Indirect Speech Tense Shifting (Reporting the Past)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
When reporting what someone said in the past, shift your verb tense back to maintain logical consistency.
- Present becomes Imperfect: 'Dijo que tiene hambre' → 'Dijo que tenía hambre'.
- Preterite/Present Perfect becomes Pluperfect: 'Dijo que comió' → 'Dijo que había comido'.
- Future becomes Conditional: 'Dijo que vendrá' → 'Dijo que vendría'.
Overview
Indirect speech, or estilo indirecto in Spanish, allows you to report what someone else said, thought, or asked without quoting their exact words. This grammatical structure is fundamental for effective communication, enabling you to relay information, summarize conversations, and attribute statements. When the original statement was made in the past, and you are reporting it also in the past, Spanish employs a crucial system known as tense shifting or concordancia de los tiempos.
This mechanism ensures logical coherence between the reporting verb and the reported clause, reflecting the passage of time from the original utterance to its recounting.
Unlike English, which often allows for more flexibility, Spanish frequently demands this backshifting to maintain grammatical accuracy and natural flow, particularly when the reporting verb is in a past tense. Failing to apply concordancia de los tiempos can lead to awkward or even ambiguous phrasing. This article provides a comprehensive guide to mastering this advanced syntactic feature, crucial for B2-level learners aiming for fluency and precision in Spanish.
Understanding concordancia de los tiempos is not merely about memorizing transformations; it involves grasping the underlying logic of how Spanish perceives and structures reported past events. It reflects a systematic approach to narrative sequencing, positioning reported information correctly within the timeline of the discourse. This rule applies across all registers, from casual conversation to formal academic writing, making its mastery indispensable for proficient Spanish speakers.
How This Grammar Works
decir – to say, pensar – to think, preguntar – to ask, creer – to believe) is in a past tense, the verb in the dependent clause (the reported statement) must typically "step back" in time. This is the Sequence of Tenses (Secuencia de Tiempos) or Tense Agreement (Concordancia de los Tiempos). The backshift synchronizes the reported action with the past perspective of the reporting action.Juan dijo que estaba cansado (Juan said he was tired). Here, dijo (Preterite) triggers the backshift of the original estoy (Present) to estaba (Imperfect). The Imperfecto in the reported clause signals that the state of being tired was concurrent with the moment Juan spoke, but from a past viewpoint.dice), future (dirá), or present perfect (ha dicho), no tense shift usually occurs in the reported clause because the reporting act is considered present or ongoing. For instance, Ana dice que está cansada (Ana says she is tired). The present dice means Ana's tiredness is being reported in real-time, hence está remains in the present.Formation Pattern
Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Imperfecto, Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto), the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause (the reported content) undergoes a specific transformation. This ensures tense agreement (concordancia de los tiempos) within the sentence. Below are the primary shifts you must master:
Presente de Indicativo, it shifts to the Pretérito Imperfecto de Indicativo in indirect speech. This is the most common and fundamental shift.
Estoy cansado. | Dijo que estaba cansado. |
Viven en Madrid. | Me comentó que vivían en Madrid. |
No entiendo nada. | Me dijo que no entendía nada. |
Ella me dijo: "Tengo hambre." → Ella me dijo que tenía hambre. (She told me she was hungry.) The original state tengo shifts to tenía to align with the past reporting verb dijo.
Pretérito Indefinido or Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto, both generally shift to the Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo in indirect speech. This signifies an action completed before the past reporting action.
Fui al mercado. | Me dijo que había ido al mercado.|
He terminado el proyecto. | Afirmó que había terminado el proyecto. |
No lo vi. | Confirmó que no lo había visto. |
Juan dijo: "He comprado un coche nuevo." → Juan dijo que había comprado un coche nuevo. (Juan said he had bought a new car.) He comprado shifts to había comprado because the buying occurred before Juan made the statement, which is now being reported in the past.
Futuro Simple de Indicativo transforms into the Condicional Simple in indirect speech. This reflects a future action relative to the past reporting moment.
