How to Use Reported Speech and Indirect Discourse in Slovak

Understanding Reported Speech in Slovak

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to convey what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. In Slovak, reported speech often involves changes in verb tenses, pronouns, and time expressions, similar to English but with some unique features.

Direct vs Indirect Speech

Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, usually enclosed in quotation marks. For example:
"Povedal: 'Prídem zajtra.'" (He said: 'I will come tomorrow.')

Indirect speech reports the content without quoting directly:
"Povedal, že príde zajtra." (He said that he will come tomorrow.)

Common Changes in Reported Speech

When converting direct speech to indirect speech in Slovak, you often need to adjust:

• Verb tenses – future tense may change to conditional or past forms.
• Pronouns – change according to the perspective of the reporter.
• Time and place expressions – words like 'today' or 'here' may change to 'that day' or 'there'.

Forming Reported Speech in Slovak

The most common way to introduce reported speech is with verbs like povedať (to say), tvrdíť (to claim), or spýtať sa (to ask), followed by a conjunction such as že (that) or či (if/whether) for yes/no questions.

Statements

For statements, use the conjunction že and adjust the verb tense as needed.
Example:
Direct: "Mám rád kávu." (I like coffee.)
Indirect: "Povedal, že má rád kávu." (He said that he likes coffee.)

Yes/No Questions

For yes/no questions, use či or zda.
Example:
Direct: "Prídeš zajtra?" (Will you come tomorrow?)
Indirect: "Spýtal sa, či príde zajtra." (He asked if he will come tomorrow.)

Wh-Questions

For questions starting with question words (who, what, where, etc.), use the same question word in indirect speech.
Example:
Direct: "Kde bývaš?" (Where do you live?)
Indirect: "Spýtal sa, kde bývam." (He asked where I live.)

Verb Tense Changes in Reported Speech

Unlike English, Slovak does not always require a shift in verb tense when reporting speech, especially if the reported information is still true or relevant. However, sometimes the tense changes to reflect the time of reporting.

Here are some common tense changes:

• Present tense often remains present or changes to past tense.
• Future tense can change to conditional or past tense.
• Past tense usually remains past tense.

Examples of Tense Changes

Direct: "Prídem zajtra." (I will come tomorrow.)
Indirect: "Povedal, že príde zajtra." (He said that he will come tomorrow.)

Direct: "Vidím ťa." (I see you.)
Indirect: "Povedal, že ma vidí." (He said that he sees me.)

Pronoun and Time Expression Changes

When reporting speech, pronouns and time expressions often change to fit the perspective of the speaker.

Example:
Direct: "Dnes idem domov." (Today I am going home.)
Indirect: "Povedal, že ide domov ten deň." (He said that he is going home that day.)

Practice Examples of Reported Speech in Slovak

Let's look at some examples to see how reported speech works in Slovak.

• Direct: "Mám hlad." (I am hungry.) → Indirect: "Povedal, že má hlad." (He said that he is hungry.)
• Direct: "Prídeš na večierok?" (Will you come to the party?) → Indirect: "Spýtal sa, či prídem na večierok." (He asked if I will come to the party.)
• Direct: "Kde bývaš?" (Where do you live?) → Indirect: "Spýtal sa, kde bývam." (He asked where I live.)

Tips for Mastering Reported Speech in Slovak

• Pay attention to the verb tense and pronoun changes.
• Practice with different verbs that introduce reported speech.
• Remember that Slovak may not always require tense shifts like English does.
• Use conjunctions že for statements and či or zda for yes/no questions.