Indirect speech: disse que, perguntou se

• disse que = said that (statements)

• perguntou se = asked if/whether (yes/no questions)

• perguntou + question word = asked when/what/where

• Pronoun shifts: eu→ele/ela, você→eu/ele

• Tense shifts less rigid than English

• Time expressions must shift

• Register affects reporting verb choice

• Colloquial often keeps original tenses

Reported speech is essential for Brazilian storytelling and gossip culture! From retelling conversations ("Ela disse que não pode vir") to office communication ("O chefe perguntou se você terminou"), indirect speech appears constantly. Brazilian Portuguese handles it differently than English – tenses don't always shift, and colloquial speech has its own rules. Master this to participate in the national pastime of recounting conversations, understand news reports, and navigate professional communication where precise reporting matters.

Basic Transformations

Direct → Indirect for Statements:

Direct: "Eu estou cansado"
Indirect: Ele disse que estava cansado
Direct: "Vou viajar amanhã"
Indirect: Ela disse que ia/vai viajar amanhã

Direct → Indirect for Questions:

Yes/No: "Você vem?" → Perguntou se eu vinha/venho
What: "O que você quer?" → Perguntou o que eu queria/quero
When: "Quando chegam?" → Perguntou quando chegavam/chegam

Daily Conversation Reporting

• "Ela disse que não pode vir hoje"

• "Meu filho falou que precisa de dinheiro"

• "O médico disse que está tudo bem"

• "Perguntou se eu quero carona"

Tense Shift Examples

• Direct: "Estou cansado" → Indirect: "Disse que estava cansado"

• Direct: "Vou sair" → Indirect: "Falou que ia sair"

• Direct: "Já terminei" → Indirect: "Avisou que já tinha terminado"

• Direct: "Chegarei tarde" → Indirect: "Informou que chegaria tarde"

Keeping present tense

Very common in speech:

• "Disse que está doente" (not estava)

• When situation still current

• More natural in Brazilian Portuguese

Que dropping

Colloquial often drops:

• "Falou vai chegar tarde"

• "Disse não pode"

• Never in formal writing