Reported Statements With da

Reported Statements

Level 4

Reported speech uses da and keeps the tense, but the people may change.

How It Works

English changes the tense in reported speech (I am coming becomes he said he was coming). Bosnian usually keeps the tense.

OriginalReported
Dolazim.Rekao je da dolazi.
Umorna sam.Rekla je da je umorna.
Doći ću sutra.Rekao je da će doći sutra.

Person words change just as in English: I becomes he or she. The word da is needed, and no comma comes before it.

This is the usual pattern, but the speaker sometimes chooses a different tense to match the meaning, so treat the tense as a strong habit and not an exceptionless law. For reported commands, da goes with the present: Rekla je da dođem. (She told me to come.)

Examples (5)

  1. Rekao je da dolazi.

    He said that he is coming.

    The present stays present.

  2. Rekla je da je umorna.

    She said that she is tired.

    The person changes to she.

  3. Amir je rekao da će doći sutra.

    Amir said that he will come tomorrow.

    The future stays future.

  4. Selma kaže da ne zna.

    Selma says that she does not know.

    Kaže in the present.

  5. Rekli su da su stigli.

    They said that they had arrived.

    The perfect stays perfect.

Common Mistakes

  • Using što instead of da

    Rekla je što je umorna.
    Rekla je da je umorna.

    Reported speech uses da.

How It Connects

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Reported Statements With daLevel 4Reported Statements

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Reported speech uses da.

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Words in This Pattern

rećida