Language/Modern-greek-1453/Grammar/Indirect-speech
As an advanced learner of Modern Greek (1453-), you may already be familiar with direct speech, where the exact words of a speaker are reported in a sentence using quotation marks. However, there may be times when we want to report what someone said without using their exact words, and this is where indirect speech comes in. In this lesson, we will learn how to use indirect speech in Greek.
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Possessive Pronouns & Pronoms interrogatifs.
Indirect Speech
Indirect speech is also known as reported speech or indirect discourse. It is used to report what someone said or thought without necessarily using their exact words. Indirect speech usually involves a change in verb tense, pronouns, time expressions, and other words that indicate the distance between the original statement and the reported statement.
In Greek, indirect speech is formed by changing the verb tense from the present to the past or from the past to the pluperfect. The pronouns and other words used in the sentence are also changed to reflect the change in tense.
Changing the Verb Tense
The verb tense in indirect speech is usually changed from the present to the past, and from the past to the pluperfect. For example:
Direct speech: "Ο Πέτρος λέει, «Είμαι καλά»." (Peter says, “I am fine.”) Indirect speech: "Ο Πέτρος είπε ότι ήταν καλά." (Peter said that he was fine.)
In the example above, the verb "λέει" (says) in the direct speech is changed to "είπε" (said) in the indirect speech, and the present tense verb "είμαι" (am) is changed to the past tense verb "ήταν" (was).
If the original statement is already in the past tense, then the verb in the indirect speech must be changed to the pluperfect tense. For example:
Direct speech: "Η Μαρία είπε, «Τέλειωσα τη δουλειά μου»." (Maria said, “I finished my work.”) Indirect speech: "Η Μαρία είπε ότι είχε τελειώσει τη δουλειά της." (Maria said that she had finished her work.)
In the example above, the verb "είπε" (said) remains in the past tense, but the verb "τέλειωσα" (finished) in the direct speech is changed to "είχε τελειώσει" (had finished) in the indirect speech.
Changing the Pronouns and Other Words
In addition to changing the verb tense, the pronouns and other words in the sentence should also reflect the change in tense. For example:
Direct speech: "Ο Γιάννης είπε, «Πηγαίνω στην παραλία αύριο»." (Yiannis said, “I am going to the beach tomorrow.”) Indirect speech: "Ο Γιάννης είπε ότι πήγαινε στην παραλία την επόμενη μέρα." (Yiannis said that he was going to the beach the following day.)
In the example above, the pronoun "εγώ" (I) is changed to "αυτός" (he), and the adverb of time "αύριο" (tomorrow) is changed to "την επόμενη μέρα" (the following day).
Here is a table to help you understand the changes in tense and pronouns:
| Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|
| Είμαι εδώ. (I am here.) | Είπα ότι ήμουν εκείνη τη στιγμή. (I said that I was there at that moment.) |
| Πείτε μου την αλήθεια. (Tell me the truth.) | Σας έκανε να πείτε την αλήθεια. (He made you tell the truth.) |
| Ο Πέτρος θα πάει διακοπές. (Peter will go on vacation.) | Η Άννα είπε ότι ο Πέτρος θα πήγαινε διακοπές. (Anna said that Peter would go on vacation.) |
Special Cases
Sometimes, the pronouns and other words in the sentence may need to be changed even if there is no change in verb tense, especially if the original statement refers to a third person or if the subject is not mentioned explicitly. For example:
Direct speech: "Η Άννα είπε, «Είναι μια καλή ιδέα»." (Anna said, “It is a good idea.”) Indirect speech: "Η Άννα είπε ότι ήταν μια καλή ιδέα." (Anna said that it was a good idea.)
In the example above, the pronoun "αυτό" (it) is used instead of the pronoun "αυτή" (she) in the indirect speech, even though there is no change in verb tense.
Another special case is when the original statement refers to a question or a request. In Greek, the verb "να" (to) is used before the verb in the indirect speech to indicate that the original statement was a question or a request. For example:
Direct speech: "Ο διευθυντής είπε, «Μπορείς να έρθεις αύριο;»." (The director said, “Can you come tomorrow?”) Indirect speech: "Ο διευθυντής ρώτησε αν μπορούσα να έρθω αύριο." (The director asked if I could come tomorrow.)
In the example above, the conjunction "αν" (if) is used to introduce the indirect question, and the verb "μπορούσα" (could) is used instead of the verb "μπορείς" (can), to reflect the change in subject.
Conclusion
Indirect speech is a useful tool for reporting what someone said without using their exact words. In Greek, the tense and pronouns in the sentence are changed to indicate the distance between the original statement and the reported statement. By understanding how to use indirect speech in Greek, you will be able to have more complex conversations and express yourself more clearly.
Sources
With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: Writing and spelling & Pronouns (Summary).
Other Lessons
- How to Use Be
- Imperative Mood in Greek
- Greek phonology of the consonants : Φφ Θθ
- Personal Pronouns
- Discours direct indirect
- Various Greek linguistic terms
- Les numéraux ordinaux cardinaux
- Participles
- Subject Verb Agreement
- Adjectives