In this article, we will take a detailed look at how reported speech<\/strong> works in Italian, focusing on the key points you need to master and the most common difficulties for English speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To begin with, it is important to clearly distinguish between the two structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Direct speech consists of reporting someone\u2019s exact words without modifying them. In Italian, these words are introduced by a colon and placed between quotation marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Valeria domani mi dir\u00e0: \u2018Non so niente!\u2019<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mia sorella ti chiede: \u2018Hai fame?\u2019<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In these sentences, the speaker\u2019s words are reproduced exactly. This form is widely used in dialogues, narratives, and storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reported speech, on the other hand, allows us to report the same words by integrating them into a larger sentence. Instead of quoting the exact words, we reformulate them using a subordinate clause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Valeria domani mi dir\u00e0 che non sa niente.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mia sorella ti chiede se hai fame.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Switching to reported speech makes the sentence smoother and more suitable for explanatory or narrative contexts. It is also the most commonly used form in everyday language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a sentence in direct speech is a statement, it becomes in reported speech a subordinate clause introduced by che <\/em>(\u201cthat\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n This transformation is fundamental, as it allows the message to be integrated into a more complex structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Costanzo domani mi dir\u00e0: \u2018Non so niente!\u2019 \u2192 Costanzo domani mi dir\u00e0 che <\/strong>non sa niente.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This change involves several adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, quotation marks and the colon are removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, the subordinate clause is introduced with che<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally\u2014and this is essential\u2014some elements of the sentence must be adapted to the new point of view, especially personal pronouns and possessive adjectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When reporting what someone said, first- and second-person forms often shift to third-person forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is another example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018La tua giacca mi <\/strong>piace molto\u2019 \u2192 Valeria aggiunge che la tua giacca le <\/strong>piace molto.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, mi <\/em>becomes le<\/em>, because the speaker has changed. Similarly, a possessive adjective such as tua may become sua, depending on the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These transformations are not automatic: they always depend on the perspective adopted in the sentence. It is therefore important to identify who is speaking and who is being referred to in order to choose the correct form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When direct speech contains a question, transforming it into reported speech requires a bit more attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The question becomes an indirect question, meaning a subordinate clause that keeps the meaning of the question but loses its direct interrogative form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For yes\/no questions, Italian uses se <\/em>(\u201cif\u201d or \u201cwhether\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mia sorella ti chiede: \u2018Hai fame?\u2019 \u2192 Mia sorella ti chiede se <\/strong>hai fame.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this case, the sentence is no longer structured as an independent question. It is integrated into the main clause, without inversion or overall question punctuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with statements, pronouns and possessives must also be adapted according to the new point of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n ‘Mi <\/strong>presti la tua macchina?<\/em><\/mark>‘<\/p>\n\n\n\n could become: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ti chiede se le <\/strong>presti la tua (ou sua) macchina.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, mi <\/em>becomes le<\/em>, and tua <\/em>may change depending on the relationship between the speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to understand that even though the form changes, the interrogative meaning remains. This transformation makes the sentence more fluid and natural, while maintaining coherence in perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most delicate aspects of reported speech in Italian concerns verb tenses. This is also one of the areas where English-speaking learners tend to make the most mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main rule depends on the tense of the reporting verb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the main verb is in the present or future, the tenses in the subordinate clause generally remain unchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Valeria aggiunge: \u2018La tua giacca mi piace molto\u2019. \u2192 Valeria aggiunge che la tua giacca le piace molto<\/em>.<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n Valeria chieder\u00e0: \u2018Gli sconti finiscono oggi?\u2019 \u2192 Valeria chieder\u00e0 se gli sconti finiscono oggi.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In these cases, there is no shift in time, because the reported action is still relevant at the moment of speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the reporting verb is in the past, the situation changes: you need to apply a sequence of tenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The verb tenses in the subordinate clause shift to match the new time reference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the main transformations to remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Voglio <\/strong>rispetto.\u2019 \u2192 Valeria ha detto che voleva <\/strong>rispetto.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Guardavo <\/strong>la TV.\u2019 \u2192 Valeria ha detto che guardava <\/strong>la TV.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Ho avuto<\/strong> un malore.\u2019 \u2192 Valeria ha detto che aveva avuto<\/strong> un malore.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Avr\u00f2 <\/strong>un bambino.\u2019 \u2192 Valeria ha detto che avrebbe avuto<\/strong> un bambino.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Vorrei <\/strong>un gelato.\u2019 \u2192 Valeria ha detto che avrebbe voluto<\/strong> un gelato.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: the imperfect does not change in reported speech because it already expresses an ongoing action in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These transformations ensure consistency between the moment when something was said and the moment when it is reported. Mastering this system is essential to avoid mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although reported speech works in a broadly similar way in Italian and English, there are some important differences that can lead to errors for English-speaking learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most common difficulties concerns the use of che<\/em> (\u201cthat\u201d). In English, “that” is often optional and can be omitted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said (that) he was tired.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Italian, however, che<\/em> cannot be dropped:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ha detto che<\/strong> era stanco.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Omitting che<\/em> is a very common mistake among English speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another important difference involves the use of verb tenses. English is relatively flexible, and in some cases it allows the present tense even after a past reporting verb:<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said he is tired.<\/em><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Italian, this is generally not possible. The verb must follow a stricter sequence of tenses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ha detto che era stanco.<\/em><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, English speakers often tend to use the present (\u00e8<\/em>) instead of the imperfect (era<\/em>), which results in incorrect sentences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pronouns and indirect objects also represent a significant challenge. English uses relatively simple forms such as me<\/em>, him<\/em>, or her<\/em>, whereas Italian requires more careful adjustments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n He told me he liked my jacket. \u2192 Mi ha detto che gli piaceva la mia giacca.<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, me<\/em> becomes mi<\/em> and him<\/em> becomes gli<\/em>, depending on the perspective. These changes are not always intuitive and require practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, although both languages use a form of tense shifting, Italian tends to apply it more consistently and systematically than English. This means that learners must pay closer attention to verb forms in order to maintain coherence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding these differences can help avoid common mistakes and develop a more accurate and natural use of Italian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reported speech is a very useful structure, but it requires accuracy. To use it correctly, it is important to follow a series of steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When transforming a sentence from direct to reported speech, you should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you would like to strengthen these concepts, we recommend consulting the grammar sheet dedicated to reported speech (Discorso indiretto<\/em>)<\/a> in Italian. It is an excellent resource for reviewing and checking your understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mastering reported speech is an essential step in reaching a solid intermediate level in Italian. It allows you not only to better understand conversations, but also to express yourself more precisely and naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, to truly internalize these structures, it is essential to practice them regularly in different contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sillabi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Nuova.immagibe-1-1024x538.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n1. Direct speech and reported speech: two ways of reporting what someone says<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Transforming a statement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Transforming a question<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Verb tenses: a key point <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4.1 Reporting verb in the present or future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4.2 Reporting verb in the past<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. \u00a0Key differences with English<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Key steps to remember<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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7. Want to go further<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Keep improving your Italian<\/h2>\n\n\n\n