao je da li ona dolazi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Pitao je je li ona dolazi.
Use 'je li' instead of 'da li'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Questions (Pitao je je li...)

Score: /10

Häufige Fragen (6)

Yes, for statements. For questions, use 'li'.
Because the perspective shifts from the speaker to the reporter.
No, in Croatian, omitting da is very rare and usually sounds incorrect or overly poetic. Always include it.
Use kako in formal writing or when you have already used da in the same sentence and want to avoid repetition.
In standard Croatian, it is better to use 'je li'. 'Da li' is common in speech but often discouraged in formal writing.
No, the word order in the reported clause remains the same as in the original question.
Vorheriges Kapitel
Verb Aspect Deep Dive: Imperfective vs. Perfective Mastery
Nächstes Kapitel
Diminutives and Augmentatives: Adding Nuance to Nouns
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