Reporting Speech: 'He says that...' (Discours indirect)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Reported speech lets you repeat what someone else said by using 'que' to connect the reporting verb to the statement.
- Use 'que' (or 'qu'') after the reporting verb: Il dit qu'il est fatigué.
- Adjust pronouns to match the new perspective: 'Je' becomes 'il' or 'elle'.
- Keep the original tense if the reporting verb is in the present: Il dit qu'il mange.
Overview
When you relay information that someone else has said, thought, or communicated, you are engaging in reported speech, known in French as le discours indirect. This grammatical construction allows you to integrate another person's words into your own narrative without quoting them directly. Rather than presenting the exact utterance, you transform it to fit the context of your own statement.
For a B1 learner, mastering le discours indirect for statements is crucial for effective and natural communication, moving beyond simple repetitions to sophisticated expression. It reflects an ability to synthesize and re-present information, a core skill for intermediate language proficiency. This structure is foundational for discussing past events, summarizing conversations, or sharing opinions.
Consider the difference between Il a dit : "Je suis fatigué." (direct speech) and Il a dit qu'il était fatigué. (reported speech). The latter seamlessly incorporates the information into your sentence.
How This Grammar Works
le discours indirect transforms a direct statement into a subordinate clause within a larger sentence. This transformation typically involves three key components: a reporting verb, a subordinating conjunction, and the adapted reported clause. The reporting verb, often dire (to say), affirmer (to affirm), expliquer (to explain), or déclarer (to declare), introduces the reported information and establishes the speaker and the act of communication.que (that), which links the main clause to the reported clause.que is to integrate the reported utterance seamlessly into your sentence. The reported clause, which follows que, contains the original message, but with necessary grammatical adjustments. These adjustments primarily concern pronouns and sometimes verb tenses, though at the B1 level, tense changes are often simplified when the reporting verb is in the present.Je suis prêt. (I am ready.), and you report this, je becomes il or elle, and suis changes to est. The overarching linguistic principle here is concordance – ensuring the reported message aligns grammatically with its new narrative context. Il dit qu'il est prêt. (He says that he is ready.) demonstrates this cohesive structure.affirmer instead of dire conveys a stronger sense of certainty. For example, Elle affirme qu'elle a raison. (She affirms that she is right.) carries more weight than Elle dit qu'elle a raison..Formation Pattern
le discours indirect for statements follows a consistent set of steps. Mastering this pattern ensures your reported sentences are grammatically correct and clear.
que/qu': Begin your sentence with a main clause containing a reporting verb, immediately followed by the subordinating conjunction que or qu'. This que is obligatory for reported statements. Use que before words starting with a consonant; qu' (elision) before words starting with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), a silent h, or y for smooth pronunciation.
dire | to say | Il dit : "J'arrive." | Il dit qu'il arrive. |
affirmer | to affirm | Elle affirme : "C'est vrai." | Elle affirme que c'est vrai. |
déclarer | to declare | Ils déclarent : "Nous sommes prêts." | Ils déclarent qu'ils sont prêts. |
expliquer | to explain | Tu expliques : "Je ne comprends pas." | Tu expliques que tu ne comprends pas. |
prétendre | to claim | On prétend : "Il est innocent." | On prétend qu'il est innocent. |
suggérer | to suggest | Nous suggérons : "Allons-y." | Nous suggérons que nous y allions. |
répondre | to answer | Je réponds : "Oui." | Je réponds que oui. |
je (I), you will likely change it to il (he) or elle (she) in the reported speech, unless you are reporting your own words.
je | il, elle | Il dit : "Je suis content." -> Il dit qu'il est content. |
tu | je, il, elle | Elle dit : "Tu es en retard." -> Elle dit que je suis en retard. (if reporting about you) |
nous | ils, elles | Ils disent : "Nous partons." -> Ils disent qu'ils partent. |
vous | je, nous, ils, elles | Il dit : "Vous êtes prêts." -> Il dit que nous sommes prêts. (if 'vous' was 'us') |
il, elle, on, ils, elles | (remain unchanged) | Elle dit : "Il pleut." -> Elle dit qu'il pleut. |
il dit, elle explique), the verb in the reported clause generally retains its original tense. This simplifies the process.
