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Indirect speech: "Decir que"

"Decir que" is used to relate what someone says.

Gramática: El discurso indirecto: "Decir que"

A1 Spanish Indirect discourse

Level: A1

Module 6: La ciudad y el pueblo (The city and the village)

Lesson 45: Música y arte (Music and art)

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Audio and video

Audio with translations
Audio with translations

  1. Indirect speech reformulates sentences. Example: "Él dice que va al museo."
  2. The structure is sujeto + decir que + acción.
  3. "Decir que" does not change the verb tense to present.
Discurso directo (Direct speech)Discurso indirecto (Indirect speech)
Juan "Voy al museo". (Juan says he is going to the museum.)Juan dice que (él) va al museo. (Juan says (he) is going to the museum.)
Ana: "Me encanta el arte". (Ana says she loves the art.)Ana dice que le encanta el arte. (Ana says that she loves art.)
Pedro: "Escucho la radio". (Pedro: "I listen to the radio.")Pedro dice que (él) escucha la radio. (Pedro says that he listens to the radio.)
Eva: "Tengo la invitación". (Eva: "I have the invitation.")Eva dice que (ella) tiene la invitación. (Eva says that she has the invitation.)
Juan: "Voy al concierto". (Juan says that he is going to the concert.)Juan dice que (él) va al concierto. (Juan says that he is going to the concert.)
Ana: "Canto bien". (Ana: "I sing well.")Ana dice que (ella) canta bien. (Ana says that she sings well.)
Pedro: "Me gusta la obra". (Pedro says that he likes the play.)Pedro dice que le gusta la obra. (Pedro says that he likes the play.)
Eva: "Canto en la exposición". (Eva: "I sing at the exhibition.")Eva dice que (ella) canta en la exposición. (Eva says that she sings at the exhibition.)

Exercise 1: El discurso indirecto: "Decir que"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

dice que (él) va, dice que le, dice que (él), dice que (ella)

1.
Eva: "Canto bien". Eva ... canta bien.
(Eva: "I sing well." Eva says that she sings well.)
2.
Juan: "Me gusta la música". Juan ... gusta la música.
(Juan: "I like music." Juan says that he likes music.)
3.
Ana: "Canto en el evento". Ana ... canta en el evento.
(Ana: "I sing at the event." Ana says that she sings at the event.)
4.
Pedro: "Voy a la discoteca". Pedro ... va a la discoteca.
(Pedro: "I am going to the nightclub." Pedro says that he is going to the nightclub.)
5.
Ana: "Me encanta el museo". Ana ... encanta el museo.
(Ana: "I love the museum." Ana says that she loves the museum.)
6.
Eva: "Recibo una invitación". Eva ... recibe una invitación.
(Eva: "I receive an invitation." Eva says that she receives an invitation.)
7.
Juan: "Voy a la discoteca los viernes". Juan ... va a la discoteca los viernes.
(Juan: "I go to the disco on Fridays." Juan says that he goes to the disco on Fridays.)
8.
Juan: "Voy al concierto el viernes". Juan ... al concierto el viernes.
(Juan: "I'm going to the concert on Friday." Juan says that he is going to the concert on Friday.)

Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

dice que (él) va

says that he is going

2

dice que (ella)

she says that

3

dice que (él)

he says that he

4

dice que le

says that she