Vendré mañana. | Prometió que vendría al día siguiente. |
Lo haré yo. | Dijo que lo haría él. |
Viajarán a Chile. | Informó que viajarían a Chile. |
El jefe anunció: "Subiremos los salarios." → El jefe anunció que subirían los salarios. (The boss announced they would raise salaries.) Subiremos becomes subirían, indicating a future action from the past perspective of the announcement.
Futuro Perfecto de Indicativo, it shifts to the Condicional Compuesto (or Perfecto). This indicates an action that would have been completed by a certain future time, from a past perspective.
Habré llegado antes de las ocho. | Dijo que habría llegado antes de las ocho. |
Lo habrás terminado para entonces.| Pensó que lo habríamos terminado para entonces. |
Ella dijo: "Para el lunes, habré escrito el informe." → Ella dijo que para el lunes habría escrito el informe. (She said that by Monday, she would have written the report.)
Condicional Simple or Condicional Compuesto typically do not change when reported in the past. These tenses are already situated in a hypothetical or future-in-the-past framework, making further backshifting unnecessary.
Me gustaría ir. | Dijo que le gustaría ir. |
Habría venido si pudiera. | Creía que habría venido si pudiera. |
Pedro comentó: "Debería estudiar más." → Pedro comentó que debería estudiar más. (Pedro commented that he should study more.)
Imperativo, transform into the Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo in indirect speech. This is because a command becomes an indirect request or instruction.
¡Cierra la puerta! | Me pidió que cerrara la puerta. |
¡No lo hagas! | Me rogó que no lo hiciera. |
¡Coman sus verduras! | La madre insistió en que comieran sus verduras. |
El profesor dijo: "Estudien para el examen." → El profesor dijo que estudiaran para el examen. (The professor said they should study for the exam.) The command estudien shifts to the indirect request estudiaran.
Presente de Subjuntivo (often after verbs of desire, emotion, doubt, or recommendation), it typically shifts to the Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo.
Espero que vengas. | Dijo que esperaba que viniera. |
No creo que sea cierto. | Comentó que no creía que fuera cierto. |
Quiero que me ayudes. | Me dijo que quería que le ayudara. |
Ella me dijo: "Quiero que me escuches." → Ella me dijo que quería que le escuchara. (She told me she wanted me to listen to her.) Escuches shifts to escuchara to align with the past reporting verb and the subordinate clause's temporal context.
Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo shifts to Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo.
No creo que haya llegado. | Dudó que hubiera llegado. |
Me alegra que hayas venido. | Dijo que le alegraba que hubiera venido. |
El sospechoso negó: "No creo que haya cometido ese crimen." → El sospechoso negó que hubiera cometido ese crimen. (The suspect denied that he had committed that crime.)
Ojalá viniera. | Dijo que ojalá viniera. |
No habría ido si lo hubiera sabido. | Afirmó que no habría ido si lo hubiera sabido. |
Yo becomes él/ella; tú becomes él/ella; mi becomes su; te becomes le/la/lo.
Ella me dijo: "Te llamo." → Ella me dijo que me llamaba. (She told me she was calling me.)
hoy → ese día
ayer → el día anterior
mañana → el día siguiente / al día siguiente
ahora → entonces / en ese momento
la semana pasada → la semana anterior
aquí → allí / en ese lugar
este → ese
Juan me dijo: "Te veo mañana aquí." → Juan me dijo que me veía al día siguiente allí. (Juan told me he would see me the next day there.)
When To Use It
- Reporting Past Conversations: This is the most direct application. Any time you relay what someone said at a previous moment, you will likely engage tense shifting. For example, telling a friend about a conversation you had with your boss:
El jefe dijo que la reunión se cancelaba(The boss said the meeting was canceled). This avoids misrepresenting the original statement as current.
- Recounting Narratives and Stories: When narrating events, whether personal anecdotes or broader historical accounts, reporting information within the narrative often necessitates tense shifts. This helps maintain a consistent past perspective for the listener or reader.
Los historiadores explicaron que la guerra había durado diez años(The historians explained that the war had lasted ten years).
- Summarizing News or Information: Whether you're discussing current events from a news report or summarizing a document, if the source's statement is presented as a past fact, you'll use this structure.
El periódico publicó que el gobierno tomaría nuevas medidas(The newspaper published that the government would take new measures).