Elle dit : "Je travaille beaucoup." (Present) -> Elle dit qu'elle travaille beaucoup.
Il pense : "J'ai fini mon travail." (Passé Composé) -> Il pense qu'il a fini son travail.
Nous affirmons : "Nous irons demain." (Futur Simple) -> Nous affirmons que nous irons demain.
Marie dit : "J'adore ce film !"
Marie dit qu'elle adore ce film.
When To Use It
Le discours indirect is an indispensable tool for reporting information from various sources and in diverse contexts. It allows you to integrate recounted events, opinions, or facts into your own ongoing discourse, making your communication more fluent and coherent. You will employ this structure whenever you need to relay a statement made by someone else, rather than presenting it as a direct quote.le discours indirect is not only useful but often necessary:- Summarizing Conversations: When recounting a discussion, you summarize key points using reported speech.
Le directeur a annoncé que le projet serait retardé.(The director announced that the project would be delayed.) - Relaying Information: Whether passing along news, instructions, or observations, reported speech is the primary mechanism.
Elle a dit qu'elle partait en vacances la semaine prochaine.(She said that she was going on vacation next week.) - Expressing Opinions and Beliefs: To share someone's perspective, you use reported speech.
Mon professeur pense que l'examen sera difficile.(My professor thinks that the exam will be difficult.) - Reporting News and Media: Journalists and commentators constantly use reported speech to attribute information.
Le journal affirme que de nouvelles mesures seront mises en place.(The newspaper affirms that new measures will be put in place.) - Formal and Informal Communication:
Le discours indirectadapts from professional emails (Je vous informe que la réunion est annulée.) to casual text messages (Il a dit qu'il arrivait bientôt.).
le discours indirect demonstrates an advanced command of French, allowing you to synthesize and process information rather than simply regurgitating it. It enables you to distance yourself slightly from the original utterance, presenting it as reported content rather than your direct endorsement.Common Mistakes
le discours indirect. Recognizing these common errors and understanding their underlying reasons will significantly improve your accuracy.- Omission of
que: This is the most frequent error. In English,
Reporting Verb Tense Shifts
| Reporting Verb (Present) | Reporting Verb (Past) | Reported Verb (Shift) |
|---|---|---|
|
Il dit
|
Il a dit
|
Imparfait
|
|
Il pense
|
Il a pensé
|
Imparfait
|
|
Il demande
|
Il a demandé
|
Plus-que-parfait
|
|
Il affirme
|
Il a affirmé
|
Imparfait
|
|
Il espère
|
Il a espéré
|
Conditionnel présent
|
Common Contractions
| Form | Expansion | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
qu'il
|
que il
|
Before vowel
|
|
qu'elle
|
que elle
|
Before vowel
|
|
qu'on
|
que on
|
Before vowel
|
Meanings
Reported speech is used to convey what someone else has said without quoting them directly. It transforms the original statement into a subordinate clause.
Reporting statements
Relaying information or opinions expressed by others.
“Il dit qu'il arrive bientôt.”
“Elle pense que c'est une bonne idée.”
Reporting thoughts
Sharing what someone believes or thinks.
“Je crois qu'il a raison.”
“Elle espère que tu viendras.”
Reporting commands
Relaying an order or request using 'de' + infinitive.
“Il me dit de partir.”
