B1 · Intermedio Capítulo 3

Reporting Commands and Time

4 Reglas totales
42 ejemplos
7 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying commands and shifting time in French conversation.

  • Convert direct commands into indirect reports using the preposition 'de'.
  • Adjust time expressions to maintain logical flow in reported stories.
  • Identify the 'discours indirect libre' style for expressive storytelling.
Tell better stories by mastering the art of reporting.

Lo que aprenderás

Hey there, future French speaker! Ready to level up your conversations? This chapter is going to be super cool! Have you ever wanted to tell someone what another person said, but weren't sure how to handle commands or adjust the timing? Don't worry, that's exactly what we're diving into! First, you'll master how to report commands given by others in your own words. For example, when your mom says, Eat your food!, how do you tell your friend,

My mom told me to eat my food
? You'll do it easily with a tiny word de and the infinitive verb! We'll even learn how to report negative commands like "Don't go out!
. Imagine telling your friend your teacher said,
Don't go outside" – you wouldn't say it exactly as they did in the moment; you'd adjust it so it makes sense in your current conversation. Next, we'll tackle how to change time-related words like yesterday or tomorrow when you're reporting someone's speech. This is crucial for keeping your story logical and ensuring no one gets confused. You can't say He said yesterday... if you're recounting it today; you'll learn to shift it to something like
He said the day before...
You'll sound like a pro storyteller! Finally, you'll get a peek into a fascinating literary technique called 'Discours indirect libre'. While you might not use it in everyday conversation yet, understanding it will totally transform how you read French novels, making you feel like you're directly hearing the characters' thoughts without the he said interruptions. So, get ready! After this chapter, you'll be able to relay what others said much more smoothly, tell stories without timeline blips, and appreciate French texts on a deeper level. It's way easier than you think, I promise! Let's go!

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: report commands accurately using the infinitive structure.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: shift temporal markers like 'hier' to 'la veille' naturally.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Welcome to your next step in mastering French grammar, specifically designed for B1 French learners! This chapter is all about making your conversations smoother and your storytelling more precise. As you move beyond basic sentence structures, being able to accurately report what others have said becomes incredibly important.
Imagine trying to explain a friend's advice or recounting a funny anecdote – you wouldn't want to misrepresent the original message or confuse your listeners with incorrect timelines. This guide will equip you with the essential tools to handle reported speech in French, transforming you into a more confident and articulate speaker.
We'll dive deep into how to transform direct commands into indirect commands in French, using the elegant de + infinitif construction. No more awkward direct quotes when you're trying to summarize! You'll also learn the crucial art of adjusting time references, like changing yesterday to the day before, a skill that ensures your narratives always make perfect sense.
These techniques are fundamental for natural communication and are key components of achieving fluency at the B1 level and beyond.
Beyond everyday conversation, we'll even explore a fascinating literary device: Discours indirect libre. While you might not use it daily, understanding it will open up a new dimension in your appreciation of French literature, helping you to truly grasp character perspectives. By the end of this chapter, you'll not only avoid common reported speech French mistakes but also sound incredibly natural and sophisticated when relaying information.
Let's make your French storytelling shine!

