Reported Speech in Spanish: how tenses shift
Short answer
When the reporting verb is in the past, the present becomes imperfect, the preterite becomes pluperfect, the future becomes conditional, and commands become the imperfect subjunctive. Dijo que estaba cansado.
Level B2 · verbs, reported speech
The rule in full
When the reporting verb is in the past (dijo que…), the tenses step back one level.
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| presente | imperfecto |
| indefinido / perfecto | pluscuamperfecto |
| futuro | condicional |
| imperativo | imperfecto de subjuntivo |
| presente de subjuntivo | imperfecto de subjuntivo |
- «Estoy cansado» → Dijo que estaba cansado.
- «Llegué tarde» → Dijo que había llegado tarde.
- «Vendré mañana» → Dijo que vendría al día siguiente.
- «Ven aquí» → Me pidió que viniera.
Also shift: hoy → aquel día, mañana → al día siguiente, aquí → allí, este → aquel.
If the reporting verb is in the present (dice que…), nothing shifts.
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