Direct and Indirect Speech: Reporting Speech

Direct and indirect speech are ways of reporting speech, thoughts, and dialogues in narrative texts. Mastering these techniques is essential for creative, journalistic, and academic writing, allowing variety and precision in transmitting information.

What are Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct Speech

Reproduces the speaker’s exact words:

• Maintains exact words
• Uses specific punctuation marks
• Preserves original expressiveness
• Creates closeness with the reader

Indirect Speech

Reports words through the narrator:

• Adapts words to narrative context
• Integrates speech into narration
• Modifies grammatical elements
• Allows synthesis and interpretation

Characteristics of Direct Speech

Structure

1. Reporting verb (said, spoke, asked)
2. Colon or dash
3. Quotation marks or dash to mark speech
4. Original punctuation maintained

Examples

With Dash

Maria disse:
— Vou ao mercado agora.
(Maria said:
— I'm going to the market now.)

With Quotation Marks

Maria disse: "Vou ao mercado agora."
(Maria said: "I'm going to the market now.")

Interpolated

— Vou ao mercado — disse Maria — e volto logo.
(— I'm going to the market — said Maria — and I'll be back soon.)

Common Reporting Verbs

Category	Verbs
Statement	disse (said), falou (spoke), afirmou (stated), declarou (declared)
Question	perguntou (asked), questionou (questioned), indagou (inquired)
Answer	respondeu (answered), retrucou (retorted), replicou (replied)
Order	ordenou (ordered), mandou (commanded), determinou (determined)
Emotion	gritou (shouted), sussurrou (whispered), exclamou (exclaimed)

Characteristics of Indirect Speech

Structure

1. Main clause with reporting verb
2. Conjunction (que/that, se/if)
3. Subordinate clause with adapted speech
4. Necessary grammatical adjustments

Examples

Direct Speech: João disse: "Estou cansado."
(João said: "I am tired.")

Indirect Speech: João disse que estava cansado.
(João said that he was tired.)

Transformations from Direct to Indirect

1. Changes in Pronouns

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
EU (I)	ELE/ELA (he/she)
TU/VOCÊ (you)	ELE/ELA (he/she)
NÓS (we)	ELES/ELAS (they)
MEU/MINHA (my)	SEU/SUA/DELE/DELA (his/her)
NOSSO/NOSSA (our)	SEU/SUA/DELES/DELAS (their)

Example:

• Direct: “Eu amo minha família” (I love my family)
• Indirect: Ele disse que amava sua família (He said he loved his family)

2. Changes in Verb Tenses

Present → Imperfect

• Direct: “Trabalho muito” (I work a lot)
• Indirect: Disse que trabalhava muito (Said he/she worked a lot)

Perfect → Pluperfect

• Direct: “Comprei um carro” (I bought a car)
• Indirect: Disse que tinha/havia comprado um carro (Said he/she had bought a car)

Future Present → Conditional

• Direct: “Viajarei amanhã” (I will travel tomorrow)
• Indirect: Disse que viajaria no dia seguinte (Said he/she would travel the next day)

3. Changes in Adverbs

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
AGORA (now)	ENTÃO, NAQUELE MOMENTO (then, at that moment)
HOJE (today)	NAQUELE DIA (that day)
ONTEM (yesterday)	NO DIA ANTERIOR (the day before)
AMANHÃ (tomorrow)	NO DIA SEGUINTE (the next day)
AQUI (here)	ALI, LÁ (there)
ESTE/ESTA (this)	AQUELE/AQUELA (that)

4. Changes in Punctuation

Type	Direct	Indirect
Statement	”Estou feliz.” (I’m happy.)	que estava feliz (that he/she was happy)
Question	”Você vem?” (Are you coming?)	se ele/ela vinha (if he/she was coming)
Order	”Venha!” (Come!)	que viesse / para vir (to come)
Exclamation	”Que lindo!” (How beautiful!)	que era lindo (that it was beautiful)

Special Cases

Questions in Indirect Speech

Yes/No Questions

• Direct: “Você gosta de café?” (Do you like coffee?)
• Indirect: Perguntou se ela gostava de café (Asked if she liked coffee)

Questions with Interrogative Pronouns

• Direct: “Onde você mora?” (Where do you live?)

• Indirect: Perguntou onde ela morava (Asked where she lived)

• Direct: “Quando você volta?” (When are you coming back?)

• Indirect: Perguntou quando ela voltaria (Asked when she would come back)

Imperative in Indirect Speech

With Subjunctive

• Direct: “Faça o trabalho!” (Do the work!)
• Indirect: Ordenou que fizesse o trabalho (Ordered him/her to do the work)

With Infinitive

• Direct: “Saia!” (Leave!)
• Indirect: Mandou sair / Mandou-o sair (Told him/her to leave)

Free Indirect Speech

Blends characteristics of both speeches:

Maria olhou pela janela. Será que ele viria?
Tinha prometido, mas as promessas dele...
(Maria looked out the window. Would he come?
He had promised, but his promises...)

