B1 · 중급 챕터 2

Reporting What People Say

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51 예문
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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.

배울 내용

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.

챕터 가이드

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.

주요 예문 (8)

1

Il dit qu'il adore cette nouvelle série sur Netflix.

그는 넷플릭스의 이 새로운 시리즈를 아주 좋아한다고 말해요.

간접 화법: '~라고 말하다' (Discours indirect)
2

Elle explique que le Wi-Fi ne marche pas.

그녀는 와이파이가 작동하지 않는다고 설명해요.

간접 화법: '~라고 말하다' (Discours indirect)
3

Il dit qu'il est en retard.

그는 자기가 늦었다고 말해요.

간접 화법: 대명사 변경 (Discours indirect)
4

Ils disent qu'ils aiment la pizza.

그들은 피자를 좋아한다고 해요.

간접 화법: 대명사 변경 (Discours indirect)
5

Il me demande si je suis libre ce soir.

그는 나에게 오늘 저녁에 시간이 있는지 물어봐요.

예/아니오 질문 전달하기 (si)
6

Elle veut savoir si tu as vu son post Instagram.

그녀는 네가 자기 인스타그램 포스트를 봤는지 알고 싶어 해.

예/아니오 질문 전달하기 (si)
7

Il demande où tu vas.

그는 네가 어디 가는지 물어보고 있어.

프랑스어 간접 화법: '어디서/언제/왜' 묻기
8

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

그녀는 영화가 언제 시작하는지 알고 싶어 해.

프랑스어 간접 화법: '어디서/언제/왜' 묻기

팁과 요령 (4)

💡

투명 인간 'Que'는 없어요

영어와 달리 프랑스어에서 'que'는 절대 생략할 수 없어요! 문장을 이어주는 강력한 풀이라고 생각하세요. "Il dit qu'il vient."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: '~라고 말하다' (Discours indirect)
⚠️

'Que'의 덫

영어와 달리 프랑스어에서 'que'는 생략 불가예요. "Il a dit qu'il venait."처럼 꼭 써주세요.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 한 말 전하기 (시제 변화)
⚠️

'Que'는 생략 불가!

영어에서는 'that'을 자주 생략하지만, 프랑스어에서는 que를 반드시 써야 문장이 완성돼요: "Il dit qu'il est là."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: 대명사 변경 (Discours indirect)
⚠️

Elle의 함정

절대 s'elle이라고 쓰지 마세요. s'il 때문에 헷갈릴 수 있지만 프랑스어에서 si elle은 줄이지 않는 게 규칙이에요.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 예/아니오 질문 전달하기 (si)

핵심 어휘 (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

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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]

자주 하는 실수

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

Wrong: Il a dit que il est fatigué.
정답: 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.
정답: 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.
정답: 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

빠른 연습 (10)

빈칸에 알맞은 연결어(que 또는 si)를 넣으세요.

Il dit ___ il aime le café.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: qu'
'il'이 모음으로 시작하기 때문에 'que'가 'qu''로 축약되어야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: '~라고 말하다' (Discours indirect)

간접 화법에 맞게 동사의 알맞은 형태를 빈칸에 채우세요.

Marc dit : « Je mange une pizza. » -> Marc dit qu'il ___ une pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mange
전달 동사 'dit'이 현재 시제이므로, 뒤에 오는 동사도 현재형 'mange'를 그대로 유지합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 한 말 전하기 (시제 변화)

다음 간접 화법 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

Elle a dit que elle aimait le film.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle a dit qu'elle aimait le film.
프랑스어에서 'que'는 'elle' 같은 모음 앞에서 반드시 'qu''로 축약해야 자연스럽습니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 한 말 전하기 (시제 변화)

어순이 틀린 문장을 올바르게 고쳐보세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

Je demande si peut-il m'aider.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je demande s'il peut m'aider.
간접 화법에서는 'peut-il' 같은 도치형을 'il peut'라는 정상 어순으로 되돌려야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 예/아니오 질문 전달하기 (si)

이 질문 전달 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

Il demande que tu as faim ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il demande si tu as faim.
예/아니오 질문을 전달할 때는 'que' 대신 'si'를 쓰고 물음표를 없앱니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: '~라고 말하다' (Discours indirect)

다음 중 올바르게 전달된 문장은 무엇일까요?

직접 질문: 'Est-ce qu'elle est là ?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il demande si elle est là.
'si'는 'elle'과 축약하지 않으며, '주어 + 동사'의 평서문 어순을 따라야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 예/아니오 질문 전달하기 (si)

앨리스가 말한 "Je suis fatiguée"를 올바르게 전달한 문장은?

알맞은 간접 화법 문장을 고르세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Alice dit qu'elle est fatiguée.
앨리스가 자신에 대해 말하는 것이므로 'Je'를 'elle'로 바꿔야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: '~라고 말하다' (Discours indirect)

« Je suis en retard » (그가 말했다...)를 올바르게 전한 문장은?

알맞은 간접 화법 문장을 고르세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a dit qu'il était en retard.
전달 동사가 과거('a dit')일 때, 현재형 'suis'는 반과거 'était'로 바뀝니다. 'qu''도 잊지 마세요!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 한 말 전하기 (시제 변화)

다음 질문을 간접 화법으로 바꿔보세요: 'Où est-ce que tu habites ?'

Il demande ___ tu habites.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: où
간접 화법에서는 의문사 'où'만 남기고 'est-ce que'는 삭제합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 프랑스어 간접 화법: '어디서/언제/왜' 묻기

문장의 오류를 고쳐보세요.

Elle demande pourquoi est-ce que tu pleures.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle demande pourquoi tu pleures.
직접 의문문을 간접 의문문으로 바꿀 때는 'est-ce que'를 제거해야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 프랑스어 간접 화법: '어디서/언제/왜' 묻기

Score: /10

자주 묻는 질문 (6)

네, 하지만 매번 '좋다'는 말만 하면 지루하겠죠? affirmer나 expliquer를 쓰면 훨씬 세련되게 들려요.
문장이 뚝 끊긴 것처럼 들려요. "Il dit qu'il vient."처럼 꼭 연결해줘야 문법에 맞아요.
다른 사람이 한 말을 따옴표 없이 내 말로 풀어서 전하는 거예요. « Je suis là » 대신 Il a dit qu'il était là라고 말하죠.
dire 같은 전달 동사가 과거 시제일 때만 바꿔요. 현재 시제로 말하고 있다면 바꿀 필요가 없답니다.
말하는 사람의 '나'는 나의 '나'가 아니기 때문이에요. 바꾸지 않으면 사람들이 당신 본인 이야기를 하는 줄 오해할 거예요. 예를 들어 "Il dit qu'il est là"라고 해야 그가 여기 있다는 뜻이 돼요.
네, 하지만 프랑스어에서는 필수예요!
Il dit il est là
라고 하면 틀리고, 반드시 "Il dit qu'il est là"라고 해야 해요.
이전 챕터
Organizing and Refining Your Speech
다음 챕터
Reporting Commands and Time
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