Reporting What Someone Said
Jüri ütles, et Sirje sõidab maale means Jüri said Sirje was going to the countryside. Et introduces the reported words.
How It Works
Direct speech repeats the exact words: Märt ütles: „Ma käisin eile siin.” Reported speech puts them in an et-clause after a comma: Märt ütles, et ta käis eile seal.
Choose the verb form:
- Indicative passes the message on neutrally: Jüri ütles, et Sirje sõidab maale.
- -vat (quotative) shows it is only what you heard: Jüri ütles, et Sirje sõitvat maale. It is the same for every person.
When you report your own words, use only the indicative: Ma ütlesin, et ma ei saa tulla.
Shift the point of view. Change pronouns, place words and time words to fit the person reporting: ma → ta, siin → seal, homme → järgmisel päeval.
Estonian usually keeps the tense the speaker used. English often changes is to was, but Estonian says Mari ütles, et ta on väsinud.
Reported questions use kas or a question word instead of et: Ta küsis, kas ma tulen.
Examples (6)
- Jüri ütles, et Sirje sõidab maale.
Jüri said that Sirje was going to the countryside.
Word by Word: Jüri said that Sirje drives countryside-to
The indicative passes the message on.
- Jüri ütles, et Sirje sõitvat maale.
Jüri said that Sirje was supposedly going to the countryside.
The -vat form shows it is only what Jüri said.
- Mari ütles, et ta on väsinud.
Mari said she was tired.
The present on stays: Estonian usually keeps the speaker's tense.
- Märt ütles, et ta käis eile seal.
Märt said he had been there yesterday.
His words were Ma käisin eile siin. Ma and siin changed to ta and seal. Eile stays because the report is made on the same day.
- Peeter ütles, et ta tuleb järgmisel päeval.
Peeter said he would come the next day.
Homme becomes järgmisel päeval when you report it later.
- Ma ütlesin, et ma ei saa tulla.
I said that I couldn't come.
Your own words are always reported in the indicative.
Common Mistakes
Using the -vat form for your own words.
Ma ütlesin, et Sirje sõitvat maale.Ma ütlesin, et Sirje sõidab maale.The -vat form means someone else is the source. When you report what you said yourself, use the indicative.
Adding a personal ending to the -vat form.
Jüri ütles, et nad sõitvad maale.Jüri ütles, et nad sõitvat maale.The -vat form is the same for every person. It never takes -d or any other ending.
Keeping the original pronoun without shifting it.
Mari ütles, et ma aitan sind.Mari ütles, et ta aitab mind.Mari said Ma aitan sind. Reported by you, her ma becomes ta and her sind becomes mind. Otherwise it sounds as if you will help.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Reported statements use et and possibly the quotative.
Related Patterns
- Reported Past
The past version of the -vat form for reported past events.
Level 4 - Reported Questions
Reported questions use kas or a question word instead of et.
Level 3 - Reporting Commands
Reported commands use the conditional or the jussive instead.
Level 4 - pidiSupposed to (Pidi)
Another way to pass on what others say.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Reporting What Someone Said in Bubblegum
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