Direct Speech (Vorbire directa) Reported Speech (Vorbire

indirecta)

“He saw you there last night,” she said. -> She said that he had seen me there the
previous night.

(- El te-a vazut acolo noaptea trecuta, a spus ea. -> Ea a spus ca el m-a vazut acolo noaptea
anterioara.)

There are three things that change when transforming a sentence from Direct Speech into
Reported Speech:

(Sunt trei lucruri care se schimba cand se face trecerea din vorbirea directa in vorbirea
indirecta)

 The personal pronouns and possesive adjectives . (pronumele personale si adjectivele

posesive)
 The tenses of the verb. (timpurile verbului)
 Time words. (adverbele de timp)

I. The personal pronouns and possessive adjectives change as follows (pronumele

personale si adjectivele posesive se schimba astfel):

First and second person => third person: eg. “ You are a liar” he
said to her. ->He said (that) she was a liar.

(persoana I si a II-a trec in persoana a III-a) (- Tu esti o

mincinoasa, el i-a spus ei. -> El i-a spus ca ea era o mincinoasa.)

Second person => first person (when talking about yourself) : eg. “You are very smart.”
-> He said (that) I was very smart.

(persoana a II-a trece in persoana I atunci cand vorbesti despre tine insati) (- Tu esti foarte
destept. -> El a spus ca eu eram foarte destept.)

II. The tenses of the verb change as follows (timpurile verbului se schimba in felul
urmator):

Present Simple => Past Simple:

“She sings well,” he said. => He said that she sang well. (- Ea canta bine, a spus el. -> El a
spus ca ea canta bine.)

Present Continuous => Past Continuous:

“ She is singing well,” he said. => He said that she was singing well. (- Ea canta bine, a spus
el. -> El a spus ca ea canta bine.)

Present Perfect Simple => Past Perfect Simple:

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“She has sung well,” he said. => He said that she had sung well. (- Ea a cantat bine, a spus el.
-> El a spus ca ea cantase bine.)

Present Perfect Continuous => Past Perfect Continuous:

“She has been singing well,” he said. => He said that she had been singing well. (- Ea canta
bine, a spus el. -> El a spus ca ea cantase bine.)

Past Simple => Past Perfect Simple:

“She sang well,” he said. => He said that she had sung well. (- Ea a cantat bine, a spus el. ->
El a spus ca ea cantase bine.)

Past Continuous => Past Perfect Continuous:

“She was singing well,” he said => He said she had been singing well. (- Ea canta bine, a
spus el. -> El a spus ca ea cantase bine.)

E.g. “I saw Tom yesterday morning and he told me he was happy” she said. (- L-am vazut pe
Tom ieri dimineata si el mi-a spus ca era fericit, a spus ea.)

a) She said she saw Tom yesterday morning and he told her he was happy.

b) She said she had seen Tom yesterday morning and he had told her he had been happy.

c) She said she had seen Tom the previous morning and he had told her he had been happy.

d) She said that she had seen Tom the previous morning and he had told her that he was
happy.

E.g. He said that he had spoken with her the previous day and she had told him not to worry.

(El a spus ca el vorbise cu ea ziua anterioara si ea ii spusese sa nu se ingrijoreze.)

a) ”I have spoken with her the previous day and she has told me not to worry.”

b) ”I spoke with her yesterday and she told me not to worry.”

c) ”I have spoken with her yesterday and she told me not to worry.”

d) ”I spoke with her the previous day and she has told me not to worry.”

WILL => WOULD: “She will sing well,” he said. => He said that she would sing well.

(-Ea va canta bine, a spus el. - El a spus ca ea va canta bine.)

CAN => COULD: “She can sing well,” he said. => He said that she could sing well.

(-Ea poate sa cante bine, a spus el. - El a spus ca ea putea sa cante bine.)

CAN => WOULD BE ABLE TO (future reference): "I can visit you next weekend." => He
said he would be able to visit us the following weekend.

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(daca CAN se refera la viitor se transforma in WOULD BE ABLE TO) (Pot sa va vizitez
weekendul viitor. - El a spus ca va putea sa ne viziteze weekendul urmator.)

MAY => MIGHT: “It may rain later,” he said. => He said it might rain later.

(-E posibil sa ploua mai tarziu, a spus el. - El a spus ca era posibil sa ploua mai tarziu.)

MUST (obligation) => HAD TO: “You must try again,” he said. => He said that I had to try
again.

(cand MUST exprima obligatie se schimba in HAD TO) (-Trebuie sa incerci iar, a spus el. -
El a spus ca trebuia sa incerc iar.)

