B2 · Intermédiaire supérieur Chapitre 7

Reporting the Past and Expressing Regret

8 Règles totales
88 exemples
7 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

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.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

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.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

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!

How This Grammar Works

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.

Common Mistakes

  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).

Real Conversations

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.)

Quick FAQ

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.

Cultural Context

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.

Exemples clés (8)

1

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

Pedro a dit qu'il n'allait pas à la fête parce qu'il était malade.

Discours Indirect (Il a dit que...)
2

A recepcionista perguntou se eu tinha agendamento.

La réceptionniste a demandé si j'avais un rendez-vous.

Discours Indirect (Il a dit que...)
3

Você sabe `se` tem Wi-Fi aqui?

Sais-tu s'il y a du Wi-Fi ici ?

Questions indirectes : utilisation de Se et des interrogatifs
4

Não me lembro `onde` estacionei o carro.

Je ne me souviens plus où j'ai garé la voiture.

Questions indirectes : utilisation de Se et des interrogatifs
5

A mãe pediu para eu lavar a louça.

Maman m'a demandé de faire la vaisselle.

Ordres Rapportés (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)
6

O chefe mandou que nós refizéssemos o relatório.

Le chef nous a ordonné de refaire le rapport.

Ordres Rapportés (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)
7

O Pedro disse que não gostava de comida japonesa.

Pedro a dit qu'il n'aimait pas la cuisine japonaise.

Discours Indirect : Présent vers Imparfait (Il a dit qu'il était...)
8

Ela me mandou mensagem e falou que estava presa no trânsito.

Elle m'a envoyé un message et a dit qu'elle était coincée dans les embouteillages.

Discours Indirect : Présent vers Imparfait (Il a dit qu'il était...)

Conseils et astuces (4)

🎯

Pro-tip : L'omission du « que »

Imagine que tu discutes avec des amis au Brésil. À l'oral, surtout de manière informelle, on peut parfois laisser tomber le que après diz. Par exemple,
Ele diz (que) vai vir hoje
. Mais attention, à l'écrit ou quand tu rapportes au passé, garde-le !
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Discours Indirect (Il a dit que...)
⚠️

Piège du 'que'

N'ajoute jamais 'que' avant 'se', 'onde' ou 'quem' dans ces phrases. C'est une erreur fréquente due à l'influence de l'anglais ou de l'espagnol.
Eu perguntei onde ela estava.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes : utilisation de Se et des interrogatifs
🎯

Le raccourci avec "Para"

Si tu hésites sur les conjugaisons du subjonctif, utilise simplement 'Pedir para' + infinitif. C'est grammaticalement correct et compris partout au Brésil. Par exemple :
Ele pediu para eu ir
(Il m'a demandé d'y aller).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ordres Rapportés (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)
🎯

Le "Que" Indispensable

En français, on peut souvent omettre 'que' ('Il a dit qu'il était...'). Mais en portugais, 'que' est obligatoire après le verbe introducteur.
Ele disse QUE não gostava.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Discours Indirect : Présent vers Imparfait (Il a dit qu'il était...)

Vocabulaire clé (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

Erreurs courantes

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

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

Indirect questions need the correct interrogative particle.

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

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

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

Règles dans ce chapitre (8)

1

Discours Indirect (Il a dit que...)

B2
Quand tu rapportes une conversation passée, le Présent devient l'Imparfait, le Futur devient le Conditionnel, et aqui devient «lá». C'est un peu un voyage dans le temps verbal !
O Pedro disse que não ia à festa porque estava doe...
12 exemples
2

Questions indirectes : utilisation de Se et des interrogatifs

B2
Pour être poli, professionnel et à l'aise socialement en portugais, utilise les questions indirectes avec se ou les mots interrogatifs.
Você sabe `se` tem Wi-Fi aqui?
10 exemples
3

Ordres Rapportés (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)

B2
Pour rapporter un ordre, transforme l'impératif en utilisant para + infinitif ou que + subjonctif (souvent à l'imparfait).
A mãe pediu para eu lavar a louça.
11 exemples
4

Discours Indirect : Présent vers Imparfait (Il a dit qu'il était...)

B2
Quand tu rapportes les paroles de quelqu'un au passé, tu dois faire reculer le temps. Le verbe au présent de la phrase originale passe à l'imparfait dans ton discours indirect.
O Pedro disse que não gostava de comida japonesa.
12 exemples
5

Discours Rapporté au Passé (Ele disse que...)

B2
Quand le verbe principal est au passé (disse, perguntou), le verbe rapporté recule d'un temps. C'est comme une 'machine à remonter le temps' grammaticale !
O Tiago disse que não podia ir à festa.
11 exemples
6

Le futur dans le passé : rapporter ce que quelqu'un 'ferait' (Iria)

B2
Quand tu racontes au passé ce que quelqu'un allait faire, tu bascules le futur au conditionnel. C'est ton outil pour les discours rapportés !
Ele disse que `viria` à festa hoje.
11 exemples
7

Passé Hypothétique (Si j'avais su...)

