PrepMyFrench
Last updated: 3 أغسطس 2026
Total Word Count: 1,850+ words
"She said she loved him." In English, we call it Reported Speech or Indirect Speech. In French, it's Le Discours Rapporté or Le Discours Indirect.
This grammar concept is crucial for:
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The key challenge? French changes the verb tense when reporting past events.
The exact words are quoted.
The words are reported without quotes. The structure changes.
Notice the changes:
When the original sentence is a statement (not a question), introduce the indirect version with QUE.
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This is the most important rule. When the introductory verb is in a past tense (Passé Composé, Imparfait, etc.), the tenses inside the reported speech must shift back.
| Original Tense (Direct) | Becomes (Indirect) |
|---|---|
| Présent | Imparfait |
| Passé Composé | Plus-que-parfait |
| Futur Simple | Conditionnel Présent |
| Futur Antérieur | Conditionnel Passé |
Examples:
Questions require a different approach. You do not use "que".
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Use DE + Infinitif.
Just like pronouns, time markers also change to fit the new perspective.
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| Aujourd'hui | Ce jour-là |
| Hier | La veille |
| Demain | Le lendemain |
| Ici | Là / À cet endroit |
| Maintenant | À ce moment-là |
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You might encounter a journalist summarizing an interview. Look for verbs like affirmer, déclarer, soutenir, prétendre, nier. These often introduce Reported Speech.
Instead of quoting: "M. X dit que...", use the more elegant synthesis form: "Selon M. X, [main idea in indirect speech]."
The backbone of Reported Speech is the Concordance des Temps. If the intro verb is past, shift everything back one level. Practice converting dialogues into summaries. This skill is fundamental for TCF/TEF synthesis writing and for understanding journalistic articles.
