ka + Renarrative
Reported Speech with a Doubt
Viņš teica, ka ir slims (He said he was ill) simply reports. Viņš teica, ka esot slims (He said he was ill, supposedly) makes clear that the claim is his, not yours.
How It Works
1. Two ways to report.
- Viņš teica, ka ir slims. (He said he was ill.) A neutral report. The verb of saying already shows the words are his.
- Viņš teica, ka esot slims. (He said he was ill, supposedly.) The renarrative adds a second signal: this is his claim, and you are not standing behind it.
2. How strong is the doubt? The form itself only says that someone else is the source. Context decides the rest. With apgalvot (to claim) or a seller's promise it often sounds sceptical: Pārdevējs apgalvoja, ka telefons esot pilnīgi jauns. In news it is usually just careful source marking (see renarrative in news reports).
3. The forms in the ka clause.
- Present: -ot, ka esot slims, ka strādājot, negative ka neesot, ka nestrādājot.
- Past: esot + -is, ka esot redzējis. Esot is often left out: ka to redzējis.
- Future: -šot, ka atbraukšot.
4. Only for claims you do not own. If you yourself know or believe the fact, use the plain form: Es zinu, ka viņš ir slims. Pairing es zinu with esot contradicts itself.
5. Tense does not shift. As in every ka clause, the tense is the one the quoted person used when speaking, not moved back as in English: Viņš teica, ka esot slims uses the present because he said "I am ill".
Examples (6)
- Viņš teica, ka ir slims.
He said he was ill.
Word by Word: He said that is ill.
A plain report of his words.
- Viņš teica, ka esot slims.
He said he was ill, or so he claims.
Word by Word: He said that being ill.
The renarrative shows that you are only passing on his claim.
- Pārdevējs apgalvoja, ka telefons esot pilnīgi jauns.
The seller claimed the phone was brand new.
Word by Word: Seller claimed that phone being completely new.
- Kaimiņi stāsta, ka tajā mājā spokojoties.
The neighbours say that house is haunted.
Word by Word: Neighbours tell that in-that house haunting-reportedly.
- Viņa rakstīja, ka atbraukšot pēc nedēļas.
She wrote that she would come in a week.
Word by Word: She wrote that will-come-reportedly after week.
The future renarrative -šot.
- Policija ziņo, ka vadītājs neesot bijis reibumā.
The police report that the driver was not intoxicated.
Word by Word: Police reports that driver not-being been intoxicated.
The past renarrative, negated on esot.
Common Mistakes
Distancing yourself from something you say you know.
Es zinu, ka viņš esot slims.Es zinu, ka viņš ir slims.Es zinu (I know) says the fact is yours, but esot says it is only someone else's claim. The two contradict each other, so use the plain present.
Combining esot with a finite past verb.
Viņš teica, ka esot bija slims.Viņš teica, ka esot bijis slims.The reported past is esot plus a past participle: esot bijis. Bija is already a finished verb form, so it cannot follow esot.
Using kad instead of ka.
Viņš teica, kad esot slims.Viņš teica, ka esot slims.Kad means when. A clause that reports what someone said starts with ka.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Ka + renarrative marks information as someone else’s report; context decides whether it also conveys doubt.
Related Patterns
- Reported Speech With kaReported Speech
That entry covers the plain ka report. This one adds the renarrative for distance.
Level 4 - Renarrative -otReported Information: -ot
The present forms in the ka clause are ordinary renarrative -ot forms.
Level 5 - esot + -isReported Past Events
Reported past events in a ka clause use esot + -is, often without esot.
Level 5 - Renarrative Future -šotReported Future: -šot
Reported future plans in a ka clause use -šot.
Level 5 - kaThat: Ka
The clause is introduced by ka, the ordinary word for that.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice ka + Renarrative in Bubblegum
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