- Expressing Past Thoughts, Beliefs, or Opinions: Verbs like
pensar(to think),creer(to believe),saber(to know),dudar(to doubt), when used in the past, also trigger tense shifts.Pensé que ya habías comido(I thought you had already eaten). This allows you to articulate your internal state or understanding at a previous point in time.
- Clarifying Misunderstandings or Contradictions: When addressing a past miscommunication, indirect speech is crucial for setting the record straight.
Te dije que no iría, no sé por qué entendiste lo contrario(I told you I wouldn't go, I don't know why you understood otherwise). This clearly references your original statement in the past.
- Formal and Informal Contexts: This rule is universal. While in very casual, fast-paced conversation, native speakers might occasionally take shortcuts or omit a backshift if the context is absolutely clear, it is not grammatically standard and should generally be avoided by learners aiming for proficiency. Adhering to the backshift demonstrates a higher level of linguistic accuracy and respect for grammatical convention.
Dijo que la Tierra era redonda and Dijo que la Tierra es redonda are both technically possible. The Imperfecto (era) is grammatically consistent with the past reporting verb and sounds more natural in most contexts of reported speech.Presente (es) is acceptable if you wish to emphasize the enduring truth of the statement. For B2 learners, however, prioritizing the backshift to the Imperfecto is recommended for consistency and to avoid errors in less clear-cut situations. This consistency will ensure your Spanish always sounds correct and polished.Common Mistakes
- Incorrect:
Me dijo que estoy ocupado.(He told me that I am busy.) – Here,estoyis present, butdijois past. The reported state should reflect the past reporting. - Correct:
Me dijo que estaba ocupado.(He told me that I was busy.)
Presente (estoy) implies a current state from the reporter's perspective, which clashes with the past dijo. The Imperfecto (estaba) correctly situates the state of being busy as concurrent with the past moment of being told.Imperfecto with Pretérito or Conditional with Imperfecto.- Incorrect:
Dijo que fue al cine ayer.(He said he went to the cinema yesterday.) – If the original wasFui, it should backshift tohabía ido, not stay asPretérito. - Correct:
Dijo que había ido al cine el día anterior.(He said he had gone to the cinema the day before.)
Pretérito fue still implies a single, completed action in the past, but the Pluscuamperfecto había ido correctly indicates an action completed before the past reporting verb dijo.- Incorrect:
Ella dijo que vendrá mañana aquí.(She said she will come tomorrow here.) –mañanaandaquíare relative to the original utterance. - Correct:
Ella dijo que vendría al día siguiente allí.(She said she would come the next day there.)
mañana and aquí would refer to the day after the reporting and the place of the reporting, rather than the intended original future day and place of the speaker.Condicional or Imperfecto de Subjuntivo.- Incorrect:
Dijo que habría gustado ir.(He said he would have liked to go.) – If the original wasMe gustaría ir,gustaría(Conditional) does not backshift. - Correct:
Dijo que le gustaría ir.(He said he would like to go.)
Condicional is already a future-in-the-past or hypothetical tense, so further backshifting is illogical and creates an ungrammatical form.- Incorrect:
Me dijo: "¡Limpia tu habitación!"(He told me: "Clean your room!") – This is direct speech. For indirect, a transformation is needed. - Correct:
Me dijo que limpiara su habitación.(He told me to clean his room.)
Imperfecto de Subjuntivo to reflect this shift in mood and function.Real Conversations
Understanding indirect speech tense shifting in theory is one step; observing its use in authentic communication is another. In real-life Spanish conversations, this structure is pervasive, appearing in various registers and contexts. Pay attention to how native speakers navigate these shifts, often seamlessly, to convey nuanced information.
1. Casual Catch-ups with Friends:
When recounting recent events or gossip, tense shifts are frequent.
- Ayer quedé con María y me dijo que estaba muy estresada con el trabajo, que no había dormido bien últimamente. También comentó que iría de vacaciones el próximo mes si conseguía el permiso.
- (Yesterday I met up with María and she told me that she was very stressed with work, that she hadn't slept well lately. She also commented that she would go on vacation next month if she got the permission.)
- Observation: Note the rapid shifts from estoy → estaba, no he dormido → no había dormido, iré → iría, consigo → conseguía. This demonstrates how multiple original tenses are transformed within a single reported narrative.
