B1 · 中級 チャプター 2

Reporting What People Say

5 トータルルール
51 例文
6 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the ability to relay conversations accurately and naturally with indirect speech mastery.

  • Construct sentences that seamlessly report what others have said.
  • Adjust verb tenses and pronouns to maintain logical flow.
  • Convert direct questions into indirect, fluid statements.
Master the art of relaying conversations with ease.

学べること

Ever wanted to share what someone else said but weren't quite sure how to phrase it naturally in French? This chapter is your key to unlocking super fluent conversations! We're diving deep into the art of indirect speech (discours indirect) so you can effortlessly relay information and sound like a true native speaker. You'll start by mastering how to introduce reported speech using a variety of natural introductory verbs like he says that... or she explained that..., making your French feel rich and dynamic. We'll then tackle the straightforward process of adjusting verb tenses, especially when you're reporting something that was said in the past – it’s a simple rule that makes a huge difference! Next, you'll learn to correctly change pronouns so you can clearly communicate who said what, without any awkward mix-ups. And for those tricky questions? We've got you covered! You'll discover how to report simple yes/no questions using the word si, and how to handle where, when, or why questions by keeping the question word but using a simple statement structure. Imagine telling a friend what your teacher announced about homework, or sharing a funny thing someone said at a party. By the end of this chapter, you’ll confidently be able to relay any conversation in French, making your chat skills truly shine!

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use introductory verbs to report statements accurately.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Welcome, B1 French learners! Have you ever found yourself wanting to share a juicy piece of gossip, relay an important message, or simply tell someone what your friend said, but struggled to phrase it naturally in French? This chapter is your ultimate guide to mastering reporting what people say, also known as discours indirect (indirect speech).
It’s a fundamental skill in French grammar that will significantly elevate your conversational fluency and make you sound much more like a native speaker.
Understanding discours indirect is crucial for moving beyond basic sentence structures. At the CEFR B1 level, you're expected to be able to express yourself more complexly, and seamlessly integrating reported speech into your conversations is a huge step in that direction. We'll break down the rules for introducing reported speech with a variety of verbs, handling tricky tense changes, and correctly adjusting pronouns.
By the end of this chapter, you’ll confidently be able to transform direct quotes into smooth, indirect reports, making your French interactions richer and more dynamic. Get ready to unlock a whole new level of communication!

How This Grammar Works

Mastering discours indirect in French means learning how to transform direct speech into a reported statement or question. This involves a few key steps: choosing the right introductory verb, adjusting verb tenses, and changing pronouns.
First, you'll need an introductory verb. Common ones include dire que (to say that), expliquer que (to explain that), affirmer que (to affirm that), répondre que (to answer that), or déclarer que (to declare that). For example, if someone says Je suis fatigué (I am tired), you would report it as "Il dit qu'il est fatigué" (He says that he is tired).
Notice the use of que (that) to link the introductory clause to the reported statement.
Next, let's talk about Reporting what people said (Tense Changes). This is often the trickiest part! If the introductory verb is in the present tense, the reported verb tense usually stays the same.
"Elle dit : 'Je viendrai.'" (She says: 'I will come.') becomes "Elle dit qu'elle viendra.
(She says that she will come.). However, if the introductory verb is in a past tense (like il a dit or il disait), the reported verb tense will shift. A present tense becomes the imperfect:
Il a dit : 'Je suis prêt.'" (He said: 'I am ready.') becomes "Il a dit qu'il était prêt." (He said that he was ready.).
A future tense becomes the conditional: "Il a dit : 'Je voyagerai.'" (He said: 'I will travel.') becomes "Il a dit qu'il voyagerait." (He said that he would travel.). The imperfect tense generally remains the imperfect.
Then, there's Indirect Speech: Changing Pronouns. This is logical: Je (I) becomes il/elle (he/she), tu (you) becomes il/elle (he/she), and nous (we) becomes ils/elles (they) depending on the context. For instance, "Elle a dit : 'Je veux un café.'" (She said: 'I want a coffee.') becomes "Elle a dit qu'elle voulait un café." (She said that she wanted a coffee.).
Finally, for questions, we use different structures. For Reporting Yes/No Questions (si), use si (if/whether). "Il a demandé : 'Est-ce que tu viens ?'" (He asked: 'Are you coming?') becomes
Il a demandé si tu venais.
(He asked if you were coming.).
For French Reported Speech: Asking 'Where/When/Why', you keep the question word (où, quand, pourquoi, comment) but turn the question into a statement. "Elle a demandé : 'Où vas-tu ?'" (She asked: 'Where are you going?') becomes
Elle a demandé où tu allais.
(She asked where you were going.). Notice that the inversion (vas-tu) is removed, and the subject-verb order of a statement is used (tu allais).

