Reported Commands (Said to do vs. Said that)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'dizer para' + infinitive for commands, but 'dizer que' + indicative/subjunctive for statements.
- Direct command: 'Faça isso!' (Do this!)
- Reported command: 'Ele disse para fazer isso.' (He said to do this.)
- Reported statement: 'Ele disse que fez isso.' (He said that he did this.)
Overview
Reported commands, also known as indirect commands, are a fundamental aspect of Portuguese grammar at the B2 level. They allow you to convey an instruction, request, advice, or order given by someone else without directly quoting their exact words. This linguistic tool is crucial for narrative flow, politeness, and maintaining the correct grammatical mood shift from direct imperative to an indirect form.
Mastering reported commands goes beyond mere translation; it involves understanding the subtle distinctions in formality, emphasis, and regional usage, particularly between Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and European Portuguese (EP). This rule highlights how Portuguese transforms a direct instruction, typically in the imperative mood, into a subordinate clause, often employing either an infinitive construction or the subjunctive mood. It reflects a shift in perspective, moving from the original speaker's direct address to a third-person report of that address.
For advanced learners, differentiating when to use the para + infinitive structure versus the que + subjunctive structure is paramount. Each option carries its own implications regarding formality, emphasis, and idiomatic correctness. The choice you make signals not just what was said, but also the context and nuance of the original command, and your relationship to it.
How This Grammar Works
dizer, pedir, mandar), which then dictates the structure of the reported command."Estude!" - "Study!") into a non-finite form (the infinitive) or a finite form (the subjunctive). This conversion is necessary because the imperative mood is exclusively for direct address. Once the command is relayed by a third party, or retrospectively, it ceases to be a direct order and becomes a reported action or desire.- The Infinitive Construction: This typically involves a reporting verb followed by
paraand an infinitive. It's especially prevalent in spoken Brazilian Portuguese and often conveys a less formal or more conversational tone. For example,Ele disse: "Estuda!"becomesEle disse para eu estudar.(He told me to study.). The infinitiveestudarreflects the action commanded without a conjugated imperative.
- The Subjunctive Construction: This involves a reporting verb followed by
queand a verb in the subjunctive mood. This structure is grammatically more prescriptive and generally carries a more formal or authoritative tone. It is standard across both European and Brazilian Portuguese, particularly in written contexts or when precision is required. Using the previous example,Ele disse: "Estuda!"becomesEle disse que eu estudasse.(He told that I should study / He told me to study.). The subjunctiveestudasseexpresses the command or request as a non-factual, desired outcome.
Formation Pattern
para + (Optional Subject Pronoun) + Infinitive
dizer (to say/tell), pedir (to ask/request), mandar (to order/send), aconselhar (to advise), and sugerir (to suggest) are frequently used. The reporting verb sets the stage and is conjugated according to the speaker and tense.
para: This preposition acts as the bridge between the reporting verb and the commanded action. It implies "in order to" or "for (someone) to" perform an action.
eu, tu, você, ele, ela, nós, vocês, eles, elas). This is crucial for avoiding ambiguity. When the subject of the infinitive is the same as the reporting verb's subject, or generally understood as 'one' or 'everyone', the pronoun is often omitted.
"Fecha a porta!" (Close the door!)
para + Infinitive) | Translation (Context: Someone told me to close) |
"Fecha a porta!" | Ele pediu para eu fechar a porta. | He asked me to close the door. |
"Fechem a porta!" | Ele pediu para nós fecharmos a porta. | He asked us to close the door. |
"Fecha a porta!" | Ele pediu para fechar a porta. | He asked to close the door (general/impersonal or same subject as reporting verb). |
"Limpe o seu quarto!" (Clean your room!)
para + Infinitive) | Translation |
"Limpe o seu quarto!" | A mãe disse para ele limpar o quarto. | The mom told him to clean the room. |
"Limpem os quartos!" | Ela mandou para todos limparem os quartos. | She ordered everyone to clean the rooms. |
que + subjunctive construction is generally preferred, even in spoken contexts, for reported commands.
que + Subject + Subjunctive
dizer, pedir, ordenar (to order), exigir (to demand), sugerir, aconselhar, insistir (to insist), propor (to propose), determinar (to determine). These verbs are conjugated according to the context.
que: This is a mandatory subordinating conjunction, introducing the subjunctive clause.
você, ele, ela, nós, eles, elas) is almost always explicit or clearly inferred before the subjunctive verb, as the subjunctive conjugations are often less distinct for different persons.
