How to Use Reported Speech and Indirect Discourse in Croatian

Understanding Reported Speech and Indirect Discourse in Croatian

Reported speech, also known as indirect discourse, is used to convey what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. In Croatian, this involves changes in verb tenses, pronouns, and sometimes word order, similar to English but with its own unique rules.

Direct vs. Reported Speech

Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, usually enclosed in quotation marks. For example: Marko said, "I am tired." In Croatian: Marko je rekao: "Umoran sam." Reported speech, on the other hand, paraphrases the original statement without quotation marks: Marko said that he was tired. In Croatian: Marko je rekao da je umoran.

Key Changes When Using Reported Speech in Croatian

When converting direct speech to reported speech in Croatian, pay attention to the following changes:

• Use the conjunction da (that) to introduce the reported clause.
• Adjust verb tenses to reflect the time shift.
• Change personal pronouns to match the perspective of the reporter.
• Modify time and place adverbs if necessary.

Verb Tense Changes in Reported Speech

Croatian verb tenses in reported speech often shift back to indicate that the action was in the past relative to the reporting moment. Here are common changes:

• Present tense changes to past tense: ja radim → da sam radio (I work → that I worked).
• Past tense remains past but may change aspect or form depending on context.
• Future tense changes to conditional or past forms.

Examples of Reported Speech in Croatian

Let's look at some examples to illustrate these changes:

• Direct: Ivana kaže: "Dolazim sutra." (Ivana says: "I am coming tomorrow.")
• Reported: Ivana kaže da dolazi sutra. (Ivana says that she is coming tomorrow.)
• Direct: Petar je rekao: "Kupit ću knjigu." (Petar said: "I will buy a book.")
• Reported: Petar je rekao da će kupiti knjigu. (Petar said that he would buy a book.)

Changing Pronouns and Time Expressions

Pronouns and time expressions must be adapted to the context of the report. For example:

• Direct: Ja sam umoran. (I am tired.)
• Reported: On je rekao da je umoran. (He said that he was tired.)
• Direct: Sutra idem u Zagreb. (Tomorrow I am going to Zagreb.)
• Reported: Rekao je da ide u Zagreb sutra. (He said that he is going to Zagreb tomorrow.)

Common Reporting Verbs in Croatian

Some verbs commonly used to introduce reported speech include:

• reći (to say)
• kazati (to tell)
• navesti (to state)
• objasniti (to explain)
• pitati (to ask)

Practice Tips for Mastering Reported Speech in Croatian

To become comfortable with reported speech in Croatian, try these strategies:

1. Listen to Croatian conversations and note how reported speech is used.
2. Practice converting direct speech sentences into reported speech.
3. Pay attention to verb tense and pronoun changes.
4. Use Croatian language resources and exercises focused on indirect discourse.