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Indirect speech is used, both in English and in French, to relate conversational exchanges or information in the third person.
Direct speech versus indirect speech
In direct speech (le discours direct), one says something or asks a question directly.
Quentin demande:« Où allez-vous? »
Quentin asks:“Where are you going?”
Pierre dit:« Le président est à Milan. »
Pierre says:“The president is in Milan.”
In indirect speech (le discours indirect), the words of one or more people are reported or a question is asked indirectly. There are no quotation marks.
Quentin demande où vous allez.
Quentin is asking where you are going.
Pierre dit que le président est à Milan.
Pierre is saying that the president is in Milan.
Verbs in the main clause of indirect speech are followed by que (où, si, etc.); the verb in the dependent clause is usually in the indicative. Here are some typical main clause verbs:
affirmer
to say, to claim
announcer
to announce
assurer
to ensure, to maintain
avouer
to confess
confier
to confide
constater
to note, to notice
crier
to shout
declarer
to state
dire
to say
expliquer
to explain
observer
to notice, to observe
prétendre
to claim
promettre
to promise
remarquer
to notice, to observe
répondre
to answer
reveler
to reveal
s’apercevoir
to realize
savoir
to know
se rendre compte
to realize
Balancing tenses: la concordance des temps
If the verb in the main clause is in the present tense, the verb in the dependent clause remains in the same tense as it is in the direct speech.
Paul dit: « Ce n’est pas important. »
Paul says: “It’s not important.”
Paul dit que ce n’est pas important.
Paul says it is not important.
Je lui avoue: « Je ne suis jamais allé en Argentine. »
I admit to him: “I have never been to Argentina.”
Je lui avoue que je ne suis jamais allé en Argentine.
I admit to him that I have never been to Argentina.
Il répond: « J’avais toujours faim quand j’étais jeune. »
He answers: “I was always hungry when I was young.”
Il répond qu’il avait toujours faim quand il était jeune.
He answers that he was always hungry when he was young.
Learning la concordance des temps, that is, balancing tenses, is one of the most difficult tasks of a French learner. When switching from direct to indirect speech, some changes of tense occur whenthe main clause verb is in the passé composé. Here are the three main scenarios:
Present recounted in the imparfait
If the direct speech is in the present tense, the dependent clause verb is changed into the imparfait.
Elle est en Inde.
She is in India.
J’ai entendu dire qu’elle était en Inde
.I heard she was in India.
Tu travailles pour France 2.
You are working for France 2.
J’ai entendu dire que tu travaillais pour France 2.
I heard you were working for France 2.
Il pleut à Londres.
It is raining in London.
J’ai entendu dire qu’il pleuvait à Londres.
I heard it was raining in London.
Ce candidat a une chance de gagner.
This candidate has a chance of winning.
On m’a dit que ce candidat avait une chance de gagner.
I heard this candidate has (had) a chance of winning.
Passé composé recounted in the plus-que-parfait
If the direct speech is in the passé composé, the verb in the dependent clause is changed into the plus-que-parfait.
Ils ont élu le candidat de gauche.
They elected the candidate from the left.
On m’a dit qu’ils avaient élu le candidat de gauche.
I heard they had elected the candidate from the left.
Elle a expliqué son programme.
She explained her program.
On m’a dit qu’elle avait expliqué son programme.
I heard she (had) explained her program.
Il a démissionné.He resigned.
On nous a dit qu’il avait démissionné.
We heard he had resigned.
Vous avez voté pour moi.
You voted for me.
J’ai entendu dire que vous aviez voté pour moi.
I heard you had voted for me.
Future recounted in the present conditional
If the direct speech is in the future, the dependent clause verb is changed into the conditionnel in the indirect speech.
Vous vous présenterez aux élections.
You’ll run for election.
J’ai entendu dire que vous vous présenteriez aux élections.
I heard you would run for election.
Tu iras en France.
You’ll go to France.
J’ai entendu dire que tu irais en France.
I heard you would go to France.
Ils achèteront une maison.
They’ll buy a house.
J’ai entendu dire qu’ils achèteraient une maison.
I heard they would buy a house.
Ils se retrouveront à Lyon.
They’ll meet in Lyon.
J’ai entendu dire qu’ils se retrouveraient à Lyon.I heard they would meet in Lyon.