“Elle demande de fermer la porte.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + que + Clause
|
Il dit qu'il mange.
|
|
Negative
|
Verb + ne pas + que + Clause
|
Il ne dit pas qu'il mange.
|
|
Yes/No Question
|
Verb + si + Clause
|
Il demande si tu manges.
|
|
WH- Question
|
Verb + Interrogative + Clause
|
Il demande ce que tu manges.
|
|
Command
|
Verb + de + Infinitive
|
Il me dit de manger.
|
|
Thought
|
Verb + que + Clause
|
Je pense qu'il mange.
|
Formality Spectrum
Il a déclaré qu'il viendrait. (Reporting an arrival)
Il a dit qu'il viendrait. (Reporting an arrival)
Il a dit qu'il allait venir. (Reporting an arrival)
Il a dit qu'il rapplique. (Reporting an arrival)
Reported Speech Flow
Connector
- que that
- si if
Action
- dire to say
- penser to think
Examples by Level
Il dit qu'il est fatigué.
He says that he is tired.
Elle dit qu'elle a faim.
She says that she is hungry.
Il dit que c'est bon.
He says that it is good.
Elle dit qu'elle est prête.
She says that she is ready.
Je pense qu'il a raison.
I think that he is right.
Il demande si tu es libre.
He asks if you are free.
Elle croit qu'il va pleuvoir.
She believes that it is going to rain.
Il dit qu'il ne veut pas sortir.
He says that he doesn't want to go out.
Il a dit qu'il était fatigué.
He said that he was tired.
Elle m'a dit de fermer la porte.
She told me to close the door.
Il a demandé si j'avais fini.
He asked if I had finished.
Elle a affirmé qu'elle ne savait rien.
She claimed that she knew nothing.
Il a soutenu qu'il n'était pas présent.
He maintained that he was not present.
Elle a précisé qu'elle viendrait plus tard.
She specified that she would come later.
Il a demandé ce qu'il fallait faire.
He asked what needed to be done.
Elle a promis qu'elle ferait de son mieux.
She promised that she would do her best.
Il exige qu'il soit présent à la réunion.
He demands that he be present at the meeting.
Elle se demande où il a pu aller.
She wonders where he could have gone.
Il a déclaré qu'il ne tolérerait pas cet affront.
He declared that he would not tolerate this insult.
Elle a suggéré qu'on attende le résultat.
She suggested that we wait for the result.
Il aurait dit qu'il ne viendrait pas.
He allegedly said that he would not come.
Elle a fait savoir qu'elle ne pouvait se rendre disponible.
She made it known that she could not make herself available.
Il a insisté pour que nous partions immédiatement.
He insisted that we leave immediately.
Elle a laissé entendre qu'elle démissionnerait.
She hinted that she would resign.
Easily Confused
Learners often mix punctuation and pronoun shifts.
Using 'que' for questions.
Using 'que' for commands.
Common Mistakes
Il dit: je suis fatigué.
Il dit qu'il est fatigué.
Il dit que je suis fatigué.
Il dit qu'il est fatigué.
Il dit, qu'il est fatigué.
Il dit qu'il est fatigué.
Il demande que tu es fatigué.
Il demande si tu es fatigué.
Il demande que tu fais.
Il demande ce que tu fais.
Il a dit qu'il est fatigué.
Il a dit qu'il était fatigué.
Il dit de que il est fatigué.
Il dit qu'il est fatigué.
Il a dit de il est fatigué.
Il a dit qu'il était fatigué.
Il a demandé si j'ai fini.
Il a demandé si j'avais fini.
Elle a dit qu'elle viendra.
Elle a dit qu'elle viendrait.
Il exige qu'il est là.
Il exige qu'il soit là.
Il a dit qu'il a été là.
Il a dit qu'il avait été là.
Il a prétendu qu'il ne savait pas.
Il a prétendu ne pas savoir.
Il a demandé ce qu'il est arrivé.
Il a demandé ce qui était arrivé.
Sentence Patterns
Il dit que ___.
Il demande si ___.
Il a dit qu'il ___.
Il m'a demandé de ___.
Real World Usage
Il a dit qu'il arrive.
Mon ancien patron a dit que j'étais efficace.