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Il a dit qu'il est venu."
✓ Correct: "Il a dit qu'il était venu."
*Explanation:* When the introductory verb is in the past tense (il a dit), the reported past tense (est venu - passé composé) must shift to the pluperfect (était venu) to reflect the sequence of events correctly. This is a common error in B1 French when reporting what people said.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Elle a demandé que tu viens ?
✓ Correct:
Elle a demandé si tu venais.
*Explanation:* For Reporting Yes/No Questions (si), you must use si (if/whether) instead of que (that), and the reported clause should be a statement, not a question. Also, remember the tense shift if the introductory verb is in the past.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Ils ont demandé: 'Qu'est-ce que tu fais?' (Reported as: Ils ont demandé qu'est-ce que je faisais.")
✓ Correct:
Ils ont demandé ce que je faisais.
*Explanation:* When the direct question uses qu'est-ce que (what), it changes to ce que in French reported speech. Similarly, qu'est-ce qui (what - subject) becomes ce qui. The tense shift also applies here.

Real Conversations

A

A

Mon professeur a dit :
Le devoir est pour lundi prochain.
(My teacher said:
The homework is for next Monday.
)
B

B

Ah d'accord, donc il a dit que le devoir était pour lundi prochain. (Oh okay, so he said that the homework was for next Monday.)
A

A

Elle m'a demandé :
Est-ce que tu as déjà visité Paris ?
(She asked me:
Have you already visited Paris?
)
B

B

Oui, et je lui ai répondu que oui, j'y étais allé l'année dernière. (Yes, and I told her that yes, I had gone there last year.)
A

A

Il voulait savoir :
Quand est-ce que le film commence ?
(He wanted to know:
When does the movie start?
)
B

B

Je lui ai dit que le film commençait à huit heures. (I told him that the movie started at eight o'clock.)

Quick FAQ

Q

What are the main introductory verbs for discours indirect in B1 French?

Common verbs include dire que (to say that), expliquer que (to explain that), demander si (to ask if), répondre que (to answer that), and affirmer que (to affirm that).

Q

How do verb tenses change when reporting what people said if the introductory verb is in the past?

Generally, a present tense shifts to the imperfect, a future tense to the conditional, and a passé composé or imperfect remains imperfect (or passé composé can become pluperfect for clarity of sequence).

Q

Can I use que to report a where or when question in French reported speech?

No, for 'wh-' questions, you keep the original question word (où, quand, comment, etc.) and follow it with a statement structure (subject + verb), not que.

Q

What happens to tu and je pronouns in indirect speech: changing pronouns?

Je typically becomes il or elle, and tu also becomes il or elle, depending on who the speaker is reporting about.

Cultural Context

In French, using discours indirect is incredibly common and essential for natural conversation. Native speakers frequently relay information, anecdotes, and opinions using these structures. Mastering it shows a higher level of fluency and allows for more nuanced communication, moving beyond simply repeating direct quotes.
It's not just a grammar rule; it's a fundamental part of how French people share stories and interact daily, making your B1 French sound much more authentic.

重要な例文 (6)

1

Il dit qu'il est en retard.

彼は遅れていると言っています。

間接話法：代名詞の変化 (Discours indirect)
2

Ils disent qu'ils aiment la pizza.

彼らはピザが好きだと言っています。

間接話法：代名詞の変化 (Discours indirect)
3

Il me demande si je suis libre ce soir.

彼は今夜私が暇かどうか聞いています。

はい・いいえの質問を伝える方法 (si)
4

Elle veut savoir si tu as vu son post Instagram.

彼女はあなたがインスタの投稿を見たか知りたがっています。

はい・いいえの質問を伝える方法 (si)
5

Il demande où tu vas.

彼は君がどこへ行くのか聞いているよ。

フランス語の報告疑問文：「どこ/いつ/なぜ」の伝え方
6

Elle veut savoir quand le {le|m} film commence.

