Reported Speech

Level 3

Hy het gesê dat hy moeg is. (He said that he was tired.) Afrikaans keeps the tense of the words that were actually said.

How It Works

1. Statements. Original: “Ek is moeg.” (I am tired.) Reported:

  • Hy het gesê dat hy moeg is. (verb at the end)
  • Hy het gesê hy is moeg. (no dat, see leaving out dat)

2. Keep the tense. English usually shifts the tense back: He said he was tired. Afrikaans normally keeps the tense of the original words, so ek is moeg becomes hy is moeg. If the person spoke about the past, the past stays: “Ek was siek.” → Sy het gesê sy was siek. For a promise about the future, sal stays: Sy het gesê sy sal môre bel. Careful writing sometimes uses sou here.

3. Questions. A yes/no question is reported with of (whether), and a question with a question word keeps that word. Either way, the verb goes to the end (see indirect questions):

  • “Kom jy?” → Sy het gevra of ek kom. (She asked whether I was coming.)
  • “Waar was julle?” → Ma het gevra waar ons was. (Mom asked where we had been.)

4. Commands. A command is usually reported with moet: “Rus!” → Die dokter het gesê ek moet rus. (The doctor said I should rest.)

5. Change the people. Pronouns and possessives change to fit who is speaking: ek becomes hy or sy, and my becomes sy or haar.

Examples (6)

  1. Hy het gesê dat hy moeg is.

    He said that he was tired.

    Word by Word: He has said that he tired is.

    His words were Ek is moeg, so the present tense stays.

  2. Hy het gesê hy is moeg.

    He said he was tired.

    Word by Word: He has said he is tired.

    Without dat, the verb stays in second place.

  3. Sy het gevra of ek kom.

    She asked whether I was coming.

    Word by Word: She has asked whether I come.

    A yes/no question is reported with of.

  4. Ma het gevra waar ons was.

    Mom asked where we had been.

    Word by Word: Mom has asked where we were.

    The question word waar stays, and the verb goes to the end.

  5. Die dokter het gesê ek moet rus.

    The doctor said I should rest.

    Word by Word: The doctor has said I must rest.

    A command is reported with moet.

  6. Sy het gesê sy sal môre bel.

    She said she would call tomorrow.

    Word by Word: She has said she shall tomorrow call.

Common Mistakes

  • Shifting the tense back, as in English.

    Hy het gesê dat hy moeg was.
    Hy het gesê dat hy moeg is.

    If his words were Ek is moeg, keep is. Hy het gesê dat hy moeg was means that he said he had been tired earlier.

  • Using dat to report a yes/no question.

    Sy het gevra dat ek kom.
    Sy het gevra of ek kom.

    Gevra dat means she asked me to come. To report the question Kom jy?, use of.

  • Keeping the verb in second place after dat.

    Hy het gesê dat hy is moeg.
    Hy het gesê dat hy moeg is.

    Dat sends the verb to the end. Without dat, hy is moeg is also correct.

How It Connects

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Reported SpeechLevel 3

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Words in This Pattern

of