NEEDN’T => DIDN’T NEED TO/ DIDN’T HAVE TO : “You needn’t worry about this
thing,” he said. => He said I didn’t need to worry about that thing.

(Nu trebuie sa te ingrijorezi de acest lucru, a spus el. - El a spus ca nu trebuia sa ma ingrijorez
de acel lucru.)

NEEDN’T => WOULDN’T HAVE TO (future reference): “She needn’t leave tomorrow,”
he said. => He said she wouldn’t have to leave the following day.

(daca NEEDN'T se refera la viitor se schimba in WOULDN’T HAVE TO) (-Ea nu trebuie sa
plece maine, a spus el. - El a spus ca ea nu va trebui sa plece ziua urmatoare.)

SHALL => WOULD (future reference): “I shall be there,” she said. => She said she would
be there.

(-Voi fi acolo, a spus ea. -> Ea a spus ca va fi acolo.)

SHALL => SHOULD (asking for advice/ information): “What shall I buy?” he asked. => He
asked what he should buy.

(daca SHALL este verb modal folosit pentru a cere sfat sau informatii atunci se transforma in
SHOULD)(-Ce sa cumpar> a intrebat el. -> El a intrebat ce sa cumpere.)

COME => GO: “Will you come to the party?” she asked him. => She asked him if he would
go to the party.

(- Vei veni la petrecere, l-a intrebat ea pe el. -> Ea l-a intrebat pe el daca o sa se duca la
petrecere.)

HERE => THERE: “She isn’t here,” he said. => He said she wasn’t there.

(- Ea nu este aici, a spus el. -> El a spus ca ea nu era acolo.)

THIS => THAT: “This is my sister,” he said. => He said that was his sister.

(- Aceasta este sora mea, a spus el. -> El a spus ca aceea era sora lui.)

THESE => THOSE: “ These are my parents,” he said. => He said those were his parents.

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(- Acestia sunt parintii mei, a spus el. -> El a spus ca aceeia erau parintii lui.)

Tenses DO NOT change in Reported Speech when (timpurile nu se schimba la vorbirea

indirecta atunci cand):

1. the reporting verb (said, told, asked, etc) is in the Present, Future or Present Perfect.
(verbul care raporteaza este la Prezent, Viitor sau Prezent Perfect)

E.g. “It is sunny today,” he says. => He says that it is sunny today./ He’s said that it is sunny
today.

(- Este insorit azi, spune el. -> El spune ca este insorit azi./ El a spus ca este insorit azi.
(Prezentul Perfect ['s said] se traduce prin trecut in limba romana)

2. the speaker expresses general truths. (vorbitorul exprima adevaruri generale)

E.g. “Water never mixes with oil,” she said. => She said that water never mixes with oil.

(- Apa nu se amesteca niciodata cu uleiul, a spus ea. -> Ea a spus ca apa nu se amesteca
niciodata cu uleiul.)

3. the reported sentence is a conditional clause type 2 or type 3. (propozitia raportata este o
conditionala de tipul II sau III)

E.g.

Type 1 “If I have time, I will visit you,” he said. => He said that if he had time, he would
visit me.

(- Daca voi avea timp, te voi vizita, a spus el. => El a spus ca daca ar avea timp, m-
ar vizita.)

(- Vei veni la petrecere, l-a intrebat ea pe el. -> Ea l-a intrebat pe el daca o sa se duca la
petrecere.)

Type 2 “If I were rich, I would buy a house,” he said. => He said that if he were rich, he
would buy a house.

(- Daca as fi bogat, as cumpara o casa, a spus el. => El a spus ca daca ar fi bogat, ar
cumpara o casa.)

Type 3 “If I had seen her, I would have told her the truth,” he said. => He said that if he had
seen her, he would have told her the truth.

(- Daca as fi vazut-o, i-as fi spus adevarul, a spus el. => El a spus ca daca ar fi vazut-
o, iar fi spus adevarul.)

4. the reported sentence deals with unreal past (Subjunctive Mood). (propozitia raportata are
un Subjonctiv in ea)

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The Subjunctive Mood is required by the following (Subjonctivul este cerut de urmatoarele
verbe si expresii):

IF ONLY (ce-ar fi daca)

WISH => wished (wish devine wished)

WOULD RATHER/ WOULD SOONER (as prefera) + S + PAST SIMPLE/ PAST

PERFECT (aceste doua timpuri sunt Subjonctive si NU SE SCHIMBA)

AS IF/ AS THOUGH (de parca)

IT’S TIME/ IT’S HIGH TIME/ IT’S ABOUT TIME (e timpul)=>

It was time, It was hight time/ it was about time (era timpul)

SUPPOSE/ SUPPOSING (sa presupunem)

E.g. “I wish I had more free time,” she said. => She said she wished she had more time.