Characteristics:

• No reporting verbs
• Maintains character’s subjectivity
• Flows with narration
• Common in modern literature

Punctuation in Direct Speech

Basic Rules

1. Colon after reporting verb
2. Dash at beginning of speech
3. New paragraph for each speech
4. Double dash for interpolations

Punctuation Examples

Simple Dialogue

Pedro perguntou:
— Você vem conosco?
— Claro que sim! — respondeu Ana.

(Pedro asked:
— Are you coming with us?
— Of course! — Ana answered.)

With Description

— Não posso — disse ele, olhando para o chão —,
tenho outros compromissos.

(— I can't — he said, looking at the floor —,
I have other commitments.)

Multiple Speakers

— Quando partimos? — perguntou João.
— Amanhã cedo — respondeu Maria.
— Perfeito! — exclamou Pedro.

(— When do we leave? — asked João.
— Early tomorrow — answered Maria.
— Perfect! — exclaimed Pedro.)

Uses and Applications

Literature

Direct Speech

• Creates vividness and drama
• Characterizes through speech
• Increases narrative pace

Indirect Speech

• Allows synthesis of long dialogues
• Maintains focus on narrator
• Facilitates temporal transitions

Journalism

Direct Speech

• Exact quotes from sources
• Credibility and precision
• Highlights important statements

Indirect Speech

• Interview synthesis
• Integration of multiple sources
• Contextualization of speech

Academic Texts

Direct Quote

• Exact reproduction with quotes
• Mandatory bibliographic reference
• Limited in length

Indirect Quote

• Paraphrase of ideas
• Integration into text
• Maintains authorship

Regional Variations

Brazil

• Preference for dash in dialogues
• Flexibility in punctuation
• Frequent free indirect speech

Portugal

• Balanced use of quotes and dash
• Greater formality in transformation
• Preservation of classical forms

Common Errors

1. Temporal Inconsistency

❌ “Disse que vai chegar amanhã” (Said he/she goes arrive tomorrow) ✅ “Disse que iria chegar no dia seguinte” (Said he/she would arrive the next day)

2. Inadequate Pronouns

❌ “Ela disse que eu estava cansada” (She said that I was tired) ✅ “Ela disse que estava cansada” (She said that she was tired)

3. Incorrect Punctuation

❌ “Maria disse — estou feliz.” (Maria said — I’m happy.) ✅ “Maria disse: — Estou feliz.” (Maria said: — I’m happy.)

4. Mixed Speech Types

❌ “Disse que: ‘estou cansado’” (Said that: ‘I am tired’) ✅ “Disse: ‘Estou cansado’” or “Disse que estava cansado” (Said: ‘I am tired’ or Said that he was tired)

Practice Exercises

Transform into Indirect Speech

1. Ana disse: “Vou viajar amanhã.” (Ana said: “I’ll travel tomorrow.”)
2. Pedro perguntou: “Você terminou o trabalho?” (Pedro asked: “Did you finish the work?”)
3. A mãe ordenou: “Arrume seu quarto!” (The mother ordered: “Clean your room!”)
4. João exclamou: “Que dia maravilhoso!” (João exclaimed: “What a wonderful day!”)

Answers

1. Ana disse que viajaria no dia seguinte. (Ana said she would travel the next day.)
2. Pedro perguntou se ele/ela tinha terminado o trabalho. (Pedro asked if he/she had finished the work.)
3. A mãe ordenou que arrumasse o quarto. (The mother ordered him/her to clean the room.)
4. João exclamou que era um dia maravilhoso. (João exclaimed that it was a wonderful day.)

Advanced Techniques

Fragmented Direct Speech

"Eu não..." ela hesitou, "não sei se posso."
("I don't..." she hesitated, "I don't know if I can.")

Interior Monologue

Preciso decidir agora, pensou Maria. Mas como?
(I need to decide now, thought Maria. But how?)

Hybrid Speech

Disse que sim, que aceitava, "mas com condições".
(He said yes, that he accepted, "but with conditions".)

Creative Applications

Characterization

Direct speech reveals:

• Educational level
• Regional origin
• Emotional state
• Personality

Narrative Rhythm

• Direct: Accelerates action
• Indirect: Allows reflection
• Alternation: Creates dynamism

Distance

• Direct: Emotional proximity
• Indirect: Analytical distance
• Free indirect: Productive ambiguity

Conclusion

Mastering direct and indirect speech is fundamental for effective communication in Portuguese. These techniques are not just grammatical tools but stylistic resources that enrich written expression. Whether in literature, journalism, or everyday communication, knowing when and how to use each type of speech allows you to transmit information precisely, create specific narrative effects, and adapt text to the desired audience and purpose.