🗣️ Reported Statements
Reported Statements are sentences in which we report what someone else said, but not
in their exact words. This is also known as Indirect Speech.
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
- What are Reported Statements?
- Structure of Reported Statements
- Tense changes (Backshift)
- Pronoun & Time expression changes
- Examples with Urdu translation
- Exceptions and Practice
🔹 What are Reported Statements?
Reported statements are used when we talk about what someone said in the past but do
not use the exact words.
رپورٹ شدہ بیانات اس وقت استعمال کیے جاتے ہیں جب
ہم ماضی میں کسی کے کہنے کے بارے میں بات کرتے ہیں لیکن درست الفاظ استعمال نہیں کرتے
🔧 Structure of Reported Statements
Direct Speech:
He said, “I like chocolate.”
Reported Speech:
He said (that) he liked chocolate.
📌 Formula:
Subject + said (that) + reported clause
📌 Urdu Structure:
فاعل + said + کہ + باقی جملہ
🔁 Tense Changes in Reported Statements
(Backshift)
When the reporting verb (e.g., said, told) is
in the past tense, the tense of the statement usually shifts one step
back in time:
|
Direct Speech |
Reported Speech |
Urdu Translation |
|
“I am happy.” |
He said he was happy. |
اس نے کہا کہ وہ خوش
تھا۔ |
|
“I like tea.” |
She said she liked tea. |
اس نے کہا کہ اسے
چائے پسند تھی۔ |
|
“I went to school.” |
He said he had gone to school. |
اس نے کہا کہ وہ
اسکول گیا تھا۔ |
|
“I will help you.” |
She said she would help me. |
اس نے کہا کہ وہ میری
مدد کرے گی۔ |
🔄 Pronoun Changes
Pronouns in the original sentence must be
changed to match the perspective of the reporter.
|
Direct |
Reported |
Urdu |
|
I → he/she |
“I am tired.” → He said he was tired. |
میں → وہ |
|
we → they |
“We are late.” → They said they were late. |
ہم → وہ |
|
you → I/he/she |
“You are nice.” → She said I was nice. |
تم → میں/وہ |
🕒 Time & Place Word Changes
Time and place expressions are also changed:
|
Direct Speech |
Reported Speech |
Urdu |
|
today → that day |
“I’ll come today.” → He said he would come that day. |
آج → اس دن |
|
tomorrow → the next day |
“She will go tomorrow.” → He said she would go the next day. |
کل → اگلے دن |
|
yesterday → the day before |
“I came yesterday.” → She said she had come the day before. |
کل → پچھلے دن |
|
here → there |
“I live here.” → He said he lived there. |
یہاں → وہاں |
❗ Exceptions
We don’t change the tense if:
✅ The reporting verb is in present/future
tense:
- He says, “I like apples.” → He says he likes
apples.
✅ The sentence is a universal truth:
- She said, “Water boils at 100°C.” → She
said water boils at 100°C. (No change)
📘 More Examples with Urdu Translation
- Direct: “I have completed my homework.”
Reported: She said she had completed her homework.
Urdu: اس نے کہا کہ اس نے اپنا ہوم ورک مکمل کر لیا تھا۔ - Direct: “They are watching a movie.”
Reported: He said they were watching a movie.
Urdu: اس نے کہا کہ وہ فلم دیکھ رہے تھے۔ - Direct: “We will meet tomorrow.”
Reported: They said they would meet the next day.
Urdu: انہوں نے کہا کہ وہ اگلے دن ملیں گے۔
🧠 Practice Sentences (Change to Reported
Speech)
Try converting these to reported speech:
- She said, “I love music.”
- He said, “We are ready.”
- I said, “They visited us yesterday.”
- They said, “We will come again.”
- She said, “I can help you.”
📝 Write your answers
to test your learning.
🧾 Summary (خلاصہ)
- Reported statements are used to tell what
someone else said.
- Verb tense usually shifts one step back
(backshift).
- Pronouns, time, and place words change
accordingly.
- Reporting verbs: said, told, stated,
explained, mentioned, etc.
- Practice is key to mastering indirect speech.