(- As dori sa am mai mult timp liber, a spus ea. -> Ea a spus ca isi dorea sa aiba mai
mult timp liber.)

" I wish I had had more free time when I was a child," she said. => She said she wished
she had had more free time when she was a child.

(- As dori sa fi avut mai mult timp liber cand eram copil, a spus ea. -> Ea a spus ca isi
dorea sa fi avut mai mult timp liber cand era copil.)

ATENTIE: was nu s-a schimbat pentru ca este intr-o subordonata temporala, (vezi
urmatorul punct), DAR pentru ca este o temporala la trecut in propozitia directa, cere un Past
Perfect pentru ca avem referire la trecut.)

5. !!!!!!!!!!!!! the reported sentence contains a Time Clause with a PAST TENSE in it. (daca
propozitia raportata este o TEMPORALA in care timpul este la Trecut atunci Trecutul din
temporala nu se schimba)

E.g. “I was there/ when the postman came,” he said. => He said he was/ had been there when
the postman came.

(- Am fost acolo cand a venit postasul, a spus el. -> El a spus ca era/ fusese acolo cand a
venit postasul.)

“ I will be there when the postman comes.” => He said he would be there when the
postman came.

(- Voi fi acolo cand va veni postasul. -> El a spus ca va fi acolo cand va veni postasul. -
daca avem prezent in temporala atunci acesta trece la trecut)

E.g. “He was sleeping while she was cooking dinner.” (El dormea in timp ce ea gatea cina.)

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a) Mother said that he slept while she was cooking dinner.

b) Mother said that he had been sleeping while she had been cooking dinner.

c) Mother said that he had been sleeping while she was cooking dinner.

d) Mother said that he was sleeping while she had been cooking dinner.

6. the sentence contains the modal verbs (daca propozitia contine verbe modale): might,
should, would, mustn’t, ought to, must (deduction) or USED TO

E.g. “I ought to go,” he said. => He said he ought to go.

(- Trebuie sa plec, a spus el. -> El a spus ca trebuie sa plece.)

"We used to have lots of fun," he said. => He said that they used to have lots of fun.

(- Noi obisnuiam sa ne distram mult, a spus el. -> El a spus ca ei obisnuiau sa se distreze
mult.)

!!!!!!!!!! If what we say is a LIE then the tenses change. (daca ceea ce spunem este o
minciuna atunci timpurile se schimba)

E.g. "America is a small country." => He said that America was a small country.

(- America este o tara mica. -> El a spus ca America era o tara mica.)

7. the action in the indirect speech IS STILL HAPPENING or IS GOING TO HAPPEN

(daca actiunea de la vorbirea insirecta inca se mai intampla sau urmeaza sa se intample):

E.g. "I am working on the details." => He said he is working on the details.

(- Lucrez la detalii. -> El a spus ca lucreaza la detalii. - el inca mai lucreaza la detalii)

" I am going on holiday in the morning." => She said that she is going on holiday in the
morning.

(- Plec in vacanta dimineata. -> Ea a spus ca pleaca in vacanta dimineata. - ea inca nu a

plecat in vacanta, urmeaza sa faca asta)

III. Time words change as follows (adverbele de timp se schimba dupa cum urmeaza):

Tonight (diseara) => that night (acea noapte)

Today (astazi) => that day (acea zi)

This week/month/year (saptamana/ luna aceasta/ anul acesta) => that week/month/year (acea
saptamana/ luna/ acel an)

Now (acum) => then/at that time/at once/immediately (atunci/ in acel moment/ imediat)

Yesterday (ieri) => the day before/ the previous day (ziua anterioara)

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Last night/week/month/year (noaptea/ saptamana/ luna trecuta/ anul trecut) => the previous
night/week/month/year (noaptea/ saptamana/ luna anterioara/ anul anterior)

Three days/weeks/months/years ago (cu trei zile/ saptamani/ luni/ ani in urma) => three
days/weeks/months/years before (cu trei zile/ ... inainte)

So far (pana acum) => until then (pana atunci)

Tomorrow (maine) => next day/ the following day (ziua urmatoare)

Next day/week/month/year (ziua/ saptamana/ luna/ anul viitor) => the following
day/week/month/year (ziua/ saptamana/ ... urmatoare)

The day after tomorrow (poimaine) => two days later/after two days (doua zile mai tarziu/
dupa doua zile)

Reported Questions

Atunci cand trecem o intrebare din vorbirea directa in vorbirea indirecta in limba engleza
cuvantul cu WH (where/ what/ which/ etc.) se pastreaza darnu se mai face inversiunea intre
auxiliar si subiect, subiectul se pune imediat dupa cuvantul cu WH si pe urma se pune verbul
transformat:

Normal direct question: Wh-word + Aux + S + Verb?