Le guide a dit que le bus part à 9h.
Elle a posté qu'elle est en vacances.
Le livreur a dit qu'il est en bas.
L'auteur soutient que...
The Invisible 'Que'
que. Think of it as the glue that holds your sentence together.No Inversion!
Il demande où tu es is correct. Il demande où es-tu is only for direct quotes.Use Digital Verbs
écrire, poster, or envoyer to report digital speech. Il a posté qu'il est en vacances sounds very natural.Smart Tips
Check if it's a yes/no question. If yes, use 'si'.
Shift the tense to the imperfect.
Use 'de' + infinitive.
Use 'ce que' for 'what'.
Pronunciation
Liaison
When 'qu'' is followed by a vowel, pronounce the 'k' sound clearly.
Declarative
Il dit qu'il est fatigué ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'Q-S-I': Que for statements, Si for inquiries.
Visual Association
Imagine a bridge between two people. The bridge is labeled 'QUE'. One person stands on the left, the other on the right.
Rhyme
When you report what they say, use 'que' to lead the way.
Story
Pierre says he is hungry. You tell your friend: 'Pierre dit qu'il a faim.' You are the messenger carrying the 'que' bridge.
Word Web
Challenge
For 5 minutes, listen to a podcast and try to summarize one sentence you heard using 'Il dit que...'.
Cultural Notes
French speakers are very precise with tense shifts in formal writing.
Informal speech often uses 'que' as a universal connector.
Reporting verbs are often used to emphasize the source of information.
Derived from Latin 'dicere' (to say) and the conjunction 'quod' (that).
Conversation Starters
Qu'est-ce qu'il a dit hier ?
Que penses-tu de ce film ?
Qu'est-ce que ton professeur a demandé ?
Que dirais-tu si on te demandait ton avis ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Il dit ___ il est fatigué.
Il demande ___ tu viens.
Find and fix the mistake:
Il dit: 'Je suis fatigué'.
Il a dit: 'Je viendrai'.
Il / dire / que / il / être / prêt
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Il a dit qu'il ___ (être) fatigué.
Il m'a dit ___ partir.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesIl dit ___ il est fatigué.
Il demande ___ tu viens.
Find and fix the mistake:
Il dit: 'Je suis fatigué'.
Il a dit: 'Je viendrai'.
Il / dire / que / il / être / prêt
Dire vs Demander
Il a dit qu'il ___ (être) fatigué.
Il m'a dit ___ partir.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesMarc m'___ qu'il a perdu ses clés.
She says that she is ready.
Choose the best option:
Match the pairs:
qu' / elle / explique / Elle / arrive / bientôt
Jean dit que il est là.
Le livre dit ___ l'histoire est vraie.
Choose the correct report:
He thinks it's a prank.
si / demande / Il / tu / libre / es
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
French grammar rules for subordinate clauses do not use commas before 'que'. It's a direct link.
Use 'si' only for yes/no questions. If the question starts with 'qui', 'quoi', or 'où', use 'ce que' or the pronoun itself.
Only if the reporting verb is in the past. If it's in the present, keep the original tense.
Use 'de' + infinitive. Example: 'Il me dit de manger'.
No, 'que' is for statements. Questions and commands have different connectors.
It's used in all registers. The choice of reporting verb (e.g., 'affirmer' vs 'dire') changes the formality.
If you are reporting yourself, you keep 'je'. If you are reporting someone else, you change it to 'il' or 'elle'.
Because you are not quoting directly; you are reporting the content indirectly.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Dijo que...
Spanish uses the subjunctive more frequently in reported commands.
Er sagt, dass...
German word order changes in the subordinate clause.
He says that...
French requires 'que' even when English omits 'that'.
～と言った
Japanese structure is completely different (Verb at the end).
قال إن...
Arabic grammar is highly inflected for gender/number in the reporting verb.
他说...
Chinese has no verb conjugation or tense shifts.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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