How to Use Reported Speech in Romanian: Rules and Examples for English Speakers

Understanding Reported Speech in Romanian

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

Basic Rules for Romanian Reported Speech

When converting direct speech into reported speech in Romanian, several changes occur:

• The verb tense usually shifts back (e.g., present to imperfect).
• Pronouns change to match the perspective of the reporter.
• Time and place adverbs are adjusted accordingly.
• The introductory verb (e.g., "a spune" - to say) is often used in the past tense.

Verb Tense Changes

Here is a summary of common tense changes when reporting speech in Romanian:

• Present tense changes to imperfect: "Eu merg" becomes "el a spus că mergea" (He said he was going).
• Perfect compus (past) changes to mai mult ca perfect: "Am văzut" becomes "a spus că văzuse" (He said he had seen).
• Future tense changes to conditional: "Voi veni" becomes "a spus că ar veni" (He said he would come).

Pronoun Changes

Pronouns must be adjusted to reflect the speaker's perspective in reported speech. For example, "eu" (I) changes to "el" or "ea" (he or she) depending on who is reporting.

Changes in Time and Place Expressions

Words indicating time and place often change in reported speech. For example:

• "astăzi" (today) becomes "în acea zi" (that day)
• "mâine" (tomorrow) becomes "a doua zi" (the next day)
• "aici" (here) becomes "acolo" (there)

Examples of Romanian Reported Speech

Let's look at some examples to illustrate these rules.

Direct speech: Maria a spus: "Eu citesc o carte astăzi." (Maria said: "I am reading a book today.")

Reported speech: Maria a spus că citea o carte în acea zi. (Maria said that she was reading a book that day.)

Direct speech: Ion a spus: "Voi merge mâine la piață." (Ion said: "I will go to the market tomorrow.")

Reported speech: Ion a spus că ar merge a doua zi la piață. (Ion said that he would go to the market the next day.)

Common Reporting Verbs in Romanian

The most common verb used to introduce reported speech is a spune (to say). Other verbs include a întreba (to ask), a răspunde (to answer), and a afirma (to affirm). These verbs are usually conjugated in the past tense when reporting speech.

Tips for English Speakers Learning Romanian Reported Speech

English speakers should pay attention to the verb tense shifts and pronoun changes, which are similar but not identical to English. Practice by converting direct speech sentences into reported speech, focusing on the correct tense and pronoun adjustments.