2. Professional Settings (Work Meetings, Emails):
In more formal or professional contexts, precision is paramount, and the backshifting rules are strictly adhered to.
- El gerente nos informó que el presupuesto del proyecto había sido aprobado y que empezaríamos la fase de implementación la semana siguiente. También indicó que cualquier cambio significativo debería ser comunicado con antelación.
- (The manager informed us that the project budget had been approved and that we would start the implementation phase the following week. He also indicated that any significant change should be communicated in advance.)
- Observation: Here, ha sido (Present Perfect) shifts to había sido (Pluperfect), and empezaremos (Future) shifts to empezaríamos (Conditional). The use of debería ser (Conditional), even if originally debe ser, is common in formal reported requests or obligations.
3. Social Media and Messaging:
Even in informal digital communication, the logic of concordancia de los tiempos often holds, especially for clarity.
- Chat A: "No puedo ir a la fiesta." (I can't go to the party.)
- Chat B reports to Chat C: Dice que no puede ir. ¡Qué lástima! Ah, no, espera, dijo antes que no podía ir. Mi error.
- (He says he can't go. What a pity! Oh, no, wait, he said earlier that he couldn't go. My mistake.)
- Observation: The immediate correction from dice que no puede (present reporting) to dijo que no podía (past reporting, with backshift) highlights the importance of the initial reporting verb. The speaker self-corrects to maintain accuracy relative to when the information was received.
4. Historical or News Reporting:
When journalists or historians report past statements, these rules are applied rigorously to provide factual and temporally accurate accounts.
- Los analistas predijeron que la economía sufriría una recesión leve, pero reconocieron que no habían anticipado el impacto global de la crisis.
- (Analysts predicted that the economy would suffer a mild recession, but they recognized that they had not anticipated the global impact of the crisis.)
- Observation: Predecirán (Future) becomes sufriría (Conditional), and no han anticipado (Present Perfect) becomes no habían anticipado (Pluperfect). This structured reporting maintains the historical distance.
These examples illustrate that concordancia de los tiempos is not an abstract rule but a living, functional aspect of the Spanish language, critical for expressing clear temporal relationships in reported speech. Pay close attention to these patterns in your listening and reading to internalize them naturally.
Quick FAQ
- Q: Do I always have to shift the tense back? What about universal truths or statements that are still true?
- A: While Spanish can sometimes allow the
Presente de Indicativoto remain (Dijo que la Tierra es redonda- He said the Earth is round) for universal truths or facts that are unequivocally still true, the grammatically safest and most consistent approach is to apply the backshift to theImperfecto(Dijo que la Tierra era redonda). TheImperfectois rarely incorrect in reported past speech, whereas retaining thePresentecan sometimes sound less natural or create ambiguity in other contexts. For B2 learners, err on the side of backshifting.
- Q: What happens if the direct statement is already in the
Conditionaltense? Does it shift further? - A: No. If the direct statement uses the
Condicional SimpleorCondicional Compuesto, these tenses generally do not change in indirect speech when the reporting verb is in the past. They are already inherently situated in a hypothetical or future-in-the-past context, so no further backshift is logical or grammatically required. Example:Ella dijo: "Me gustaría viajar"→Ella dijo que le gustaría viajar.
- Q: How do
Imperfecto de SubjuntivoorPluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivobehave? Do they also shift? - A: Similar to the
Conditional, these subjunctive tenses typically do not change when reported in the past. They already represent past hypothetical situations or actions prior to another past event. Example:Dijo: "Ojalá no lloviera."→Dijo que ojalá no lloviera.
- Q: Beyond verbs, what other elements might need to change in reported speech?
- A: Critical adjustments include pronouns (e.g.,
yo→él/ella,tú→él/ella,mi→su) and adverbs of time and place. Adverbs likehoy(today) becomeese día(that day),mañana(tomorrow) becomesel día siguiente(the following day),ayer(yesterday) becomesel día anterior(the day before), andaquí(here) becomesallí(there). These changes are crucial for temporal and spatial accuracy from the reporter's new perspective.
- Q: Are there differences between Latin American Spanish and Peninsular Spanish regarding these rules?
