Reported Speech in Brazilian Portuguese: Say What Someone Said — Practice

Report a statement with disse que

Use dizer in a form that matches the person and time, followed by que and the message: ela disse que estava ocupada (she said she was busy). In everyday conversation, Brazilians also commonly use falar to introduce what someone said: ele falou que chegaria mais tarde (he said he would arrive later).

Keep the reported idea clear. You do not always need to change every verb tense as English does; choose a form that communicates when the event happens from the current speaker's point of view.

Report a yes-or-no question with perguntou se

When you report a yes-or-no question, use perguntar se (to ask whether/if) and state the information as a normal clause. The embedded part does not need the original question intonation or a question mark.

Keep the question word when the original asks for a detail: perguntou onde fica a estação (asked where the station is). The question word introduces the reported question, while the rest follows ordinary sentence order.

Report a request with pediu para

For a request directed at someone, a common pattern is pedir para + person + infinitive: ela pediu para eu esperar (she asked me to wait). The person after para is the one expected to do the action.

Do not confuse a request with a reported statement. Ela disse que eu podia esperar means she said I could wait; ela pediu para eu esperar means she asked me to wait. The structure changes the speaker's intention.

Remember: Use disse/falou que for a statement, perguntou se for a yes-or-no question, and pediu para + person + infinitive for a request.

Keep the message and the source distinct

When the exact wording matters, use a direct quote. When you only need to pass along the idea, reported speech is shorter. You can also name the source: a professora disse que… (the teacher said that…) or me perguntaram se… (they asked me whether…).

If you are summarizing a voice message or work instruction, repeat the important date, person, or next action. That makes it easier for the listener to confirm whether you understood the original message correctly.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. Julia said she is at work.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A Júlia disse que está no trabalho.

2. Paulo said he is going to call tomorrow.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O Paulo falou que vai ligar amanhã.

3. She asked if you are coming today.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela perguntou se você vem hoje.

4. He asked where the station is.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele perguntou onde fica a estação.

5. The teacher asked us to open the book.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A professora pediu para a gente abrir o livro.

6. My colleague asked me to send the file.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Meu colega pediu para eu enviar o arquivo.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Use disse/falou que for a statement, perguntou se for a yes-or-no question, and pediu para + person + infinitive for a request.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Reported Speech in Brazilian Portuguese: Say What Someone Said lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.