"Chegue cedo!" (Arrive early!)
que + Subjunctive) | Translation |
Ele pede) | Ele pede que você chegue cedo. | He asks that you arrive early. |
Ele pediu) | Ele pediu que você chegasse cedo. | He asked that you arrive early (then). |
Ele pedirá) | Ele pedirá que você chegue cedo. | He will ask that you arrive early. |
"Faça o relatório!" (Do the report!)
que + Subjunctive) | Translation |
Ela sugere) | Ela sugere que nós façamos o relatório. | She suggests that we do the report. |
Ela sugeriu) | Ela sugeriu que nós fizéssemos o relatório. | She suggested that we do the report (then). |
É recomendado para não usar o celular aqui. (It is recommended not to use the phone here.) or Recomenda-se que não se use o celular aqui.
When To Use It
- Relaying Orders and Instructions: This is the most direct application. When you are acting as a messenger, passing on an instruction from one person to another, reported commands are essential. They remove you from the position of the authority figure and correctly attribute the command to its originator.
O gerente pediu para o João enviar o email.(The manager asked John to send the email.) – Informal BP.A diretora ordenou que a equipe permanecesse no local.(The director ordered the team to remain on site.) – Formal, standard.
- Reporting Requests and Advice: When someone has made a polite request or offered guidance, reported commands allow you to convey this gently.
Minha mãe me aconselhou para eu não ir lá sozinho.(My mom advised me not to go there alone.) – BP, emphasizing "me" as the subject of the infinitive.O médico sugeriu que eu fizesse mais exercícios.(The doctor suggested that I do more exercise.) – Standard, often conveying a recommendation rather than a strict order.
- Stating Rules, Regulations, or Prohibitions: In formal settings, official announcements, or general guidelines, reported commands (often impersonal) are used to articulate expected behavior.
É proibido para visitantes entrarem sem autorização.(It is forbidden for visitors to enter without authorization.) – Common in public signs.Solicita-se que os alunos mantenham silêncio na biblioteca.(Students are requested to maintain silence in the library.) – Formal, passive subjunctive construction.
- Narrative and Storytelling: When recounting past events where instructions were given, reported commands seamlessly integrate into the narrative flow, maintaining chronological and logical consistency.
Ele me disse para eu não me preocupar com o atraso.(He told me not to worry about the delay.) – Integrates into a personal story.O guia insistiu que seguíssemos o caminho principal.(The guide insisted that we follow the main path.) – Recounting an event.
- Formality and Regional Nuance: The choice between
para + infinitiveandque + subjunctiveis a key indicator of formality and regional preference. - In Brazilian Portuguese,
para + infinitiveis highly versatile and common in almost all spoken contexts, from very informal to moderately formal. It often sounds more natural and less stiff in conversation. Example:A professora pediu pra gente estudar.(The teacher asked us to study.) - In European Portuguese,
que + subjunctiveis the default and preferred structure for reported commands, even in many informal spoken situations. Whilepara + infinitiveis understood, it's less idiomatic for this purpose. Example:A professora pediu que nós estudássemos.(The teacher asked that we study.) - Both variations are correct, but being aware of these preferences helps you sound more natural to native speakers of each dialect. Using
que + subjunctiveis always a safe, grammatically unassailable choice in any context.
Common Mistakes
- The
mimTrap: This is perhaps the most pervasive error for Portuguese learners. You cannot usemimas the subject of an infinitive verb.Mimis an object pronoun and can never perform an action. Therefore, constructions like*Ele pediu para mim fazerare grammatically incorrect. The correct form always requires the subject pronouneu,tu,ele, etc., with the personal infinitive. - Incorrect:
*Ele disse para mim esperar. - Correct:
Ele disse para eu esperar.(He told me to wait.)
