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N3

Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech

About 10 minutes · written and reviewed by Haruki Yamamoto

Section 1 of 3

Common reported-speech patterns

Japanese has several ways to report what someone said. と言っていた reports what someone had said. とのことだ is common in formal messages. そうだ can report hearsay depending on context.

  1. Target signal

    田中さんは、明日は休むと言っていた。

    Tanaka said that he would be absent tomorrow.

    と言っていた reports what Tanaka had said earlier.

    Vocabulary notes
    田中さんたなかさん
    Tanaka
    言っていって
    saying and...
    いた
    was there

  2. Compare in context

    担当者から、発送は金曜日になるとのことです。

    According to the person in charge, shipping will be on Friday.

    Formal reported information.

    Vocabulary notes
    になる〜になる
    to become
    金曜日きんようび
    Friday
    から
    from; because

Section 2 of 3

Speaker and reporting layer

In reported speech, there are often two voices: the original speaker and the current narrator. Good readers keep those layers separate. This matters when judging certainty and responsibility.

  1. Target signal

    父は『急がなくていい』と言った。

    My father said, 'You do not need to hurry.'

    Direct quote.

    Vocabulary notes
    いい
    good; nice; okay
    が
    subject marker
    と
    and; with; that

  2. Preview

    父は急がなくていいと言った。

    My father said that I did not need to hurry.

    Indirect quote.

    Vocabulary notes
    いい
    good; nice; okay
    が
    subject marker
    と
    and; with; that

Section 3 of 3

Reading focus

When a passage includes several people, ask three questions: who originally said it, who is reporting it now, and how certain is the report? Expressions like によると, そうだ, and とのことだ often answer part of that question.

  1. Target signal

    ニュースによると、明日は大雪になるそうだ。

    According to the news, it seems that there will be heavy snow tomorrow.

    によると plus そうだ adds a reported-information layer.

    Vocabulary notes
    によると〜によると
    according to
    になる〜になる
    to become
    そうだ
    it seems; I heard that

  2. Preview

    先生は、結果は来週発表するとおっしゃっていた。

    The teacher had said that the results would be announced next week.

    Honorific reporting still preserves the original speaker as the source.

    Vocabulary notes
    すると
    then; when that happens
    いた
    was there
    する
    to do

Reading in context

Read for meaning before checking the answer

Before you read

Read once for the situation. Then notice how Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech changes the meaning before you check the translation.

田中さんは、明日は休むと言っていた。 担当者から、発送は金曜日になるとのことです。 父は『急がなくていい』と言った。 父は急がなくていいと言った。 ニュースによると、明日は大雪になるそうだ。 先生は、結果は来週発表するとおっしゃっていた。 もう一度読んでください。前後の文を比べてください。場面と話し手を考えてください。意味の流れを最後まで確認して、使い分けを考えてください。もう一度読んでください。前後の文を比べてください。場面と話し手を考えてください。意味の流れを最後まで確認して、使い分けを考え

Show English translation

Tanaka said that he would be absent tomorrow. According to the person in charge, shipping will be on Friday. My father said, 'You do not need to hurry.' My father said that I did not need to hurry. According to the news, it seems that there will be heavy snow tomorrow. The teacher had said that the results would be announced next week.

Contextual questions

Answer from the passage before you reveal each explanation.

  1. What is the first reading job for this passage?

    • Identify the situation and how Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech changes it.
    • Translate every word before using context.
    • Ignore the ending because only vocabulary matters.
    • Choose an answer before reading the full passage.
    Check the answer

    Identify the situation and how Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech changes it.

    The goal is to use the situation first, then confirm the role of Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech in context.

Guided practice

Apply the lesson in a few different ways

Work through each prompt, then check the explanation before moving on.

Activity 1 of 4Choose the best context

Which pattern is common in formal notices and emails?

Activity 2 of 4Fill the blank

Complete the chunk that carries the lesson meaning (Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech).

＿＿＿は、明日は休むと言っていた。

Activity 3 of 4Put it in order

Put these related examples back into the order used in the lesson.

  1. 1担当者から、発送は金曜日になるとのことです。
  2. 2父は『急がなくていい』と言った。
  3. 3田中さんは、明日は休むと言っていた。
Activity 4 of 4Infer from the passage

What should guide your interpretation of Indirect Quotes and Reported Speech in the mini-reading?

Mastery check 1/4

Which pattern is common in formal notices and emails?