- A: The fundamental rules of
concordancia de los tiemposare universally applied across all major Spanish dialects. While vocabulary, accent, and the usage ofvosotros(Peninsular) vs.ustedes(Latin American) for second-person plural commands differ, the tense shifts in indirect speech remain consistent. APresentefrom direct speech will still becomeImperfectoin reported speech, regardless of the region.
Tense Shifting Rules
| Original Tense | Reported Tense |
|---|---|
|
Present
|
Imperfect
|
|
Preterite
|
Pluperfect
|
|
Present Perfect
|
Pluperfect
|
|
Future
|
Conditional
|
|
Imperative
|
Subjunctive (Imperfect)
|
Meanings
The process of adapting verb tenses when moving from direct speech to indirect speech to reflect the temporal distance of the reporting event.
Reporting past statements
Relaying information originally stated in the past.
“Él dijo que quería ir al cine.”
“Me contó que había terminado el trabajo.”
Reporting questions
Transforming direct questions into indirect ones.
“Me preguntó si quería comer.”
“Quiso saber qué estaba haciendo.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Dijo que + [Shifted Verb]
|
Dijo que estaba feliz.
|
|
Negative
|
Dijo que no + [Shifted Verb]
|
Dijo que no quería ir.
|
|
Yes/No Question
|
Preguntó si + [Shifted Verb]
|
Preguntó si tenía hambre.
|
|
WH- Question
|
Preguntó [WH] + [Shifted Verb]
|
Preguntó qué querías.
|
|
Command
|
Me pidió que + [Subjunctive]
|
Me pidió que lo hiciera.
|
|
Future
|
Dijo que + [Conditional]
|
Dijo que vendría.
|
Formality Spectrum
Afirmó que vendría. (Reporting a promise)
Dijo que vendría. (Reporting a promise)
Me dijo que venía. (Reporting a promise)
Dijo que caía. (Reporting a promise)
Tense Shift Flow
Present
- Imperfect Imperfect
Future
- Conditional Conditional
Preterite
- Pluperfect Pluperfect
Examples by Level
Él dijo que tiene hambre.
He said he is hungry.
Ella dijo que está feliz.
She said she is happy.
Dijeron que es tarde.
They said it is late.
Me dijo que es verdad.
He told me it is true.
Dijo que estaba cansado.
He said he was tired.
Me preguntó si quería comer.
He asked me if I wanted to eat.
Dijo que no podía ir.
He said he couldn't go.
Contó que vivía en Madrid.
He said he lived in Madrid.
Dijo que vendría mañana.
He said he would come tomorrow.
Dijo que había comido ya.
He said he had already eaten.
Preguntó qué hacíamos allí.
He asked what we were doing there.
Dijo que terminaría el informe.
He said he would finish the report.
Me aseguró que lo habría hecho.
He assured me he would have done it.
Dijo que no sabía si llegarían.
He said he didn't know if they would arrive.
Preguntó por qué no habíamos llamado.
He asked why we hadn't called.
Dijo que, si pudiera, iría.
He said that if he could, he would go.
Me pidió que lo hiciera pronto.
He asked me to do it soon.
Dijo que no creía que fuera verdad.
He said he didn't believe it was true.
Sugirió que habláramos con él.
He suggested we speak with him.
Dijo que lamentaba que hubieras ido.
He said he regretted that you had gone.
Dijo que, de haberlo sabido, habría actuado.
He said that had he known, he would have acted.
Afirmó que, aunque estuviera cansado, terminaría.
He stated that even if he were tired, he would finish.
Sostuvo que no se le habría permitido.
He maintained that it would not have been allowed.
Dijo que, para cuando llegáramos, habría terminado.
He said that by the time we arrived, he would have finished.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up the tense shifts.
Learners shift tenses even when reporting in the present.
Learners use indicative for commands.
Common Mistakes
Dijo que tiene hambre.
Dijo que tenía hambre.
Dijo que vendrá.
Dijo que vendría.
Me dijo que mi coche es rojo.
Me dijo que su coche era rojo.
Dijo que comió.
Dijo que había comido.
Preguntó qué quieres.
Preguntó qué querías.
Dijo que no ir.
Dijo que no iría.