How This Grammar Works

Let's break down the mechanics of reporting commands and time in French. First up, Reporting Commands: 'to do' (de + infinitif). When someone gives a direct command, like Mange ta soupe! (Eat your soup!), and you want to report it, you typically use a reporting verb such as *dire* (to say), *demander* (to ask), *ordonner* (to order), or *conseiller* (to advise), followed by de and the infinitive form of the verb.
For example, "Il m'a dit de manger ma soupe" (He told me to eat my soup). This structure simplifies the command into a single, reported action.
Next, we tackle Reporting Negative Commands (Discours indirect : impératif négatif). If the original command was negative, like Ne pars pas! (Don't leave!), the ne...pas structure remains, but it wraps around the de + infinitif phrase. So, "Elle m'a dit de ne pas partir" (She told me not to leave).
Notice how ne pas stays together before the infinitive. This is a common point of confusion but easy to master with practice.
Crucially, Reported Speech: Changing Time Words ensures your stories are always logical. When you report something that was said in the past, time adverbs often need to shift. For instance, hier (yesterday) becomes la veille (the day before), demain (tomorrow) becomes le lendemain (the next day), and aujourd'hui (today) becomes ce jour-là (that day).
So, "Il a dit : 'Je viendrai demain'" (He said: 'I will come tomorrow') becomes "Il a dit qu'il viendrait le lendemain" (He said that he would come the next day). This B1 French grammar adjustment is vital for clarity.
Finally, we have French Inner Monologue Style (Discours indirect libre). This advanced technique blends direct and indirect speech without explicit reporting verbs or conjunctions. It's often found in literature, allowing the narrator to convey a character's thoughts or words directly, but with the grammatical tense and pronoun shifts of indirect speech.
For example, instead of "Elle pensait : 'Je suis fatiguée'" (She thought: 'I am tired') or "Elle pensait qu'elle était fatiguée
(She thought that she was tired), *discours indirect libre* might present it as
Elle était fatiguée. Elle n'en pouvait plus" (She was tired. She couldn't take it anymore).
The feeling of direct thought is preserved without the direct quote marks.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Il m'a dit manger ma soupe."
✓ Correct: "Il m'a dit de manger ma soupe."
*Explanation:* When reporting a command with verbs like *dire*, *demander*, *ordonner*, etc., you must use de before the infinitive. Forgetting de is a very common error for French learners.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Elle a dit qu'elle viendrait demain." (said today, reporting yesterday's statement)
✓ Correct: "Elle a dit qu'elle viendrait le lendemain."
*Explanation:* If the original statement was Je viendrai demain made yesterday, and you are reporting it today, demain needs to shift to le lendemain to reflect the new temporal context. Always adjust time adverbs to match the reporting context.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Il nous a demandé de pas faire de bruit.
✓ Correct:
Il nous a demandé de ne pas faire de bruit.
*Explanation:* In reported negative commands, the ne...pas structure must surround the infinitive, not just pas after de. Remember de ne pas + infinitif.

Real Conversations

A

A

Mon professeur a dit :
Lisez ce chapitre pour demain !
(My teacher said:
Read this chapter for tomorrow!
)
B

B

Ah oui ? Il nous a aussi demandé de lire ce chapitre pour le lendemain. (Oh really? He also asked us to read this chapter for the next day.)
A

A

Ma mère m'a dit : "N'oublie pas tes clés !
(My mother told me:
Don't forget your keys!")
B

B

Ah, la mienne m'a toujours dit de ne pas oublier les miennes. C'est classique ! (Ah, mine always told me not to forget mine. That's classic!)
A

A

Hier, mon patron a annoncé : "La réunion aura lieu aujourd'hui.
(Yesterday, my boss announced:
The meeting will take place today.")
B

B

Donc, il a annoncé que la réunion aurait lieu ce jour-là, c'est ça ? (So, he announced that the meeting would take place that day, right?)

Quick FAQ

Q

What are the most common verbs used to report commands in French?

Common verbs include *dire* (to say/tell), *demander* (to ask), *ordonner* (to order), *conseiller* (to advise), *proposer* (to suggest), and *interdire* (to forbid). All of these are followed by de + infinitif.

Q

How do you change la semaine prochaine (next week) in reported speech?

La semaine prochaine typically becomes

la semaine suivante
(the following week) in reported speech, similar to how demain becomes le lendemain.

Q

Is *Discours indirect libre* something I should try to use in everyday French conversations?

While understanding *Discours indirect libre* is valuable for reading, it is primarily a literary device. Using it extensively in everyday spoken French might sound unnatural or confusing. Stick to direct or standard indirect speech for daily conversations.

Q

Can I use que instead of de after reporting verbs for commands?

No, for reporting commands, you must use de + infinitif. Que is used to introduce a reported statement (e.g., *Il a dit qu'il viendrait* - He said that he would come), not a command.

Cultural Context

In everyday French, using reported speech, particularly indirect commands with de + infinitif, is extremely common and essential for natural conversation. Native speakers constantly summarize or relay information, making these structures integral to fluid communication. While the changing of time words like hier to la veille is a standard grammatical rule, in very informal spoken French, you might occasionally hear less strict adherence, especially if the context is absolutely clear.
However, for clear and correct French, especially at B1 level, mastering these shifts is crucial. *Discours indirect libre*, as mentioned, is almost exclusively a written, literary technique, adding depth and immediacy to narratives in novels and stories.

