B1 (Intermediate)Lesson 7: Reported Speech & Register

Reporting questions and commands

Reported speech in Brazilian Portuguese transforms direct questions into indirect statements using verbs like perguntar/querer saber, and commands into requests with mandar/pedir, requiring adjustments to pronouns, verb forms, and sometimes tenses while navigating formal and informal register choices.

DetailsExercises Vocabulary

Quick summary

Yes/no questions → perguntar se + statement word order
Wh-questions → perguntar + question word (o que, onde, quando, etc.)
Commands → mandar/pedir para + infinitive (or que + subjunctive for formal)
Tense usually stays same in Brazilian Portuguese (unlike English)
Pronouns change perspective (você → eu/ele/ela)
Register matters: pedir (polite), mandar (authoritative), solicitar (formal)
Time/place markers adjust (aqui → lá, hoje → naquele dia, etc.)
Querer saber is super common alternative to perguntar

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Why it matters?

Structure

Reporting verb + se/que/para + adjusted pronouns/verbs (questions: perguntar se/o que; commands: mandar/pedir para + infinitive)

Your Progress

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In Brazil's social landscape, knowing how to report what others said is pure social currency – from office gossip ("Ela perguntou se você já terminou o relatório") to family dynamics ("Minha mãe mandou você ligar pra ela"). You'll use this constantly in WhatsApp messages relaying conversations, at work reporting what the boss wants, or just sharing the latest neighborhood drama. Plus, choosing between "mandou" (bossy) versus "pediu" (polite) can make or break relationships – it's not just grammar, it's social navigation!

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Deep dive

The Core Concept

Reported speech transforms someone's exact words into your narration. In Brazilian Portuguese, this is refreshingly straightforward compared to English – we usually keep the same verb tense and focus on adjusting pronouns and structure.

Reporting Yes/No Questions

Transform a yes/no question into a statement introduced by "se" (if/whether):

Direct: "Você vai à festa?" (Are you going to the party?)
Reported: Ela perguntou se eu ia à festa. (She asked if I was going to the party.)

Notice:

Question marks disappear
Word order becomes statement-like

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Examples

WhatsApp Conversations

"Minha mãe perguntou se você vai almoçar lá domingo"
"O chefe quer saber quando você entrega o projeto"
"A Ana mandou te avisar que vai atrasar"
"João pediu para você ligar pra ele urgente"
"A professora falou que não vai ter aula amanhã"

Office Situations

"O cliente perguntou se podemos entregar até sexta"
"A diretora solicitou que todos participem da reunião"
"RH quer saber quando você tira férias"
"Meu supervisor recomendou que eu fizesse o curso"

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Common exceptions

The Eternal Tense Confusion

While Brazilian Portuguese is flexible with tenses, some contexts require backshift:

Historical reporting: "Cabral disse que tinha descoberto o paraíso" (not "descobriu")
Formal writing: Academic and legal texts often backshift
When ambiguity matters: "Ele disse que estava doente" (was sick then) vs. "está doente" (still sick)

Se vs. Que Mistakes

Common error: Using "que" instead of "se" for yes/no questions:

❌ "Ela perguntou que eu queria café"
✅ "Ela perguntou se eu queria café"

But remember: "que" is for statements, not yes/no questions:

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Reporting questions and commands

Quick summary

Why it matters?

Structure

Your Progress

Deep dive

The Core Concept

Reporting Yes/No Questions

Examples

WhatsApp Conversations

Office Situations

Common exceptions

The Eternal Tense Confusion

Se vs. Que Mistakes

Related topics

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