B1 · Intermediate Chapter 34

Reported Speech

1 Total Rules
10 examples
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of retelling conversations by shifting perspectives and tenses in Russian indirect speech.

  • Identify the use of 'что' (that) to introduce indirect speech.
  • Adjust pronouns and verb tenses to match the speaker's perspective.
  • Apply correct punctuation for complex reporting structures.
Don't just repeat words, retell the story.

What You'll Learn

Shifting tenses and pronouns in indirect speech. Managing complex reporting verbs.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: relay someone else's statements using the 'что' clause structure in Russian.

Key Examples (2)

1

Максим сказал, что он сейчас в спортзале.

Maxim said that he is at the gym right now.

Reporting Speech in Russian (Indirect Speech)
2

Она спросила, видела ли я её новый пост.

She asked if I had seen her new post.

Reporting Speech in Russian (Indirect Speech)

Tips & Tricks (1)

⚠️

The Comma Trap

In English, you can skip 'that' (He said he was tired). In Russian, you MUST include что and you MUST put a comma before it.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Speech in Russian (Indirect Speech)

Key Vocabulary (5)

сказать to say (perfective) что that спросить to ask ответить to answer рассказать to tell

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Office Gossip

Review Summary

  • Subject + Reporting Verb + что + Subject + Verb

Common Mistakes

You must use the conjunction 'что' and change the pronoun.

Wrong: Он сказал я иду в кино.
Correct: Он сказал, что он идёт в кино.

Russian uses the short-form adjective for states, not 'была' + adj.

Wrong: Она сказала, что она была устала.
Correct: Она сказала, что она устала.

Don't use a colon before 'что' in indirect speech.

Wrong: Борис сказал: что он придёт.
Correct: Борис сказал, что он придёт.

Next Steps

You've mastered a key communication skill! Keep practicing by turning your daily conversations into reported speech exercises.

Listen to a news segment and write down three things the reporter said.

Continue to: Advanced Motion Verbs

Quick Practice (3)

Which sentence correctly reports the command: 'Иди домой!' (Go home!)

Choose the correct indirect command:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Он сказал, чтобы я шёл домой.
Commands are reported using 'чтобы' + the past tense of the verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Speech in Russian (Indirect Speech)

Find and fix the mistake in the indirect question.

Find and fix the mistake:

Она спросила меня, если я хочу кофе.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Она спросила меня, хочу ли я кофе.
In Russian, reported yes/no questions use 'ли', never 'если'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Speech in Russian (Indirect Speech)

Fill in the blank with the correct conjunction (что, чтобы, or ли).

Он сказал, ___ он купил билеты.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: что
Use 'что' for reporting a factual statement.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Speech in Russian (Indirect Speech)

Score: /3

Common Questions (2)

No, never. In Russian, что is mandatory for indirect statements, and it must always be preceded by a comma.
Generally, no. The word order stays similar to the original question, except ли must follow the verb or the word being questioned.
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Participles and Gerunds
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Advanced Motion Verbs
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