Russian online - Basic level - Grammar - Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech - Прямая и косвенная речь

The reporter may convey the speaker’s words literally, without any changes. This is direct speech:

“После лекции я пойду в библиотеку”, - сказал студент.

Диктор сообщил: “Завтра будет хорошая погода”.

The reporter may convey the speaker’s words in his own way, in a somewhat changed form. This is indirect speech:

Cтудент сказал, что после лекции он пойдёт в библиотеку.

Диктор сообщил, что завтра будет хорошая погода.

Direct speech can be replaced with indirect speech.

1. If the direct speech is an affirmative sentence, it can be replaced with an object clause introduced by the conjunction что:

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Он сказал мне: "Сегодня я приду к тебе."	Он сказал мне, что сегодня он придёт ко мне.
He said to me, "I'll come to see you today."	He told me that he would come to see me that day.

2. If the direct speech is a request, command, wish or advice with the predicate in the imperative mood,

it can be replaced with an object clause introduced by the conjunction чтобы.

The verb in the object clause is invariably in the past tense.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Он сказал мне: "Купи мне эту книгу!"	Он сказал мне, чтобы я купил ему эту книгу.
He said to me, "Buy me that book!"	He told me to buy him that book.

3. If the direct speech is an interrogative sentence with an interrogative word, it can be replaced

with an object clause introduced by the interrogative word used as a conjunctive word.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Он спросил меня: "Куда ты идёшь?"	Он спросил меня, куда я иду.
He asked me, "Where are you going?"	He asked me where I was going.

4. If the direct speech is an interrogative sentence containing no interrogative word, it can be replaced

with an object clause with the particle ли ‘weather’ used as a conjunction.

The particle ли is always placed after the word containing the question.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Он спросил меня: "Ты пойдёшь в театр?"	Он спросил меня, пойду ли я в театр.
He asked me, "Will you go to the theatre?"	He asked me whether I would go to the theatre.

In replacing direct speech with indirect speech,

attention should be paid to the correct use of personal and possessive pronouns and finite verb forms.