The indirect style is used to report someone’s words. As in English, we use a verb followed by a subordinate clause to introduce the person’s speech.

Construction of a sentence in indirect style

(Subject) + Verb + subordinate clause

Examples :

• Mis amigas dicen que soy muy buena persona. (My friends say I am a good person).
• Elena dice que lo siente mucho. (Elena says she is very sorry.)

Depending on the context, we will use either declarative verbs or verbs of opinion, wish, order, or prohibition.

Use of a declarative verb

If the verb used to introduce the speech is a declarative verb, we will use the indicative in the subordinate clause.

The most common declarative verbs in Spanish are : decir, contar, afirmar, explicar, declarar, exclamar.

Use of the verb “decir” in indirect style

Present tense:

– When the speech is reported in the present tense and the action is taking place as we speak:

Declarative verb (present tense) + subordinate proposition verb (present tense)

Example :

• Pablo: “El gato está en el jardín”. (The cat is in the garden.)
• Pablo dice dice el gato está en el jardín. (Pablo says the cat is in the garden.)

– When reporting speech in the present tense for an action that took place before the moment of speaking:

Declarative verb (present tense) + subordinate proposition verb (past simple/present perfect)

Example:

• Miguel : “Mi hermano vino a casa esta mañana.”
• Miguel dice que su hermano ha venido/vino a casa esta mañana.

Past tense

– When the speech is reported later and the action was taking place at the time the person was making the speech:

Declarative verb (past simple) + subordinate proposition verb (imperfect)

Example :

• Pablo dijo que el gato estaba en el jardín. (Pablo said that the cat was in the garden.)

– When the speech is reported later and the action took place before the person was saying the speech:

Declarative verb (past simple) + subordinate proposition verb (more than perfect)

Example :

• Miguel dijo que su hermano había venido a casa por la mañana.

Conditional:

In the case where the speech is reported later and the words were stated in the future tense:

Declarative verb (simple past tense) + subordinate proposition verb (conditional)

Example :

• Pablo : « El gato estará en el jardín.” (The cat will be in the garden.)
• Pablo dijo que el gato estaría en el jardín. (Pablo says that the cat will be in the garden.)

Use of the verb “declarar” in indirect style

Examples :

The suspect: “I have nothing to declare. “

• El sospechoso declara que no tiene nada que esconder. (The suspect declares that he has nothing to hide.)
• El sospechoso declaró que no tenía nada que esconder. (The suspect said he had nothing to hide).

Use of a verb expressing a command, prayer or advice

If the verb used to introduce the speech is a verb of order, prayer, advice or prohibition, the subjunctive should be used in the subordinate clause.

Verbs expressing a command

The most common verbs to express an order in Spanish are: pedir and ordenar.

Use of the verb “pedir” in indirect style

Present tense:

Ordering verb (present tense) + subordinate proposition verb (present subjunctive)

Examples :

• Maria: “Dame una respuesta esta tarde.” (Give me an answer this afternoon.)
• Maria me pide que le dé una respuesta esta tarde. (Maria asks me to give her an answer this afternoon.)

Past tense:

Order verb (past tense) + subordinate proposition verb (imperfect subjunctive).

Remember that the imperfect subjunctive (pretérito imperfecto) is conjugated in 2 different forms in Spanish.

Example :

• Maria me pidió que le diera/diese una respuesta esta tarde. (Maria asked me to give her an answer in the afternoon).

Use of the verb “ordenar” in indirect style

Examples :

• Miguel : “Ayudame a limpiar.” (Help me clean up).
• Miguel me ordona que le ayude a limpiar. (Miguel orders me to help him clean.)
• Miguel me ordonó que le ayudará/ayudase a limpiar. (Miguel ordered me to help him clean up.)

Verbs expressing prayer

The most common verbs in Spanish to express a prayer are rogar y suplicar.

Use of “suplicar” in indirect style

Examples :

• Juan : « Por favor hermano, no me pegues. » (Please my brother, don’t hit me).
• Juan suplica su hermano que no le pegue. (Juan begs his brother not to hit him).
• Juan suplicó su hermano que no le pegara/pegase. (Juan begged his brother not to hit him).

Use of the verb “rogar” in indirect style

Examples :

• El conductor : “Por favor que vuelvan inmediatamente a sus asientos. (Please return to your seats immediately.)
• El conductor les ruega que vuelvan inmediatamente a sus asientos. (The driver asks them to return to their seats immediately.)
• El conductor les rogó que volvieran/volviesen inmediatamente a sus asientos. (The driver asked them to return to their seats immediately.)

Verbs expressing advice

The most common verbs in Spanish to express advice are aconsejar and sugerir.

Use of the verb “aconsejar” in indirect style

Examples :

• Angel : « Deberías hacer más deporte. » (You should do more sports).
• Angel me aconseja que haga más deporte. (Angel advises me to do more sports).
• Angel me aconsejó que hiciera/hiciese más deporte. (Angel advised me to do more sports.)

Use of the verb “sugerir” in indirect style

Examples :

• Lucia : « Tendrías que tomar este camino porque es más corto.»
• Lucia me sugiere que tome este camino porque es más corto.
• Lucia me sugirió que tomara/tomase este camino porque era más corto.

Verb expressing a prohibition.

The verb used in Spanish to express an interdiction is “prohibir“.

Use of the verb “prohibir” in indirect style

Example :

• Diego: « No le hables. » (Don’t talk to him.)
• Diego me prohíbe que le hable. (Diego forbids me to talk to him.)
• Diego me prohíbio que le hablara/hablase. (Diego forbids me to talk to him.)

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