B1 · Intermediate Chapter 36

Reported Speech: Telling What Others Said

6 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying information and conversations accurately in Croatian.

  • Distinguish between direct and indirect speech styles.
  • Transform statements, questions, and commands into reported speech.
  • Adjust pronouns, adverbs, and tenses to maintain logical context.
Master the art of the relay.

What You'll Learn

Learn how to report what someone else has said, both directly and indirectly. This chapter covers the necessary changes in tense and pronouns.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Convert direct quotes into flowing indirect speech sentences.

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'da' rule

Always use 'da' after reporting verbs. It is the glue of reported speech.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech
🎯

The 'That' Rule

In English, we often say 'He said he's tired.' In Croatian, NEVER skip the 'da'. Always say 'Rekao je DA je umoran.'
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Statements (Rekao je da...)
💡

Use 'li' for Yes/No

Always use 'li' when there is no question word.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Questions (Pitao je je li...)
💡

The 'Da' Rule

Always use 'da' to bridge the reporting verb and the speech, then immediately check your pronouns.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Changes in Pronouns and Adverbs in Reported Speech

Key Vocabulary (6)

reći to say pitati to ask izjaviti to declare narediti to order/command tada then/at that time tamo there

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Office Gossip

Review Summary

  • Quote vs. Paraphrase
  • Subject + rekao je + da + Clause
  • Subject + pitao je + je li / tko / što + Clause
  • Shift I->On, Danas->Tog dana
  • Past main verb -> Past subordinate
  • Subject + rekao je + da + Present Verb

Common Mistakes

In indirect speech, pronouns must shift to match the subject of the reporting verb.

Wrong: Rekao je da ja sam umoran.
Correct: Rekao je da je on umoran.

While 'da li' is used, 'je li' is more standard in formal Croatian reported questions.

Wrong: Pitao je da li ja radim.
Correct: Pitao je radim li ja.

Commands in reported speech must use the present tense, not the imperative form.

Wrong: Rekao je da dođi sutra.
Correct: Rekao je da dođem sutra.

Next Steps

You've navigated the complex world of reported speech with ease. Keep practicing, and you'll be telling stories like a native speaker in no time!

Listen to a news report and summarize it in your own words using reported speech.

Continue to: Diminutives and Augmentatives: Adding Nuance to Nouns

Quick Practice (10)

Choose the correct reported speech form for: Marko: 'Gladan sam.'

Marko je rekao...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: da je gladan
We keep the present tense 'je' and place it after 'da'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Statements (Rekao je da...)

Fill in the missing conjunction and clitic.

Ana kaže ___ ___ (that she is) u kinu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: da je
'da' is the conjunction and 'je' is the clitic for 'she is'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Statements (Rekao je da...)

Correct the error: Marko je rekao da je ovo njegova kuća (pointing to a house far away).

Find and fix the mistake:

Marko je rekao da je ___ njegova kuća.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to
'Ovo' (this) shifts to 'to' (that) when the object is not right next to the reporter.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Changes in Pronouns and Adverbs in Reported Speech

Fill in the correct adverb: Ana: 'Doći ću sutra.'

Ana je rekla da će doći ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sutradan
'Sutra' shifts to 'sutradan' in reported speech.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Changes in Pronouns and Adverbs in Reported Speech

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Zamolio me je da kupiti kruh.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kupim
Must be conjugated.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Commands and Requests

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Rekao je da on je došao.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Word order: da + auxiliary + pronoun.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tense Shift in Reported Speech (When applicable)

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Pitao je da li sam gladan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Remove redundant 'da'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech

Choose the correct reported form: Ivan: 'Ja sam umoran.'

Ivan je rekao da...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: je on umoran
The pronoun 'ja' must shift to 'on' to match Ivan.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Changes in Pronouns and Adverbs in Reported Speech

Correct the clitic placement: 'Rekao je da vidi ga.'

Find and fix the mistake:

Rekao je da ___ vidi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ga
The clitic 'ga' must follow 'da' immediately.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Statements (Rekao je da...)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Questions use 'li' or wh-words.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tense Shift in Reported Speech (When applicable)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Yes, for statements. For questions, use 'li'.
Because the perspective shifts from the speaker to the reporter.
No, in Croatian, omitting da is very rare and usually sounds incorrect or overly poetic. Always include it.
Use kako in formal writing or when you have already used da in the same sentence and want to avoid repetition.
In standard Croatian, it is better to use 'je li'. 'Da li' is common in speech but often discouraged in formal writing.
No, the word order in the reported clause remains the same as in the original question.
Previous Chapter
Verb Aspect Deep Dive: Imperfective vs. Perfective Mastery
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Diminutives and Augmentatives: Adding Nuance to Nouns
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