How to Use Reported Speech in Swedish

Understanding Reported Speech in Swedish

In Swedish, as in English, reported speech is used to convey what someone else has said without quoting them directly. It often involves changes in verb tense, pronouns, and other elements of the sentence structure.

Key Differences from English

While reported speech rules in Swedish are similar to English, there are some differences. For example, Swedish often does not change the verb tense when converting direct speech to reported speech.

Converting Direct to Indirect Speech

Maintaining Tense in Swedish

One of the main points to remember is that while English often shifts the tense when changing speech to reported form, Swedish more commonly maintains the original tense. For instance, "Jag kommer" (I will come) remains "Han sa att han kommer" (He said that he will come) in reported speech.

Use of Conjunction 'att'

In reported speech, the conjunction att is frequently used to introduce the statement being reported. For example: "Lisa said that she is tired" becomes "Lisa sa att hon är trött."

Pronoun Changes

Pronouns need to be shifted according to context. For instance, jag (I) becomes han or hon (he or she), depending on who is being referred to.

Practical Examples

Example 1: With 'saying'

Direct Speech: "Jag är trött," sa Anna. ("I am tired," Anna said.)
Reported Speech: Anna sa att hon är trött. (Anna said that she is tired.)

Example 2: With 'asking'

Direct Speech: "Kommer du imorgon?" frågade Erik. ("Are you coming tomorrow?" Erik asked.)
Reported Speech: Erik frågade om jag kommer imorgon. (Erik asked if I am coming tomorrow.)