B2 · 중상급 챕터 7

Reporting the Past and Expressing Regret

8 총 규칙
88 예문
7

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.

배울 내용

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.

챕터 가이드

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. 1Wrong:
    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. 1Wrong:
    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. 1Wrong:
    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.

주요 예문 (8)

1

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

페드로는 아파서 파티에 가지 않겠다고 말했어요.

간접 화법 (그는 ~라고 말했다)
2

A recepcionista perguntou se eu tinha agendamento.

접수원이 저에게 예약이 있는지 물어봤어요.

간접 화법 (그는 ~라고 말했다)
3

Você sabe `se` tem Wi-Fi aqui?

여기 와이파이 있는지 아시나요?

간접 의문문: Se와 의문사 사용하기
4

Não me lembro `onde` estacionei o carro.

차를 어디에 주차했는지 기억이 안 나요.

간접 의문문: Se와 의문사 사용하기
5

O Tiago disse que não podia ir à festa.

Tiago said he couldn't go to the party.

과거 시제 간접 화법 (Ele disse que...)
6

Ela perguntou se eu já tinha visto o novo episódio.

She asked if I had already seen the new episode.

과거 시제 간접 화법 (Ele disse que...)
7

Se você tivesse me avisado, eu não teria vindo.

네가 나한테 미리 알려줬더라면, 나는 안 왔을 거야.

가정법 과거완료: 과거의 후회 (Se eu tivesse...)
8

Se a gente tivesse saído antes, não tinha pego esse trânsito.

우리가 좀 더 일찍 나왔더라면, 차가 이렇게 막히지 않았을 텐데.

가정법 과거완료: 과거의 후회 (Se eu tivesse...)

팁과 요령 (4)

🎯

'Que' 생략의 비밀

브라질 구어체에서는 'diz' 뒤에 'que'를 생략하기도 하지만, 글을 쓰거나 과거 시제를 보고할 때는 명확성을 위해 꼭 써주는 게 좋아요:
Ele diz que vai vir hoje.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법 (그는 ~라고 말했다)
⚠️

'Que'의 함정

'se', 'onde', 'quem' 앞에 절대 'que'를 붙이지 마세요. 스페인어나 영어의 영향으로 자주 하는 실수랍니다:
Eu perguntei onde ela estava.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 의문문: Se와 의문사 사용하기
🎯

"Para" 지름길 활용하기

접속법 동사 변화가 아직은 조금 어렵게 느껴진다면, 그냥 'Pedir para' 뒤에 동사원형을 쓰세요. 브라질 현지 어디서든 아주 자연스럽게 통하는 만능 표현이랍니다:
Ele pediu para falar.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 명령 (Discurso Indireto - Imperativo)
🎯

접착제 'Que'를 잊지 마세요

영어에서는 'that'을 생략하기도 하지만, 포르투갈어에서는 연결 고리인 'que'가 꼭 필요해요. 친구가 아프다고 했다면 이렇게 말하세요:
Ele disse que estava doente.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: 현재에서 불완전 과거로 (그는 ~라고 말했다)

핵심 어휘 (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

자주 하는 실수

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

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

Indirect questions need the correct interrogative particle.

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

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

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

이 챕터의 규칙 (8)

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.

빠른 연습 (10)

결과절의 문법적 오류를 수정하세요.

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.
결과절에는 단순 과거(perdi)를 쓸 수 없고, 조건법 완료(teria perdido)를 써야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 가정법 과거완료: 과거의 후회 (Se eu tivesse...)

"Eu vou ao cinema amanhã"를 올바르게 보고한 문장을 고르세요.

올바른 간접 화법을 선택하세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela disse que ia ao cinema no dia seguinte.
동사는 미완료 과거/조건법('ia')으로 바뀌고, 시간 부사 'amanhã'는 'no dia seguinte'로 바뀝니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법 (그는 ~라고 말했다)

다음 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아보세요.

Se você teria me ligado, eu teria atendido.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Change 'teria me ligado' to 'tivesse me ligado'
'Se' 절 안에는 조건법('teria')을 절대 쓸 수 없어요. 대신 접속법('tivesse')을 사용해야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 가정법 과거완료 (내가 알았더라면...)

문법적으로 올바른 문장을 고르세요.

가장 좋은 옵션을 선택하세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela perguntou se eu queria café.
'se' 앞에는 'que'가 필요 없으며, 평서문 형태이므로 물음표를 쓰지 않습니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 의문문: Se와 의문사 사용하기

동사의 올바른 형태를 채워 문장을 완성하세요.

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tivesse sabido / teria ajudado
조건절에는 'tivesse' + 과거분사가 오고, 결과절에는 'teria' + 과거분사가 와야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 가정법 과거완료 (내가 알았더라면...)

틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

Você sabe que horas são.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você sabe que horas são?
주문장 자체가 질문(Você sabe...?)이라면 문장 끝에 물음표를 붙여야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 의문문: Se와 의문사 사용하기

Change to reported speech.

Ele disse: 'Eu como'. -> Ele disse que ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: comia
Present to imperfect shift.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 과거 시제 간접 화법 (Ele disse que...)

과거 가상 상황을 나타내는 문장을 고르세요.

다음 중 올바른 옵션을 선택하세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Se eu tivesse tido tempo, eu teria ido.
세 번째 옵션만이 이미 일어나지 않은 과거의 일을 가리키는 복합 과거 구조를 사용하고 있습니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 가정법 과거완료 (내가 알았더라면...)

알맞은 접속법 과거완료 형태를 골라 문장을 완성하세요.

Se você ___ (estudar) mais, teria passado na prova.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tivesse estudado
'Se'가 이끄는 조건절에는 조동사 'tivesse'와 과거분사가 필요해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 가정법 과거완료: 과거의 후회 (Se eu tivesse...)

빈칸에 알맞은 연결어(se, onde, quem 등)를 넣으세요.

Eu não sei ___ ele mora.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: onde
장소에 대해 간접적으로 물어볼 때는 'que' 없이 'onde'만 사용합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 의문문: Se와 의문사 사용하기

Score: /10

자주 묻는 질문 (6)

누군가가 한 말을 그대로 인용하지 않고, 자신의 말로 풀어서 전달하는 방식이에요. 예를 들어 "그가 '행복해'라고 말했어« 대신 »그는 자기가 행복하다고 말했어«라고 하는 것이죠. 포르투갈어로는 »Ele disse que estava feliz"처럼 표현합니다.
보고하는 동사(말했다, 물었다 등)가 과거 시제일 때만 바꿉니다. 만약 현재형으로 «그가 말하길(Ele diz)»이라고 한다면 뒤에 오는 문장의 시제는 그대로 유지돼요. 예를 들어
Ele diz que está feliz
는 현재 상태를 그대로 전하는 것이죠.
다른 문장 안에 질문을 쏙 집어넣는 방식이에요. «Is it...?» 대신
I want to know if...
라고 말하면 훨씬 정중해지죠.
불확실한 질문에는 se를 쓰고, 확실한 사실에는 que를 써요.
Não sei se ele vem.
(올지 모르겠어)처럼요.
아니요, 안 돼요. 'Perguntar'는 «~인지 물어봤다» 같은 의문문을 전달할 때만 씁니다. 명령이나 부탁을 전달할 때는 반드시 Pedir를 써야 해요:
Ele me pediu para sair.
접속법을 사용할 때만 'que'를 씁니다:
Ele pediu que ficasse.
만약 동사원형 방법을 쓴다면 'para'를 대신 사용하세요:
Ele pediu para ficar.