Reported Speech

Level 4

Report a statement with že and keep its tense: Povedal, že je unavený. (He said he was tired.) The original words were „Som unavený.“

How It Works

Keep the tense. English usually moves the verb back a tense in reported speech (I am tired → he said he was tired). Slovak keeps the tense of the original words:

  • present: „Som unavený.“ → Povedal, že je unavený. (He said he was tired.)
  • past: „Bola som chorá.“ → Povedala, že bola chorá. (She said she had been ill.)
  • future: „Zajtra zavolám.“ → Sľúbil, že zajtra zavolá. (He promised he would call tomorrow.)

The same goes for thoughts and hopes: Myslela som, že prídeš. (I thought you would come.) The past tense bol in Povedal, že bol unavený would mean he had been tired earlier.

Change the person. Pronouns and verb endings change to match who is speaking now: „Som unavený.“ → Povedal, že je unavený.; „Máš čas?“ → Spýtal sa ma, či mám čas.

The linking word.

  • Statements: že. Povedal, že príde.
  • Yes-no questions: či. Spýtala sa ma, či hovorím po slovensky.
  • Other questions: the question word stays. See indirect questions. Spýtal sa, kde bývam.
  • Commands: aby or nech. See reported commands. Povedal mi, aby som počkal.

Comma. A comma always comes before že, či, aby and the question word.

Reporting without a speaker. To pass on what others say without naming them, use vraj or hovorí sa, že.

Examples (6)

  1. Povedal, že je unavený.

    He said he was tired.

    Word by Word: He-said, that is tired.

    His words were „Som unavený.“ The present tense stays.

  2. Myslela som, že prídeš.

    I thought you would come.

    Word by Word: Thought I, that you-will-come.

  3. Povedala, že bola chorá.

    She said she had been ill.

    Word by Word: She-said, that was ill.

    Her words were „Bola som chorá.“ The past tense stays past.

  4. Sľúbil, že zajtra zavolá.

    He promised he would call tomorrow.

    Word by Word: He-promised, that tomorrow will-call.

  5. Spýtala sa ma, či hovorím po slovensky.

    She asked me if I spoke Slovak.

    Word by Word: Asked self me, whether I-speak in-Slovak.

  6. Povedal mi, aby som počkal.

    He told me to wait.

    Word by Word: He-said to-me, so-that I would-wait.

Common Mistakes

  • Moving the tense back as in English.

    Povedal, že bol unavený.
    Povedal, že je unavený.

    If his words were „Som unavený,“ keep the present tense. Bol would mean he had been tired before.

  • Forgetting to change the person.

    Povedal, že som unavený.
    Povedal, že je unavený.

    He was talking about himself, so som becomes je. Som would mean that I am tired.

  • Leaving out the comma before že.

    Povedal že príde.
    Povedal, že príde.

    A comma always comes before že.

How It Connects

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

Reported SpeechLevel 4

Learn This First

Before Reported Speech, learn Saying That: že and The Past Tense. Reported speech is introduced with že. The entry shows how tenses carry over.