Reported Speech & Tense Shifts
Chapter in 30 Seconds
Master the art of relaying conversations and commands accurately in sophisticated French.
- Convert direct questions into indirect ones using 'si'.
- Shift verb tenses correctly when reporting past events.
- Transform imperatives into polite reported commands using the subjunctive.
What You'll Learn
Indirect speech, tense agreement, and reported questions.
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French Indirect Questions with 'si' (If/Whether)Reported yes/no questions use
si, remove question markers, and follow standard subject-verb order while adjusting pronouns and tenses. -
Talking About the Past: Reporting What People Said (Concordance des temps)When reporting the past, move tenses one step back: Present to Imparfait, Future to Conditionnel.
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Future in the Past: Reported Speech (Conditionnel)Shift the future tense to the conditional when reporting speech that started with a past-tense verb.
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French Reported Commands: Using the Subjunctive (Reported Speech)Use the subjunctive to report what someone wants, orders, or feels when using a
queclause.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
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By the end you will be able to: report past conversations while adjusting tenses and moods accurately.
Key Examples (8)
Il me demande si je suis libre ce soir.
He is asking me if I am free tonight.
French Indirect Questions with 'si' (If/Whether)Je voulais savoir si vous aviez bien reçu mon mail.
I wanted to know if you had indeed received my email.
French Indirect Questions with 'si' (If/Whether)Il a dit : « Je suis fatigué. » → Il a dit qu'il était fatigué.
He said he was tired.
Talking About the Past: Reporting What People Said (Concordance des temps)Elle a écrit : « J'ai déjà fini mon projet. » → Elle m'a écrit qu'elle avait déjà fini son projet.
She wrote to me that she had already finished her project.
Talking About the Past: Reporting What People Said (Concordance des temps)Il m'a dit qu'il m'enverrait un message sur WhatsApp.
He told me he would send me a message on WhatsApp.
Future in the Past: Reported Speech (Conditionnel)Elle a promis qu'elle ne raterait pas mon live Twitch.
She promised she wouldn't miss my Twitch stream.
Future in the Past: Reported Speech (Conditionnel)Ma mère veut que je lui **réponde** sur WhatsApp tout de suite.
My mother wants me to answer her on WhatsApp immediately.
French Reported Commands: Using the Subjunctive (Reported Speech)Le livreur Uber Eats a demandé que je **descende** chercher ma commande.
The Uber Eats driver asked that I come down to get my order.
French Reported Commands: Using the Subjunctive (Reported Speech)Tips & Tricks (4)
The 'si' contraction
Check the reporting verb
Check the main verb
Same Subject Rule
Key Vocabulary (5)
Real-World Preview
Office Update
Review Summary
- Verbe de parole + si + imparfait
- Présent -> Imparfait; Passé Composé -> Plus-que-parfait
- Future -> Conditionnel présent
- Verbe de volonté + que + subjonctif
Common Mistakes
You cannot use the future tense after an introductory verb in the past. Use the conditional instead.
If the reporting verb is in the past, the reported verb must also be in a past tense.
Commands reported with 'ordonner que' require the subjunctive mood, not the indicative.
Rules in This Chapter (4)
Next Steps
You have mastered a very difficult area of French grammar. Keep practicing these shifts and you will sound like a native speaker!
Listen to a news report and try to summarize it using reported speech.
Quick Practice (10)
Find and fix the mistake:
Il a dit qu'il partira.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Reported Speech (Conditionnel)
Il a dit qu'il ___ (venir).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Talking About the Past: Reporting What People Said (Concordance des temps)
Find and fix the mistake:
Je demande si est-ce qu'il vient.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: French Indirect Questions with 'si' (If/Whether)
Il pense que tu ___ (venir).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: French Reported Commands: Using the Subjunctive (Reported Speech)
Il demande ___il vient.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: French Indirect Questions with 'si' (If/Whether)
Il veut que tu ___ (partir) maintenant.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: French Reported Commands: Using the Subjunctive (Reported Speech)
Il a dit qu'il ___ (venir) demain.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Reported Speech (Conditionnel)
Which is correct?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: French Indirect Questions with 'si' (If/Whether)
Which sentence is correct?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: French Reported Commands: Using the Subjunctive (Reported Speech)
Elle pensait que le projet ___ (être) fini.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Reported Speech (Conditionnel)
Score: /10