- Incorrect Subjunctive Tense Agreement: Mismatched tenses between the reporting verb and the subjunctive verb create significant grammatical errors. Remember the rule: a past-tense reporting verb demands the imperfect subjunctive for the reported command.
- Incorrect:
*Ele pediu que você faça o trabalho.(Mixing pastpediuwith present subjunctivefaça) - Correct:
Ele pediu que você fizesse o trabalho.(He asked that you do the work.) - Incorrect:
*Ela mandou que ele vai embora. - Correct:
Ela mandou que ele fosse embora.(She ordered him to leave.)
- Confusing Reported Commands with Reported Statements: The verb
dizer(to say/tell) is often the source of confusion because it can introduce both reported statements and reported commands. The structure that followsdizerdetermines its meaning. - Reported Statement (Fact):
Ele disse que estava cansado.(He said that he was tired.) – Usesque+ Indicative, reports a fact. - Reported Command (Instruction):
Ele disse para descansar.(He told (someone) to rest.) orEle disse que eu descansasse.(He told that I should rest.) – Usespara + infinitiveorque + subjunctive, reports an instruction. - The key is to pay attention to the grammatical mood of the subordinate clause.
- Using the Imperative Directly in Reported Speech: Reporting a command requires a structural change; you cannot simply place a direct imperative within a reported speech context without quotation marks. `*Ele disse
Reported Command Structure
| Subject | Verb (Past) | Preposition | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Eu
|
disse
|
para
|
fazer
|
|
Você
|
disse
|
para
|
ir
|
|
Ele/Ela
|
disse
|
para
|
estudar
|
|
Nós
|
dissemos
|
para
|
comer
|
|
Eles/Elas
|
disseram
|
para
|
voltar
|
Meanings
This grammar structure allows you to report orders, requests, or advice given by someone else using the infinitive form of the verb.
Reported Command
Reporting an imperative sentence.
“Ela disse para eu sair.”
“O médico disse para ele descansar.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
disse para + inf
|
Ele disse para ir.
|
|
Negative
|
disse para não + inf
|
Ele disse para não ir.
|
|
With Pronoun
|
disse para [pron] + inf
|
Ele disse para eu ir.
|
|
Plural
|
disseram para + inf
|
Eles disseram para ir.
|
|
Question
|
disse para + inf?
|
Ele disse para ir?
|
|
Advice
|
disse para + inf
|
Ela disse para descansar.
|
Formality Spectrum
O diretor solicitou que aguardássemos. (Workplace)
O diretor disse para aguardarmos. (Workplace)
O chefe disse para a gente esperar. (Workplace)
O cara disse pra esperar aí. (Workplace)
Reported Speech Map
Commands
- para + infinitive to + infinitive
Statements
- que + verbo that + verb
Examples by Level
Ele disse para comer.
He said to eat.
Ela disse para não sair.
She said not to leave.
O chefe disse para eu terminar o relatório.
The boss said for me to finish the report.
Eles disseram para nós esperarmos no carro.
They said for us to wait in the car.
O médico disse para ele não se esforçar muito.
The doctor said for him not to exert himself too much.
A diretoria disse para não tomarmos decisões precipitadas.
The board said for us not to make hasty decisions.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'para' for statements.
Learners keep the imperative form.
Learners use subjunctive when infinitive is simpler.
Common Mistakes
Ele disse que fazer.
Ele disse para fazer.
Ele disse para mim fazer.
Ele disse para eu fazer.
Ele disse para faz.
Ele disse para fazer.
Ele disse para não faz.
Ele disse para não fazer.
Ela disse para nós fomos.
Ela disse para nós irmos.
Eles disseram para eu indo.
Eles disseram para eu ir.
Ele disse para que eu vá.
Ele disse para eu ir.
Ela disse para eu ter ido.
Ela disse para eu ir.
Ele disse para a gente fomos.
Ele disse para a gente ir.
Eles disseram para não fazermos.
Eles disseram para não fazermos.
Ele disse para que se fizesse.
Ele disse para fazer.
Ele disse para eu ter feito.
Ele disse para eu fazer.
