Reported speech
Attribute a statement without turning it into a verified fact.
Direct words and indirect report
Direct speech preserves the speaker’s words in quotation marks. Indirect speech names the speaker and uses a reporting verb plus che or, with the same subject, sometimes di plus an infinitive. Change pronouns and the point of view: Marta’s noi can become il suo ufficio. Keep the source visible. Reporting a promise does not prove that the promised event happened.
- Marta: «Prevediamo trenta posti». → Marta ha detto che il suo ufficio prevedeva trenta posti.· Marta: “We plan thirty places.” → Marta said her office planned thirty places.
- Marta: «Non abbiamo selezionato nessuno». → Marta ha precisato che il suo ufficio non aveva selezionato nessuno.· Marta: “We have selected no one.” → Marta specified that her office had selected no one.
- Irene: «Controllerò il sito». → Irene ha detto che avrebbe controllato il sito.· Irene: “I will check the site.” → Irene said she would check the site.
- Irene ha detto di voler controllare il sito.· Irene said she wanted to check the site.
Choose a form that keeps the meaning
A past reporting verb often makes an earlier present into an imperfect (prevediamo → prevedeva) and an earlier future into a past conditional (apriranno → sarebbero state aperte). These are useful choices for a retrospective report, not an automatic rule for every sentence. A fact that is still true can remain in the present when the context makes that clear. Do not change a possible date into a confirmed event.
- Marta: «Le iscrizioni apriranno il 13 maggio». → Marta ha annunciato che le iscrizioni sarebbero state aperte il 13 maggio.· Marta: “Registration will open on 13 May.” → Marta announced that registration would open on 13 May.
- Marta ha detto che il 3 giugno era solo una data possibile.· Marta said that 3 June was only a possible date.
- Secondo Marta, il contratto era ancora in esame.· According to Marta, the contract was still under review.
- La redazione non ha verificato che il modulo sia online.· The newsroom has not verified that the form is online.