Passing on what someone says
On the phone or when translating for a friend, you pass on what someone says or asks: estilo indirecto. When the reporting verb is in the present (dice, pregunta, cuenta), it works just like English he says: the tense of the reported words stays as it was. Only the person moves.
Statements with que
A reported statement hangs off que. English lets you drop that (He says he's coming tomorrow); Spanish does not: que has to be there.
Reporting a statement
«Vengo mañana» → Dice que viene mañana.
“I'm coming tomorrow” → He says he's coming tomorrow.
«Estoy en el tren» → Dice que está en el tren.
“I'm on the train” → He says he's on the train.
«Hemos terminado» → Dicen que han terminado.
“We've finished” → They say they've finished.
Verbs that introduce a statement
What changes and what does not
Tense and time expressions stay put (hoy stays hoy). Only person, pronouns and possessives are adjusted, because the speaker changes. English has one you, so the shift can surprise you in Spanish: «vosotros» can become «nosotros», as in «Ya he hablado con vosotros» → Dice que ya ha hablado con nosotros.
The person shift in context
«Te espero abajo» → Dice que me espera abajo.
“I'll wait for you downstairs” → He says he'll wait for me downstairs.
«Es mi turno» → Dice que es su turno.
“It's my turn” → She says it's her turn.
«Te llamaré luego» → Dice que me llamará luego.
“I'll call you later” → He says he'll call me later.
When the reporting verb is in the past (dijo que ...), the tenses step back, just as in English he said he was tired. More on this later.
Reporting a question
A reported question is an ordinary subordinate clause, so the ¿ and ? disappear: not Me pregunta si vienes?, but Me pregunta si vienes. There is no do to take apart, as in English Where do you live? → where I live: the verb keeps the same form, only the person changes.
Two kinds of question, two links
Yes/no question → si
A question with no question word, answered sí or no, is linked with si: English if or whether.
«¿Quieres café?» → Me pregunta si quiero café.
She's asking me whether I want coffee.
«¿Has visto la película?» → Me pregunta si he visto la película.
He's asking me whether I've seen the film.
Question word → it stays
The question word stays and keeps its accent, even though the sentence is no longer a question: dónde, cuándo, qué, cómo, por qué, cuánto.
«¿Dónde vives?» → Me pregunta dónde vivo.
He's asking me where I live.
«¿Por qué no contestas?» → Me pregunta por qué no contesto.
He's asking me why I'm not answering.
Verbs that introduce a question
preguntar
to ask – Me pregunta si vengo.
querer saber
to want to know – Quiere saber cuándo llego.
no saber
not to know – No sabe dónde está.
Reporting a short answer
English simply says he says yes. Spanish puts que in front of even a bare sí or no: dice que sí, dice que no. If a second clause follows, it usually gets its own que.
In conversation
Lucía
¿Y qué te ha contestado Pablo?
So what did Pablo say to you?
Rubén
Dice que sí, pero que llega tarde.
He says yes, but he'll be late.
Lucía
¿Y Marta viene también?
And is Marta coming too?
Rubén
Dice que no, que tiene guardia.
She says no, she's on call.