Ele disse para não ter ido.
Ele disse para não ir.
Ele disse para eu ter sido.
Ele disse para eu ser.
Sentence Patterns
Ele disse para ___.
Ela disse para eu ___.
Eles disseram para não ___.
O professor disse para nós ___.
Real World Usage
O chefe disse para enviarmos o relatório.
O médico disse para eu tomar o remédio.
Mãe disse pra chegar cedo.
O guia disse para estarmos no lobby.
O suporte disse para eu esperar 10 minutos.
Ele disse pra todo mundo seguir a página.
Pronoun Placement
Don't use 'que'
The 'pra' shortcut
Register matters
Smart Tips
Always check: 'para' + infinitive?
Use subject pronouns (eu, ele, nós) after 'para'.
Use 'pra' instead of 'para'.
Use 'solicitar que' + subjunctive.
Pronunciation
Para vs Pra
In speech, 'para' is almost always reduced to 'pra'.
Reporting
Ele disse para... ↘
Falling intonation indicates a completed statement.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Para' as a bridge: it carries the command from the speaker to the listener.
Visual Association
Imagine a megaphone (the speaker) pointing a 'para' arrow toward a person who is about to perform an action (the infinitive).
Rhyme
If it's an order, use 'para', don't be a bore, use the infinitive and nothing more!
Story
Maria told me to buy milk. I tell my brother: 'Maria disse para comprar leite.' He asks: 'Who?' I say: 'Para mim!' (Maria said for me to buy milk).
Word Web
Challenge
Find 3 commands given to you today and report them to a friend using 'disse para'.
Cultural Notes
The use of 'pra' is universal in Brazil. Using 'para' in speech can sound overly formal or robotic.
In Portugal, 'para' is often pronounced more clearly, and 'a gente' is less common than 'nós'.
Similar to Portugal, but with specific rhythmic patterns in speech.
Derived from the Latin 'dicere' (to say) and the preposition 'para' (for).
Conversation Starters
O que seu chefe disse para você fazer hoje?
O que o médico disse para você fazer?
O que seus pais disseram para você não fazer?
O que o guia disse para o grupo fazer?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Ele disse para eu ___ (estudar).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ela disse para mim ir.
Direct: 'Faça o trabalho!' -> Reported: 'Ele disse para ___.'
Eles disseram para nós ___ (voltar).
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
disse / para / eu / estudar / ele
Can you use 'que' for commands?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEle disse para eu ___ (estudar).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ela disse para mim ir.
Direct: 'Faça o trabalho!' -> Reported: 'Ele disse para ___.'
Eles disseram para nós ___ (voltar).
Direct: 'Não corra!'
disse / para / eu / estudar / ele
Can you use 'que' for commands?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesEle pediu que você ___ (ficar) calmo.
Ela disse ___ entrarmos.
Original: "Não coma isso!" → Reported: Ele disse...
Ela pediu para mim ir lá.
Match correctly.
para / o / médico / pediu / descansar / eu
She told me to wait.
Reporting: "Entrem!"
O pai ordenou que os filhos ___ (dormir).
Eu exigi que ele traga o documento ontem.
O gerente pediu ___ todos assinassem.
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
Only if you use the subjunctive mood, which is more formal. 'Para' + infinitive is the standard.
No, it is the standard spoken form in Brazil. Use 'para' in formal writing.
Because it is the subject of the infinitive action.
Just add 'não' before the infinitive: 'Ele disse para não ir'.
Yes, 'O médico disse para descansar' is perfect.
Yes, but 'para' is often pronounced fully, and 'a gente' is less common.
Avoiding the temptation to conjugate the second verb.
Yes, it works with any verb that can be an infinitive.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
dijo que + subjuntivo
Portuguese uses the infinitive; Spanish uses the subjunctive.
a dit de + infinitif
French uses 'de'; Portuguese uses 'para'.
sagte, dass ich... soll
German uses modal verbs; Portuguese uses infinitives.
〜ように言った
Japanese is agglutinative; Portuguese is analytical.
قال لي أن أفعل
Arabic relies on 'that' clauses.
他叫我做...
Chinese lacks verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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