Ejemplos clave (8)

1

Le serveur me dit de choisir un dessert.

El camarero me dice que elija un postre.

Reportar Órdenes: 'decir que haga' (de + infinitif)
2

Ma mère me demande d'acheter du pain.

Mi madre me pide que compre pan.

Reportar Órdenes: 'decir que haga' (de + infinitif)
3

Mon coloc me dit de ne pas toucher son fromage.

Mi compañero de piso me dice que no toque su queso.

Reportar órdenes negativas (Discours indirect : impératif négatif)
4

Le chauffeur Uber nous demande de ne pas fumer dans la voiture.

El conductor de Uber nos pide que no fumemos en el coche.

Reportar órdenes negativas (Discours indirect : impératif négatif)
5

Il a dit qu'il arrivait ce jour-là.

Él dijo que llegaba ese día.

Estilo indirecto: Cambio de indicadores temporales (hier → la veille)
6

Elle m'a envoyé un message pour dire qu'elle finirait le lendemain.

Ella me envió un mensaje para decir que terminaría al día siguiente.

Estilo indirecto: Cambio de indicadores temporales (hier → la veille)
7

Quand viendrait-elle ?

Él no podía esperar más. ¿Cuándo vendría ella?

Estilo de monólogo interior francés (Discours indirect libre)
8

Pourquoi ne répondait-il pas ?

Ella miró su teléfono. ¿Por qué no respondía él?

Estilo de monólogo interior francés (Discours indirect libre)

Consejos y trucos (4)

🎯

El atajo de la vocal

Recuerda que 'de' se convierte en 'd'' antes de una vocal o 'h' muda. Es la misma regla que con 'le/la' que se vuelve 'l''. Por ejemplo: "Elle me demande d'écrire."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar Órdenes: 'decir que haga' (de + infinitif)
🎯

La Regla Infinita

¡Siempre usa el infinitivo! Aunque la orden original fuera 'ne sois pas' (del verbo 'être') o 'n'aie pas' (del verbo 'avoir'), en el discurso indirecto usas la forma base del verbo:
Il me dit de ne pas être en retard.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar órdenes negativas (Discours indirect : impératif négatif)
🎯

La regla del 'Là'

Si una palabra tiene 'ce' o 'cette' (como 'ce soir' o 'ce matin'), solo añade '-là' al final para hacerla indirecta. ¡Es súper fácil! Por ejemplo: ce soir-là, ce matin-là.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo indirecto: Cambio de indicadores temporales (hier → la veille)
🎯

La 'vibra' del personaje

Si la frase suena como una cita directa, pero usa 'él' o 'ella' y está en un tiempo pasado, es muy probable que sea estilo indirecto libre. Por ejemplo: Il partait enfin !
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo de monólogo interior francés (Discours indirect libre)

Vocabulario clave (5)

la veille the day before ordonner to order le lendemain the next day penser to think interdire to forbid

Real-World Preview

briefcase

A Busy Office Day

Review Summary

  • Verb (dire/ordonner) + de + infinitif
  • Verb + de + ne pas + infinitif
  • hier -> la veille; demain -> le lendemain
  • No reporting verb + third-person perspective

Errores comunes

In French, we use the indirect object pronoun 'me' (m') before the verb, not 'moi' after 'dit'.

Wrong: Il a dit moi de manger.
Correcto: Il m'a dit de manger.

The 'ne pas' structure stays together before the infinitive verb.

Wrong: Il a dit de ne pas ne manger pas.
Correcto: Il m'a dit de ne pas manger.

When reporting past speech, you must shift 'hier' to 'la veille' to maintain narrative logic.

Wrong: Il a dit hier.
Correcto: Il a dit la veille.

Next Steps

You are making amazing progress! Keep practicing these structures and you'll be a master storyteller in no time.

Rewrite a dialogue from a French novel into reported speech.

Continue to: Shifting Tenses in Reported Speech

Práctica rápida (10)

Completa el espacio en blanco

Ma mère me dit ___ mes devoirs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: de finir
Para reportar la orden 'Finis !', usamos 'de' más el infinitivo 'finir'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar Órdenes: 'decir que haga' (de + infinitif)

Rellena el espacio en blanco para reportar la orden: "Ne mange pas !" (¡No comas!)

