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Study Resource: Direct vs. Indirect Speech in Brazilian Portuguese

By: Fabiana Dametto Oliveira

In Brazilian Portuguese, it is possible to report what someone said using a direct quote (called “direct speech”) or by incorporating the message into your sentence (called “indirect speech”). For example:

  • Direct Speech:
    Ela disse: “Eu estou em casa.”
    Translation: She said, “I’m at home.”
  • Indirect Speech:
    Ela disse que estava em casa.
    Translation: She said she was at home.

Notice that there are some differences between the direct quote and how that message is reported indirect speech. Below, you will find a summary of some of those differences.

Direct speech vs. indirect speech: Tense

Direct speechIndirect speech
Simple Present:
Ela disse: “Eu estou em casa.”
Translation: She said, “I’m at home.”
Imperfect:
Ela disse que estava em casa.
Translation: She said she was at home.
Simple Future:
Ela disse que estará em casa.
Translation: She said she will be at home.
Present Continuous:
Ela disse: “Estou lendo um livro.”
Translation: She said, “I’m reading a book.”
Imperfect Continuous:
Ela disse que estava lendo um livro.
Translation: She said that she was reading a book.
Preterite:
Ela disse: Eu nunca experimentei comida brasileira.
Translation: She said, “I have never tried Brazilian food.”
Past Perfect (Pluperfect):
Ela disse que nunca tinha experimentado comida brasileira.
Translation: She said that she had never tried Brazilian food.
Future:
Ela disse: “Viajarei amanhã.”
Translation: She said, “I’ll travel tomorrow.”
Present Conditional:
Ela disse que viajaria amanhã.
Translation: She said that she would be hungry.
Imperative:
Ela disse: “Faça silêncio.”
Translation: She said, “Be quiet.”
Personal Infinitive:
Ela pediu para eu fazer silêncio.
Translation: She asked me to be quiet.
Imperfect Subjunctive:
Ela pediu que eu fizesse silêncio.
Translation: She asked me to be quiet.
Present Subjunctive:
Ela disse: “Talvez eu almoce mais tarde.”
Translation: She said, “Maybe I'll have lunch later.”
Imperfect Subjunctive:
Ela disse que talvez almoçasse mais tarde.
Translation: She said maybe she would have lunch later.
Conditional Simple:
Ela disse que talvez almoçaria mais tarde
Translation: She said maybe she would have lunch later.
Present Perfect Subjunctive:
Ela disse: “Espero que você tenha descansado.”
Translation: She said, “I hope you got some rest.”
Past Perfect Subjunctive:
Ela disse que esperava que eu tivesse descansado.
Translation: She said she hoped I had rested.
Future Subjunctive + Simple Present:
Ela disse: “Quando eu chegar em casa, te ligo.”
Translation: She said, “When I get home, I’ll call you.”
Imperfect Subjunctive + Conditional Simple:
Ela disse que quando chegasse em casa, me ligaria.
Translation: She said when she got home she would call me.

Direct speech vs. indirect speech: Pronouns

Pronoun TypeDirect SpeechIndirect Speech
Demonstratives

este, esse meaning this

aquele meaning that

esta, essa meaning this

aquela meaning that

isto meaning this

aquilo meaning that

Personal Pronouns

eu meaning I

ele, ela meaning he, she

você meaning you, sing.

nós meaning we

no dia anterior meaning last day

Possessives

meu, minha, meus, minhas meaning my, mine

seu, sua, seus, suas meaning his, her

dele, dela meaning his, her

nosso, nossa, nossos, nossas meaning our

aqui, cá meaning here

Direct speech vs. indirect speech: Adverbs

Adverb TypeDirect SpeechIndirect Speech
Adverbs of time

agora meaning now

então meaning then

já meaning already

naquele momento meaning that moment

imediatamente meaning immediately

logo meaning soon

hoje meaning today

naquele dia meaning that day

ontem meaning yesterday

no dia anterior meaning last day

amanhã meaning tomorrow

no dia seguinte meaning next day

Adverbs of place

aqui, cá meaning here

lá, ali meaning there

aí meaning there

aqui, cá meaning here