In this second episode about the indirect speech, I’ll explain what’s called the “concordance des temps” (or “sequence of tenses”). The name may scare you but it’s all actually logical and working the same as in English. So, let’s take a look at some examples and you’ll see what I mean!
Note: listen to Part 1 in Episode 117: ” Indirect speech: put the right words…in the right order”
Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode
J’ai faim = I’m hungry
Elle dit qu’elle a faim = She says she is hungry
Elle a dit qu’elle avait faim =She said she was hungry.
Il ne sait pas = he doesn’t know.
Il répond qu’il ne sait pas = He replies that he doesn’t know
Il a répondu qu’il ne savait pas = He replied that he didn’t know
Pierre viendra demain = Pierre will come tomorrow
Marie annonce que Pierre viendra demain = Marie informs that Pierre will come tomorrow
Marie a annoncé que Pierre viendrait demain = Marie informed that Pierre would come tomorrow
Marc et Sophie prendront le train de 10 heures = Marc and Sophie will take the 10 o’clock train.
Je sais que Marc et Sophie prendront le train de 10 heures = I know that Marc and Sophie will take the 10 o’clock train
Je savais que Marc et Sophie prendraient le train de 10 heures = I knew that Marc and Sophie would take the 10 o’clock train
Je vais manger au restaurant ce soir = I’m going to eat at the restaurant tonight
Je te dis que je vais manger au restaurant ce soir= I’m telling you that I’m going to eat at the restaurant tonight
Je t’ai dit que j’allais manger au restaurant ce soir= = I told you that I was going to eat at the restaurant tonight
Le nouveau stagiaire est arrivé en retard ce matin = the new trainee arrived late this morning
On me rapporte que le nouveau stagiaire est arrivé en retard ce matin = I’m told that the new trainee arrived late this morning
On m’a rapporté que le nouveau stagiaire était arrivé en retard ce matin = I was told that the new trainee had arrived late this morning
J’ai déjà mangé = I’ve already eaten / I already ate
Je dis que j’ai déjà mangé = I say that I’ve already eaten / I already ate
J’ai dit que j’avais déjà mangé = I said that I had already eaten
Viens voir! = Come have a look!
Il me dit de venir voir = He tells me to come have a look
Lave-toi les mains! Wash your hands!
Je lui demande de se laver les mains = I’m asking him/her to wash his/her hands
Je lui ai demandé de se laver les mains = I asked him/her to wash his/her hands
Ne m’appelez pas avant 20h = Don’t call me before 8pm
Je leur rappelle de ne pas m’appeler avant 20h = I remind them not to call me before 8pm
Je leur ai rappellé de ne pas m’appeler avant 20h = I reminded them not to call me before 8pm
LINKS and RESOURCES
- Episode 117: ” Indirect speech (Part 1): put the right words…in the right order”
- Episode 101: “The different meanings of ON in French”
- Episode 26 : Aches, Pains and Broken Bones
- How to leave a review for French Your Way Podcast
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