Dijo que ha ido.
Dijo que había ido.
Me dijo que lo hago.
Me dijo que lo hiciera.
Dijo que si vendría.
Dijo si vendría.
Dijo que él es feliz.
Dijo que él era feliz.
Dijo que no creía que es verdad.
Dijo que no creía que fuera verdad.
Dijo que lo habría hecho si sabía.
Dijo que lo habría hecho si hubiera sabido.
Dijo que no se le permitió.
Dijo que no se le habría permitido.
Sentence Patterns
Dijo que ___.
Me preguntó si ___.
Dijo que ___ mañana.
Me pidió que ___.
Real World Usage
Me dijeron que el salario sería competitivo.
Dijo que ya venía.
Dijeron que el evento se cancelaría.
El guía dijo que el museo cerraba a las cinco.
Me dijeron que la comida llegaría en diez minutos.
El autor sostuvo que los datos eran correctos.
Check the reporting verb
Don't forget pronouns
The 'que' rule
Regional variations
Smart Tips
Use the conditional tense.
Use the imperfect subjunctive.
Use 'si' for yes/no questions.
Use the pluperfect.
Pronunciation
Intonation
Indirect speech usually has a falling intonation at the end of the sentence.
Reporting statement
Dijo que vendría ↘
Neutral reporting
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Past reporting means past shifting. If the speaker is in the past, the verb must follow.
Visual Association
Imagine a clock moving one hour back every time you report a sentence.
Rhyme
When the reporting verb is in the past, the tense must shift to make it last.
Story
Juan said he was tired. I told Maria that Juan said he had been tired. We keep moving back in time.
Word Web
Challenge
Report three things your friend said to you yesterday in 5 minutes.
Cultural Notes
In Spain, the use of the conditional for future-in-the-past is very standard.
Mexicans often use the imperfect for polite requests in reported speech.
Argentines frequently use the 'voseo' in reported speech.
Derived from Latin indirect discourse structures.
Conversation Starters
¿Qué te dijo tu jefe ayer?
¿Qué te contaron tus amigos sobre la fiesta?
¿Qué te preguntó tu madre la última vez que hablaste con ella?
¿Qué te prometieron en tu último trabajo?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Él dijo que ___ (tener) hambre.
Ella dijo que ___ (venir) mañana.
Find and fix the mistake:
Dijo que quiere ir. -> Dijo que ___ ir.
Direct: 'Comeré'. Indirect: Dijo que ___.
Dijo que es verdad (reporting past event).
A: ¿Qué dijo? B: Dijo que ___.
que / dijo / vendría / él.
Which is the correct shift for 'Preterite'?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesÉl dijo que ___ (tener) hambre.
Ella dijo que ___ (venir) mañana.
Find and fix the mistake:
Dijo que quiere ir. -> Dijo que ___ ir.
Direct: 'Comeré'. Indirect: Dijo que ___.
Dijo que es verdad (reporting past event).
A: ¿Qué dijo? B: Dijo que ___.
que / dijo / vendría / él.
Which is the correct shift for 'Preterite'?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesJuan dijo que ___ feliz.
Ella dijo que ___ pan.
Original: "¡Siéntate!"
Choose the best translation:
Creía que la tienda está abierta.
Me prometió que viene a la fiesta.
Él dijo que...
Dijo que ___ salir.
Me pidió que no ___.
La carta decía que todo ___ bien.
Dijo que ___ estudiando.
Pensamos que él tiene dinero.
Dijo que le ___ el coche.
Score: /13
FAQ (8)
Only if the reporting verb is in the past.
In Spanish, you still shift for consistency.
Use the imperfect subjunctive.
Yes, it acts as the bridge.
Only if the reporting verb is in the present.
Use 'si' for yes/no questions.
It is used in all registers.
Because it requires tracking multiple tenses.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Reported speech
Spanish requires the shift more consistently.
Discours indirect
French uses 'que' similarly but has different subjunctive triggers.
Konjunktiv I
German changes the mood, not just the tense.
To-iu
Japanese does not shift tenses like Spanish.
Indirect reporting
Arabic lacks the complex tense-shifting system of Spanish.
Shuo
Chinese has no verb conjugation or tense shifting.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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