Il me dit ___ manger.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: de ne pas
Para reportar una orden negativa, necesitas 'de' + 'ne pas' antes del infinitivo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar órdenes negativas (Discours indirect : impératif négatif)

¿Qué oración es correcta?

¿Cómo reportas la orden 'Attendez !'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il nous demande d'attendre.
Al reportar 'Attendez !', usamos 'de' (que se convierte en d' antes de una vocal) y el infinitivo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar Órdenes: 'decir que haga' (de + infinitif)

Elige la oración reportada correcta:

Choose the correct reported sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a dit qu'il travaillait ce jour-là.
'Aujourd'hui' debe convertirse en 'ce jour-là' cuando se reporta un evento pasado.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo indirecto: Cambio de indicadores temporales (hier → la veille)

Transforma a Discurso Indirecto Libre: 'Je suis triste' se convierte en 'Il ___ triste'.

Il ___ triste.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: était
Usamos el 'imparfait' (était) para reemplazar el presente en el discurso indirecto libre. ¡Es el tiempo verbal clave aquí!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo de monólogo interior francés (Discours indirect libre)

Completa el espacio en blanco con el indicador de tiempo reportado correcto para 'demain'.

Il a dit qu'il viendrait ________.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: le lendemain
En discurso indirecto, 'demain' cambia a 'le lendemain' cuando el verbo que reporta está en pasado.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo indirecto: Cambio de indicadores temporales (hier → la veille)

Encuentra y corrige el error en esta frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Maman me dit de ne fumer pas.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Maman me dit de ne pas fumer.
En el discurso indirecto, 'ne' y 'pas' van juntos antes del verbo en infinitivo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar órdenes negativas (Discours indirect : impératif négatif)

Corrige el tiempo verbal: 'Elle se demandait : est-elle prête ?' (Cambia 'est' a la forma correcta en pasado para indirecto libre).

Find and fix the mistake:

Était-elle prête ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Était-elle prête ?
En indirecto libre, eliminamos 'se demandait' y cambiamos 'est' a 'était'. ¡Así suena más natural y fluido!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo de monólogo interior francés (Discours indirect libre)

¿Qué frase reporta correctamente: "Ne pars pas !" (¡No te vayas!)

Elige el discurso indirecto correcto:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il me dit de ne pas partir.
El bloque 'ne pas' debe ir antes del infinitivo 'partir', y debe ir precedido de 'de'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar órdenes negativas (Discours indirect : impératif négatif)

Identifica la frase que usa Discurso Indirecto Libre.

¿Cuál es 'libre'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il partait enfin !
La última opción no tiene verbo introductorio y usa el 'imparfait' con un signo de exclamación. ¡Pura emoción sin filtros!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo de monólogo interior francés (Discours indirect libre)

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

Lo usamos para reportar una orden, una solicitud o un consejo que originalmente se dio en forma imperativa. Por ejemplo, si alguien dice '¡Ven!', tú reportarías:
Il me dit de venir.
No, solo se usa para reportar órdenes. Para reportar una afirmación normal, usas 'que' seguido de un verbo conjugado. Por ejemplo: "Il dit qu'il est fatigué" (Él dice que está cansado).
La fórmula básica es: Verbo de Reporte + 'de' + 'ne pas' + Infinitivo. Por ejemplo:
Il me dit de ne pas sortir.
(Él me dice que no salga).
Técnicamente sí, pero 'ne...point' es muy literario y anticuado. En el francés moderno, 'ne pas' es lo que todo el mundo usa en el día a día. Por ejemplo,
Il me dit de ne pas courir
es lo natural.
¡Los géneros en francés a menudo son arbitrarios! Solo recuerda que 'lendemain' viene de 'le en demain' (históricamente) y 'veille' viene del latín 'vigilia' (vigilia), que es femenino. Usa trucos mnemotécnicos: 'Le Lendemain' suena como un héroe masculino.
Sí, 'le jour suivant' es perfectamente correcto y común, especialmente en la escritura. 'Le lendemain' es un poco más específico para
el día siguiente
en particular.
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