Reported question: S + reporting verb + Wh-word + S + transformed Verb.

E.g. “ Where have you been?” he asked. (- Unde ai fost, a intrebat el.)

He asked me where I had been. (El m-a intrebat unde fusesem.)/ He asked me where had I
been. (NU FACETI INVERSIUNE INTRE AUXILIAR SI SUBIECT)

Daca intrebarea in limba engleza se face cu un auxiliar atunci la vorbirea indirecta se

foloseste IF sau WHETHER (daca) (!! atentile sa nu confundati cu WEATHER care
inseamna vreme) dupa care urmeaza subiectul si verbul transformat (din nou nu se mai face
inversiunea intre auxiliar si subiect)

Normal direct question: Aux + S + Verb?

Reported question : S + reporting verb + IF/WHETHER + S +

transformed verb.

E.g. “Do you like cats?” (-Iti plac pisicile?)

He asked me if/whether I liked cats. (El m-a intrebat daca imi placeau pisicile.)

!!!!!!!!!!! (Atentie daca aveti o intrebare la trecut, DID dispare iar verbul se pune la Mai
mult ca Perfect)

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 “Did you see her?” (- Ai vazut-o?)

He asked me if/ whether I had seen saw her. (El m-a intrebat daca o vazusem.)

Reported Commands/ Requests/ Suggestions

Ordinele, cererile si sugestiile se introduc la vorbirea indirecta prin verbe ca: advise, ask, beg,
offer, request, etc. care sunt urmate de Verb la Infinitiv Lung:

E.g. “Go away,” he said to me. => He ordered me to go away. (-Pleaca, el mi-a spus. -> El
mia ordonat sa plec.)

“Please don’t shout,” he said to me. => He asked me not to shout. (- Te rog nu tipa, el mia
spus. -> El m-a rugat sa nu tip.)

!!! Atentie: negatia la Infinitiv se face punand NOT in fata lui TO si nu intre TO si verb:
NOT TO DRINK (a nu bea) si nu TO NOT DRINK

!!!!!!!! Dupa verbul Suggest se folosesc urmatoarele structuri:

suggest + Vb. –ing

suggest + that + S + should + Vb. Inf.

suggest + that + S + Vb. Short Inf

E.g. “Let’s see a film,” he said. => He suggested seeing a film. (El a sugerat sa
vedem un film.)

(- Hai sa vedem un film! a spus el.) He suggested that we should see a film. (El a
sugerat sa vedem un film.)

He suggested that we see a film. (El a sugerat sa

vedem un film.)

He suggested to see a film. (Nu se pune Infinitiv

dupa suggest)

Reported Exclamations are paraphrases of direct exclamations (exclamatiile se parafrazeaza

in vorbirea indirecta):

E.g. “How nice to meet you!” => He exclaimed he was delighted to meet me.

(-Incantat sa va intalnesc! -> El a exclamat ca era incantat sa ma intalneasca.)

“What a terrible day!” => He complained about the day.

(- Ce zi groaznica! -> El s-a plans de vreme.)

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 “Good evening!” => She greeted me./ She wished me a good evening.

(- Buna seara! -> Ea m-a salutat./ Ea mi-a dorit o seara buna.)

Indirect Questions (polite questions)

Direct question: Wh-word+Aux+S+Vb?

Indirect question: I wonder(ed)/I want(ed) to know (ma intreb/ ma intrebam/ vreau sa stiu/
voiam sa stiu)+Wh-word+S+P.

Could you tell me/ Do you know/Did you know (Ati putea sa imi spuneti/ Stiti/ Stiati)+ Wh-
word+S+P? Eg."How much does it cost?" => "Could you tell me how much it costs?"/ how
much does it cost?

(- Cat costa? -> Ati putea sa imi spuneti cat costa?)

"Where did she live?" => "I wanted to know where she lived."/ where did she live. (- Unde
locuia ea? -> Doream sa stiu unde locuia ea.)

