Understanding Direct vs. Indirect Speech
In Chinese, as in many other languages, there are two main ways to report what someone else said: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech involves quoting someone’s exact words, while indirect speech conveys the speaker’s message in a more paraphrased form. Indirect speech is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, and it’s essential for learners to grasp this concept to communicate effectively and politely in various situations.
Basic Structure of Indirect Speech in Chinese
In Chinese, the basic structure of indirect speech involves using the introductory phrase “他/她/它说” (tā/tā/tā shuō) or “他/她/它告诉我” (tā/tā/tā gàosu wǒ), which means “he/she/it said” or “he/she/it told me.” These phrases set the context and indicate that the following information is reported speech. The reported speech is then presented in the main clause.
Changes in Verb Tense
One crucial aspect of using indirect speech in Chinese is the shift in verb tenses. When reporting statements in the past tense, the verbs in the reported speech generally remain unchanged. However, if the reported speech was originally in the present or future tense, the verb tense will need to be adjusted to match the context of the reporting clause. Here are some examples:
Direct Speech (Present Tense):
他说：“我很忙。” (Tā shuō: “Wǒ hěn máng.”) – He said, “I am busy.”
Indirect Speech (Past Tense):
他说他很忙。 (Tā shuō tā hěn máng.) – He said he was busy.
Direct Speech (Future Tense):
他说：“我明天去北京。” (Tā shuō: “Wǒ míngtiān qù Běijīng.”) – He said, “I will go to Beijing tomorrow.”
Indirect Speech (Conditional Tense):
他说他明天会去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān huì qù Běijīng.) – He said he would go to Beijing tomorrow.
Handling Pronoun Changes
In Chinese, when reporting someone’s speech indirectly, the pronouns used in the reported speech may need to be adjusted to maintain clarity and context. Pronouns like “我” (wǒ) and “你” (nǐ) often change based on who is reporting the speech and who the speech is being reported to. Here are some examples:
Direct Speech:
她对我说：“我喜欢这本书。” (Tā duì wǒ shuō: “Wǒ xǐhuan zhè běn shū.”) – She said to me, “I like this book.”
Indirect Speech:
她对我说她喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō tā xǐhuan nà běn shū.) – She said to me that she liked that book.
Reporting Questions Indirectly
When reporting a question in indirect speech, the question word in the reported speech remains the same. However, the sentence structure changes to form a declarative sentence. Here’s an example:
Direct Speech (Question):
他问：“你去过北京吗？” (Tā wèn: “Nǐ qù guò Běijīng ma?”) – He asked, “Have you been to Beijing?”
Indirect Speech (Statement):
他问我是否去过北京。 (Tā wèn wǒ shìfǒu qù guò Běijīng.) – He asked me if I had been to Beijing.
Using Modal Verbs in Indirect Speech
Modal verbs such as “可以” (kěyǐ) and “应该” (yīnggāi) may also require adjustments when used in indirect speech. The choice of modal verb depends on the context of the reported speech and the speaker’s intention. Here’s an example:
Direct Speech:
他说：“你可以来我家玩。” (Tā shuō: “Nǐ kěyǐ lái wǒ jiā wán.”) – He said, “You can come to my house and play.”
Indirect Speech:
他说我可以去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ kěyǐ qù tā jiā wán.) – He said I could go to his house and play.
Conclusion
Mastering the concept of indirect speech in Chinese is essential for effective communication. By understanding the basic structure, tense changes, pronoun adjustments, and modal verb usage, learners can accurately report someone’s speech in a polite and accurate manner. Practice is key to developing fluency in using indirect speech, and through consistent exposure and application, learners can enhance their language skills and confidently engage in conversations in various contexts.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1: Understanding Direct vs. Indirect Speech
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
In Chinese, there are two main ways to report what someone else said: and .
a) Direct speech, indirect speech
b) Quoted speech, paraphrased speech
c) Present speech, past speech
d) Polite speech, casual speech
Answer: a) Direct speech, indirect speech
Explanation: In Chinese, direct speech involves quoting someone’s exact words, while indirect speech conveys the speaker’s message in a more paraphrased form.
Example sentence: 他说：“我很忙。” (Tā shuō: “Wǒ hěn máng.”) – He said, “I am busy.”
Exercise 2: Basic Structure of Indirect Speech in Chinese
Select the correct introductory phrase for indirect speech:
“他/她/它说” (tā/tā/tā shuō) or “他/她/它告诉我” (tā/tā/tā gàosu wǒ) means:
a) “He/she/it said”
b) “He/she/it told me”
c) “He/she/it will say”
d) “He/she/it will tell me”
Answer: a) “He/she/it said”
Explanation: The phrases “他/她/它说” (tā/tā/tā shuō) and “他/她/它告诉我” (tā/tā/tā gàosu wǒ) mean “he/she/it said” or “he/she/it told me” and are used as introductory phrases for indirect speech in Chinese.
