Mastering Reported Speech: A Complete Guide with Urdu Explanation

🔰 What is Reported Speech? (Reported Speech کیا ہے؟)

Reported Speech (also called Indirect Speech) is when you report what someone else said without quoting them directly. Instead of using their exact words (as in Direct Speech), you convey the message using your own sentence structure.

Example:

• Direct Speech: Sarah said, “I am hungry.”
• Reported Speech: Sarah said that she was hungry.

سارہ نے کہا کہ وہ بھوکی تھی۔

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🔁 Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
Uses quotation marks	No quotation marks
Exact words of the speaker	Paraphrased version
Example: He said, “I’m happy.”	He said that he was happy.

Urdu:

• Direct Speech: اس نے کہا، "میں خوش ہوں۔"
• Reported Speech: اس نے کہا کہ وہ خوش تھا۔

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🧭 Tense Changes (Backshifting)

When converting direct speech into reported speech, tenses usually change — especially if the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, asked, etc.).

🔄 Tense Change Chart

Direct Speech	Reported Speech	Urdu
Present Simple → Past Simple	“I eat pizza.” → He said he ate pizza.	وہ پیزا کھاتا ہے → اس نے کہا کہ وہ پیزا کھاتا تھا۔
Present Continuous → Past Continuous	“I am working.” → She said she was working.	وہ کام کر رہی ہے → اس نے کہا کہ وہ کام کر رہی تھی۔
Present Perfect → Past Perfect	“I have finished.” → He said he had finished.	اس نے مکمل کر لیا ہے → اس نے کہا کہ اس نے مکمل کر لیا تھا۔
Past Simple → Past Perfect	“I went there.” → She said she had gone there.	وہ گئی تھی → اس نے کہا کہ وہ گئی تھی۔
Will → Would	“I will call you.” → He said he would call me.	وہ مجھے کال کرے گا → اس نے کہا کہ وہ مجھے کال کرے گا۔

⚠️ No tense change if the reporting verb is in present or if the statement is still true.

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🕒 Changes in Time and Place

When changing from direct to reported speech, time and place references also change.

Direct	Reported	Urdu Translation
now → then	“I am leaving now.” → He said he was leaving then.	اب → تب
today → that day	“I’ll do it today.” → She said she would do it that day.	آج → اس دن
tomorrow → the next day	“I'll come tomorrow.” → He said he would come the next day.	کل → اگلے دن
yesterday → the day before	“I met him yesterday.” → She said she had met him the day before.	کل → پچھلے دن
this → that	“This book is mine.” → He said that book was his.	یہ → وہ
here → there	“I live here.” → She said she lived there.	یہاں → وہاں

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💬 Types of Sentences in Reported Speech

🔹 1. Reported Statements (بیانات)

Use "said (that)" or "told someone (that)" + reported clause.

• Direct: “I like tea.”
• Reported: She said she liked tea.
• Urdu: اس نے کہا کہ اسے چائے پسند ہے۔

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🔹 2. Reported Questions (سوالات)

A. Yes/No Questions

Use if/whether with no question mark.

• Direct: “Are you tired?”
• Reported: She asked if I was tired.
• Urdu: اس نے پوچھا کہ کیا میں تھکا ہوا ہوں؟

B. WH-Questions

Keep the question word and follow regular sentence structure.

• Direct: “Where do you live?”
• Reported: He asked where I lived.
• Urdu: اس نے پوچھا کہ میں کہاں رہتا ہوں؟

❌ Don’t use do/does/did in reported questions.

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🔹 3. Reported Requests (درخواستیں)

Use asked + object + to-infinitive

• Direct: “Please open the door.”
• Reported: He asked me to open the door.
• Urdu: اس نے کہا کہ دروازہ کھول دو۔
• Negative Request:
  “Don’t shout.” → She asked me not to shout.

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🔹 4. Reported Commands/Orders (احکامات)

Use told/ordered + object + to-infinitive

• Direct: “Sit down.”
• Reported: He told me to sit down.
• Urdu: اس نے کہا کہ بیٹھ جاؤ۔
• Negative Command:
  “Don’t touch it.” → He told me not to touch it.