Diferenta intre Intrebarile raportate si Intrebarile indirecte in limba engleza este aceea ca
Intrebarile raportate sunt introduse prin "said, told, asked, etc." si sunt urmate de verbe care
trebuie sa respecte transformarile de la vorbirea indirecta pe cand Intrebarile indirecte sunt de
fapt intrebari politicoase introduse de expresii politicoase ca: "I wonder, I want to know,
Could you tell me, etc." care nu sunt urmate neaparat de verbe transformate.

Asemanarea dintre Intrebarile raportate si intrebarile indirecte este ca in ambele nu se mai

face inversiunea intre auxiliar si subiect.

Direct Speech Reported question Indirect question

"Where is she?" => He asked where she was. "I want to know where she is." (-
Unde este ea? -> El m-a intrebat unde era ea. Vreau sa stiu unde este ea.)

Special Introductory Verbs

Exista mai multe verbe care pot sa introduca vorbirea indirecta in limba engleza in afara de
"say", "tell" si "ask", dar unele verbe introductive cer anumite structuri dupa ele:

Dupa verbele: agree ( a fi de acord), demand (a cere), offer (a oferi), promise (a promite),
refuse (a refuza), threaten (a ameninta), claim (a pretinde) se foloseste Vb. Long Infinitive
E.g. “Yes, I’ll help you.” => He agreed to help me (-Da, te voi ajuta. -> El a fost de acord sa
ma ajute.) => He said that he would help me. (El a spus ca ma va ajuta.)

Dupa verbele: advise (a sfatui), allow (a permite), ask (a ruga), beg (a implora), command (a
comanda), encourage (a incuraja), forbid (a interzice), instruct (a in strui), invite ( a invita),
order (a ordona), permit (permite), remind (a aminti cuiva), urge (a indemna), warn (a

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avertiza), want ( a vrea) se foloseste un pronume in Acuzativ (me/ you/ him/ her/ it/ us/
you/ them) + Vb. Long Infinitive

“You should take an umbrella.” => He advised me to take an umbrella. (- Ar trebui sa iei o
umbrela. -> El m-a sfatuit sa iau o umbrela.)

Dupa verbele: accuse somebody of (a acuza pe cineva de), apologise for (a-si cere scuze
pentru), admit to (a admite), boast about (a se lauda), complain to sb about (a se plange cuiva
de), deny (a nega), insist on (a insista), suggest (a sugera) se foloseste Vb. –ING

“You broke my glasses.” => He accused me of breaking his glasses. (-Mi-ai spart ochelarii.
-> El m-a acuzat ca i-am spart ochelarii.)

“No, I didn’t steal it.” => He denied stealing it. (-Nu, nu am furat asta. -> El a negat ca a furat
asta.)

Iata cateva expresii si verbe modale impreuna cu verbele introductive specifice lor la vorbirea
indirecta:

Would you like...? => offer

“Would you like me to help?” => He offered to help. (-Ati vrea sa va ajut? -> El s-a oferit sa
ma ajute.)

Won’t => refuse

“I won’t do it.” => He refused to do it. (-Eu refuz sa fac asta. -> El a refuzat sa faca asta.)

Should => advise

“You should learn more.” => He advised me to learn more. (-Ar trebui sa inveti mai mult. ->
El m-a sfatuit sa invat mai mult.)

Can => allow

“You can stay here.” => He allowed me to stay there. (-Poti sa stai aici. -> El mi-a permis sa
stau acolo.)

Let’s/ How about/ What about/ Why don’t we => suggest +vb. –ing/ suggest + that +S +
SHOULD + Vb. Inf/suggest + that +S + Vb. Short Inf

“Let’s pay her a visit later.” => He suggested paying her a visit later./ He suggested we
should pay her a visit later./ He suggested we pay her a visit later.

(- Hai sa ii facem o vizita/ sa o vizitam mai tarziu. -> El a sugerat sa o viziteze mai tarziu.)

Mustn’t/ not be allowed to => forbid + somebody + Long Infinitive

“You mustn’t cheat during the exam” he said. => The teacher forbade us to cheat during the
exam.

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(- Este interzis sa copiati in timpul examenului, a spus el. -> Profesorul ne-a interzis sa
copiem in timpul examenului.)

“You are very beautiful.” (Tu esti foarte frumoasa.) He said that I was very beautiful. (El a
spus ca eram foarte frumoasa.) He said to me that I was very beautiful. (dupa say se pune TO)
(El mi-a spus mie ca eram foarte frumoasa.)

He said me that I was very beautiful. He told me that I was very beautiful. (dupa tell nu se
pune TO)(El mi-a spus mie ca eram foarte frumoasa.) He told to me that I was very beautiful.

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