B2
Pour exprimer des regrets ou des scénarios imaginaires dans le passé, on combine tivesse (le conditionnel de base) avec teria (le résultat) pour créer le combo parfait.
Se eu tivesse acordado cedo, não teria perdido o ô...
11 exemples
8

Troisième conditionnel : Regrets passés (Se eu tivesse...)

B2
Pour dire « Si j'avais fait X, Y se serait passé », utilise la formule magique Se tivesse + participe et teria + participe.
Se você tivesse me avisado, eu não teria vindo.
10 exemples

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

Pratique rapide (10)

Corrige l'erreur grammaticale dans la clause de résultat.

Se eu tivesse acordado cedo, eu não perdi o ônibus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Se eu tivesse acordado cedo, eu não teria perdido o ônibus.
On ne peut pas utiliser le passé simple (perdi) pour un résultat hypothétique. Il faut le conditionnel passé (teria perdido).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Troisième conditionnel : Regrets passés (Se eu tivesse...)

Laquelle de ces phrases fait référence à un passé hypothétique ?

Choisis l'option correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Se eu tivesse tido tempo, eu teria ido.
Seule la troisième option utilise la structure composée pour un événement passé qui n'a pas eu lieu.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Hypothétique (Si j'avais su...)

Quelle phrase rapporte correctement une promesse passée ?

Choisis la phrase grammaticalement correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você prometeu que me ajudaria.
Le verbe 'prometeu' (a promis) exige le conditionnel 'ajudaria' pour l'action rapportée.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le futur dans le passé : rapporter ce que quelqu'un 'ferait' (Iria)

Complète l'ordre rapporté en utilisant la méthode avec 'para'.

Mãe disse: "Estude!" → A mãe disse ___ eu estudar.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: para
Lorsque tu utilises la méthode de l'infinitif pour les ordres rapportés, nous employons la préposition 'para'. Donc, 'A mãe disse para eu estudar'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ordres Rapportés (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)

Complète le blanc avec le connecteur correct (se, onde, quem, etc.)

Eu não sei ___ ele mora.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: onde
On utilise 'onde' pour demander indirectement un lieu, sans ajouter 'que'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes : utilisation de Se et des interrogatifs

Complète avec la forme correcte des verbes.

Se eu ___ (saber), eu ___ (ajudar).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tivesse sabido / teria ajudado
On utilise 'tivesse' + participe pour la condition et 'teria' + participe pour le résultat passé.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Hypothétique (Si j'avais su...)

Choisis la phrase correcte au discours indirect.

Original: "Eu estou com fome."

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele disse que estava com fome.
Le présent 'estou' devient l'imparfait 'estava' dans le discours indirect. C'est le recul du temps !

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Discours Indirect : Présent vers Imparfait (Il a dit qu'il était...)

Trouve l'erreur dans cette phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Se você teria me ligado, eu teria atendido.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Change 'teria me ligado' en 'tivesse me ligado'
N'utilise jamais le conditionnel ('teria') dans la clause introduite par 'se'. Utilise le subjonctif ('tivesse').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Hypothétique (Si j'avais su...)

Trouve l'erreur dans le discours rapporté.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela perguntou onde eu moro atualmente.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela perguntou onde eu morava atualmente.
Même si tu y habites toujours, l'accord grammatical exige généralement l'imparfait 'morava' après 'perguntou'. C'est une question de concordance des temps.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Discours Indirect : Présent vers Imparfait (Il a dit qu'il était...)

Trouve l'erreur dans le marqueur de temps.

Find and fix the mistake:

O João disse ontem que viria hoje, mas ele disse isso semana passada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: O João disse que viria naquele dia.
Si tu rapportes un événement passé, 'hoje' devient 'naquele dia'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Discours Indirect (Il a dit que...)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

C'est quand tu rapportes ce que quelqu'un a dit, mais sans utiliser ses mots exacts. Au lieu de dire : Il a dit 'Je suis content', tu dirais : Il a dit qu'il était content. Par exemple :
Ele disse que estava feliz
.
Non, seulement si le verbe introducteur (comme 'a dit', 'a demandé') est au passé. Si tu dis 'Il dit' (au présent), le reste de la phrase reste au présent. Par exemple :
Ele diz que está feliz
.
C'est une façon de poser une question à l'intérieur d'une autre phrase, comme 'Je veux savoir si...' au lieu de juste 'Est-ce que... ?'. Ça te rend plus poli.
Eu quero saber se ele vem.
Utilise 'se' pour les questions/incertitudes ('Je ne sais pas si...'). Utilise 'que' pour les faits/certitudes ('Il a dit que...').
Não sei se ele vem.
vs
Ele disse que vem.
Non. 'Perguntar' est utilisé pour les questions, par exemple 'Il a demandé si...'. Pour les ordres ou requêtes ('Il m'a demandé de...'), tu dois utiliser 'Pedir'. Par exemple,
Ele perguntou se eu estava bem
(Il a demandé si j'allais bien) mais
Ele pediu para eu ir
(Il m'a demandé d'y aller).
Seulement si tu utilises la méthode du subjonctif ('Ele pediu que ficasse'). Si tu utilises la méthode de l'infinitif, utilise 'para' à la place ('Ele pediu para ficar'). C'est une question de choix de structure.
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