彼女は映画がいつ始まるか知りたがっている。

フランス語の報告疑問文：「どこ/いつ/なぜ」の伝え方

ヒントとコツ (4)

💡

消えない 'Que'

英語では 'that' をよく省略しますが、フランス語では que は絶対必要！文をつなぐ「接着剤」だと思って、忘れずに入れてくださいね： "Je pense qu'il a raison."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法：「彼は〜だと言っている」（Discours indirect）
⚠️

「Que」の落とし穴

英語の 'that' と違って、フランス語の que は絶対に省略できません。 "Il a dit qu'il venait." のように必ず入れてね。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 伝聞：誰かが言ったことを伝える方法（時制の変化）
⚠️

「Que」は省略しちゃダメ！

英語の that と違って、フランス語の que は絶対に省略できません。 "Il dit qu'il est là."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法：代名詞の変化 (Discours indirect)
⚠️

Elle のトラップに注意！

s'il があるから s'elle と書きたくなりますが、これはフランス語ではNGです。
Il demande si elle est là.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: はい・いいえの質問を伝える方法 (si)

重要な語彙 (5)

dire que to say that expliquer que to explain that si if/whether demander to ask le discours indirect indirect speech

Real-World Preview

briefcase

The Office Update

Review Summary

  • Subject + Verb (dire/expliquer) + que + [Clause]
  • Present -> Imparfait
  • Je -> Il/Elle, Tu -> Je
  • Demander + si + [Statement structure]
  • Demander + [Question word] + [Statement structure]

よくある間違い

Remember elision (qu'il) and the tense shift (est -> était) after a past introductory verb.

Wrong: Il a dit que il est fatigué.
正解: Il a dit qu'il était fatigué.

Do not use 'est-ce que' after 'si'. Simply follow 'si' with a standard statement structure.

Wrong: Il a demandé si est-ce que je viens.
正解: Il a demandé si je venais.

Ensure the pronoun matches the original speaker (elle) and the verb agrees in gender.

Wrong: Elle a dit que je suis parti.
正解: Elle a dit qu'elle était partie.

Next Steps

You've done an incredible job today. Keep practicing these shifts, and you'll be relaying stories like a native in no time!

Listen to a French podcast and try to summarize what the guest said using indirect speech.

Continue to: Reporting Commands and Time

クイック練習 (6)

次の質問を間接話法に変えてみましょう： 'Où est-ce que tu habites ?'

Il demande ___ tu habites.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: où
間接話法では疑問詞 «où» を使い、 est-ce que は削除します。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: フランス語の報告疑問文：「どこ/いつ/なぜ」の伝え方

正しく報告されている文はどれ？

直接疑問文: 'Quand pars-tu ?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il demande quand tu pars.
「主語＋動詞」の語順（tu pars）を使い、 est-ce que は使いません。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: フランス語の報告疑問文：「どこ/いつ/なぜ」の伝え方

この文の間違いを直してね。

Find and fix the mistake:

Elle demande pourquoi est-ce que tu pleures.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle demande pourquoi tu pleures.
直接疑問文を間接疑問文にする時は est-ce que を取り除きます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: フランス語の報告疑問文：「どこ/いつ/なぜ」の伝え方

語順の間違いを直してください。

Find and fix the mistake:

Je demande si peut-il m'aider.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je demande s'il peut m'aider.
間接疑問文では、倒置（peut-il）を普通の語順（il peut）に戻す必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: はい・いいえの質問を伝える方法 (si)

正しく報告されている文はどれですか？

直接疑問文: 'Est-ce qu'elle est là ?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il demande si elle est là.
'si' は 'elle' とは短縮しません。また、語順は「主語＋動詞」のままにします。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: はい・いいえの質問を伝える方法 (si)

正しい 'si' の形を空欄に入れてください。

Il veut savoir ___ il peut venir avec nous.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: s'
後ろの単語が 'il' で始まっているので、 'si' は 's'' に短縮されます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: はい・いいえの質問を伝える方法 (si)

Score: /6

よくある質問 (6)

大丈夫ですが、いつも 'good' だけを使うように少し単調に聞こえます。 affirmer や expliquer を使うと、より表現が豊かになります。例えば： "Il explique que c'est difficile."
文が途切れて聞こえ、不自然な印象を与えてしまいます。
Il dit il vient
は文法的に間違いなので注意しましょう。必ず "Il dit qu'il vient" と言ってくださいね。
誰かの言葉を「」を使わずに説明することだよ。 Je suis là を Il a dit qu'il était là と言うのがそれだね。
伝える動詞（direなど）が複合過去などの過去形の時だけだよ。現在形なら "Il dit qu'il vient" でOK！
話し手の「私」はあなたの「私」ではないからです。変えないと、あなたが自分のことを話していると思われてしまいます。 "Il dit qu'il est occupé."
はい、でもフランス語では必須です。 "Il dit qu'il vient." のように必ず入れてください。
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