Infinitive Clauses After Verbs of Saying

Level 6

Instead of Dixo que estaba canso (he said he was tired), formal style can say Dixo estar canso, with an infinitive.

How It Works

The pattern

Normally, reported speech uses que + a conjugated verb (see reported statements): Dixo que estaba canso. In formal style, especially in news and reports, the second verb can be an infinitive with no que:

  • Dixo estar canso. (He said he was tired.)
  • Afirma descoñecer os feitos. (She claims not to know the facts.)
  • Negou coñecer o acusado. (He denied knowing the accused.)
  • Os veciños din estar fartos do ruído. (The neighbours say they are fed up with the noise.)

The same subject

The person who says or thinks must be the same person the infinitive describes. Dixo estar canso means he said that he himself was tired. To say that someone else was tired, use que: Dixo que eu estaba canso.

No preposition

The infinitive follows the verb directly. Do not add de or que in front of it.

Register. This is a formal pattern. In conversation, Dixo que estaba canso is much more natural. For infinitives that do have their own subject, see the personal infinitive.

Examples (5)

  1. Dixo estar canso despois da viaxe.

    He said he was tired after the trip.

    Word by Word: He-said to-be tired after the trip.

    Same subject: he said it about himself.

  2. A testemuña afirma descoñecer os feitos.

    The witness claims not to know the facts.

    A typical sentence from a news report.

  3. O ministro negou coñecer o acusado.

    The minister denied knowing the accused.

    Negar + infinitive: he denied that he knew him.

  4. Os veciños din estar fartos do ruído.

    The neighbours say they are fed up with the noise.

    The infinitive normally keeps its plain form because it shares the subject of din, and fartos agrees with veciños.

  5. A empresa asegura cumprir todas as normas.

    The company says it follows all the rules.

    Asegura cumprir = asegura que cumpre.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the infinitive to report something about a different person.

    O médico dixo estar san.
    O médico dixo que eu estaba san.

    O médico dixo estar san means the doctor said that he himself was healthy. To report what he said about you, use que + a conjugated verb.

  • Adding de before the infinitive.

    Dixo de estar canso.
    Dixo estar canso.

    After verbs of saying, the infinitive follows directly, with no preposition.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Infinitive Clauses After Verbs of SayingLevel 6

Learn This First

A saying or thinking verb can introduce a same-subject infinitive instead of a que clause.