Reported Speech from the Present
Reported speech (discorso indiretto) allows you to relay what someone else said. When the reporting verb (like 'dice' - he says) is in the present tense, the tenses of the original statement do not change.
How It Works
In Italian, reporting what someone says while using a present tense verb (like dire, pensare, or chiedere) is straightforward because the timeline remains anchored in the present.
1. Statements with 'Che'
To report a statement, use the conjunction che. Unlike in English, che is mandatory and cannot be omitted.
Example: Marco dice: 'Ho fame' → Marco dice che ha fame.
2. Questions with 'Se' or Interrogatives
To report a yes/no question, use se (if/whether). For open questions, keep the original question word (dove, quando, come, etc.).
Example: Mi chiede: 'Vieni?' → Mi chiede se vado.
3. The Implicit Form (Same Subject)
If the subject of the reporting verb and the reported action are the same person, Italian prefers the 'implicit' construction: di + infinitive.
Example: Dico: 'Sono stanco' → Dico di essere stanco. (More natural than Dico che sono stanco).
4. Perspective Shifts
Even though the tense doesn't change, you must adjust pronouns and possessives to reflect the reporter's perspective. If Maria says 'My car is red,' you report 'Maria says her car is red.'
Examples (5)
- Giulia dice che non ha fame.
Giulia says that she isn't hungry.
Word by Word: Giulia says that [she] not has hunger.
A standard statement using 'che'. The tense (present) remains the same as the original speech.
- Paolo dice di aver finito il lavoro.
Paolo says he has finished the work.
Word by Word: Paolo says of to have finished the work.
Since Paolo is the one speaking and the one who finished the work, we use 'di' + past infinitive.
- Mi chiede se vogliamo uscire stasera.
He asks me if we want to go out tonight.
Word by Word: To me [he] asks if [we] want to go out tonight.
When reporting a yes/no question, 'se' is used to mean 'if' or 'whether'.
- Dicono che verranno alla festa.
They say they will come to the party.
Word by Word: [They] say that [they] will come to the party.
The future tense is maintained in the reported clause because the reporting verb 'dicono' is in the present.
- Pensa che il film sia noioso.
He thinks the movie is boring.
Word by Word: [He] thinks that the movie be [subj.] boring.
Verbs of opinion like 'pensare' trigger the present subjunctive in the reported clause.
Common Mistakes
Omitting the conjunction 'che'.
Dice ha fame.Dice che ha fame.In English, you can say 'He says he's hungry,' but after 'dire' Italian needs 'che': 'Dice che ha fame.' (Some verbs of opinion can drop 'che' with the subjunctive, but not 'dire'.)
Failing to change pronouns/possessives.
Marco dice che ho le mie chiavi.Marco dice che ha le sue chiavi.If Marco said 'I have my keys,' you must change 'I/my' to 'he/his' when reporting it, otherwise it sounds like Marco is talking about your keys.
Using 'che' when the subject is the same.
Dico che io vado via.Dico di andare via.While 'che' is grammatically possible, using 'di + infinitive' is much more natural and common when the subject doesn't change.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To report speech when the introductory verb is in the present, you need to know how to conjugate reporting verbs like 'dire' and 'sapere', how to use the conjunction 'che' to connect clauses, and how to form the present tense for the information being reported.
- uscire / venire / direIrregular Presente: Uscire, Venire, Dire
The verb 'dire' (to say) is the most common introductory verb used to report speech, and its present tense conjugation is essential for this pattern.
Level 1 - e / ma / o / perché / quindiBasic Conjunctions
Understanding basic conjunctions is necessary because reported speech often relies on the conjunction 'che' to link the introductory verb to the reported clause.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- Yes/No Questions
Understanding how to form direct questions is essential before reporting them with 'se'.
Level 1 - Present Subjunctive
Reporting thoughts or opinions often requires the subjunctive mood instead of the indicative.
Level 3 - Reported Speech from the Past (Introductory)
This covers how reported speech changes when the introductory verb is in the past (e.g., 'He said').
Level 3 - Past Infinitive
Used in the implicit form (di + infinitive) to report actions that happened before the reporting moment.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice Reported Speech from the Present in Bubblegum
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