Understanding Reported Speech in Norwegian

What is Reported Speech?

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of expressing what someone else has said without quoting them directly. It's a crucial part of mastering any language, including Norwegian.

Structure of Reported Speech in Norwegian

In Norwegian, the structure of reported speech can slightly differ from English. Understanding these differences is key to using reported speech correctly.

Conjunctions and Reporting Verbs

In Norwegian, common conjunctions used in reported speech include at (that) and om (if/whether). Common reporting verbs include si (say), fortelle (tell), and spørre (ask).

Tense Changes

Unlike English, Norwegian doesn't typically require tense changes when shifting between direct and reported speech. This simplifies the process but makes it important to focus on context and meaning.

Types of Reported Speech

Statements

Questions

Commands

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Practice Examples

Practice is essential to master reported speech. Try converting these sentences from direct to reported speech and vice versa.

• "Jeg skal dra," sa hun. → Hun sa at hun skulle dra.
• "Er du hjemme?" spurte han. → Han spurte om jeg var hjemme.
• "Vær stille," sa læreren. → Læreren ba oss være stille.