Example sentence: 他说他很忙。 (Tā shuō tā hěn máng.) – He said he was busy.
Exercise 3: Changes in Verb Tense
Choose the correct verb tense for the reported speech:
Direct Speech (Future Tense):
“他说：“我明天去北京。” (Tā shuō: “Wǒ míngtiān qù Běijīng.”) – He said, “I will go to Beijing tomorrow.”
Indirect Speech (Conditional Tense):
a) 他说他明天会去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān huì qù Běijīng.)
b) 他说他明天去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān qù Běijīng.)
c) 他说他明天要去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān yào qù Běijīng.)
d) 他说他明天能去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān néng qù Běijīng.)
Answer: a) 他说他明天会去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān huì qù Běijīng.)
Explanation: When reporting a future tense statement in indirect speech, the verb tense is changed to the conditional tense. The correct option is “他说他明天会去北京” (Tā shuō tā míngtiān huì qù Běijīng), which means “He said he would go to Beijing tomorrow.”
Example sentence: 他说他明天会去北京。 (Tā shuō tā míngtiān huì qù Běijīng.) – He said he would go to Beijing tomorrow.
Exercise 4: Handling Pronoun Changes
Choose the correct option to adjust the pronouns in the reported speech:
Direct Speech:
“她对我说：“我喜欢这本书。” (Tā duì wǒ shuō: “Wǒ xǐhuan zhè běn shū.”) – She said to me, “I like this book.”
Indirect Speech:
a) 她对我说她喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō tā xǐhuan nà běn shū.)
b) 她对我说我喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō wǒ xǐhuan nà běn shū.)
c) 她对我说你喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō nǐ xǐhuan nà běn shū.)
d) 她对我说他喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō tā xǐhuan nà běn shū.)
Answer: a) 她对我说她喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō tā xǐhuan nà běn shū.)
Explanation: In indirect speech, pronouns may need to be adjusted to maintain clarity and context. The correct option is “她对我说她喜欢那本书” (Tā duì wǒ shuō tā xǐhuan nà běn shū), which means “She said to me that she liked that book.”
Example sentence: 她对我说她喜欢那本书。 (Tā duì wǒ shuō tā xǐhuan nà běn shū.) – She said to me that she liked that book.
Exercise 5: Reporting Questions Indirectly
Choose the correct option to form the declarative sentence:
Direct Speech (Question):
“他问：“你去过北京吗？” (Tā wèn: “Nǐ qù guò Běijīng ma?”) – He asked, ‘Have you been to Beijing?’”
Indirect Speech (Statement):
a) 他问我是否去过北京。 (Tā wèn wǒ shìfǒu qù guò Běijīng.)
b) 他问我你去过北京。 (Tā wèn wǒ nǐ qù guò Běijīng.)
c) 他问我去过北京吗。 (Tā wèn wǒ qù guò Běijīng ma.)
d) 他问我去过北京没有。 (Tā wèn wǒ qù guò Běijīng méiyǒu.)
Answer: a) 他问我是否去过北京。 (Tā wèn wǒ shìfǒu qù guò Běijīng.)
Explanation: When reporting a question in indirect speech, the question word remains the same, but the sentence structure changes to form a declarative statement. The correct option is “他问我是否去过北京” (Tā wèn wǒ shìfǒu qù guò Běijīng), which means “He asked me if I had been to Beijing.”
Example sentence: 他问我是否去过北京。 (Tā wèn wǒ shìfǒu qù guò Běijīng.) – He asked me if I had been to Beijing.
Exercise 6: Using Modal Verbs in Indirect Speech
Choose the correct option for the modal verb in indirect speech:
Direct Speech:
“他说：“你可以来我家玩。” (Tā shuō: “Nǐ kěyǐ lái wǒ jiā wán.”) – He said, ‘You can come to my house and play.’”
Indirect Speech:
a) 他说我可以去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ kěyǐ qù tā jiā wán.)
b) 他说我应该去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ yīnggāi qù tā jiā wán.)
c) 他说我能去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ néng qù tā jiā wán.)
d) 他说我愿意去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ yuànyì qù tā jiā wán.)
Answer: a) 他说我可以去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ kěyǐ qù tā jiā wán.)
Explanation: Modal verbs in indirect speech may require adjustments based on the context and speaker’s intention. The correct option is “他说我可以去他家玩” (Tā shuō wǒ kěyǐ qù tā jiā wán), which means “He said I could go to his house and play.”
Example sentence: 他说我可以去他家玩。 (Tā shuō wǒ kěyǐ qù tā jiā wán.) – He said I could go to his house and play.
By practicing these exercises, learners can reinforce their understanding of indirect speech in Chinese and improve their ability to accurately report someone’s speech in various contexts.
Originally posted 2023-07-20 07:16:55.