जब हम किसी के बोले हुए शब्दों को किसी और को बताते हैं, तो हम दो तरीकों से ऐसा कर सकते हैं — Direct Speech और Indirect Speech के ज़रिए।
इस article में हम Direct और Indirect Speech के सभी rules को examples के साथ step-by-step समझेंगे — ताकि spoken English और grammar दोनों strong हो जाए!
What is Direct and Indirect Speech?
Direct Speech (Reported Clause):
जब हम किसी के exact शब्दों को दोहराते हैं, वैसे जैसे उसने कहे थे, quotation marks (” “) का use करके, उसे कहते हैं Direct Speech.
Example:
She said, “I am happy.”
यहाँ पर speaker के original शब्द “I am happy” quotation marks में दिए गए हैं।
Indirect Speech (Reported Speech):
जब हम किसी के शब्दों को अपने शब्दों में report करते हैं, और quotation marks हटाकर tense, pronouns आदि बदलते हैं, तो उसे कहते हैं Indirect Speech या Reported Speech.
Example:
She said that she was happy.
यहाँ हमने report किया कि वो क्या कह रही थी, लेकिन अपने शब्दों में।
Basic Structure of Both:
| Type | Structure Example |
|---|---|
| Direct Speech | Subject + said + “Actual Words” |
| Indirect Speech | Subject + said + that + reported clause |
Direct → Indirect Speech: Tense Conversion Cheatsheet
| Direct Speech (Reported Clause) | Indirect Speech (After Tense Shift) |
|---|---|
| Simple Present | Simple Past |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
| Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Future (will) | would |
| shall | should |
| may | might |
| can | could |
| must | had to (or stays same sometimes) |
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
Conversion Rules for Direct → Indirect Speech
जब हम Direct Speech को Indirect में बदलते हैं, तो कुछ important changes करने पड़ते हैं। आइए इन्हें details में समझते हैं।
1. Change in Pronouns (सर्वनामों का परिवर्तन)
Pronoun को speaker, listener और reported speech के subject/object के हिसाब से बदलना होता है।
Example:
Direct: He said, “I will help you.”
Indirect: He said that he would help me.
I → he (क्योंकि speaker “He” है)
you → me (क्योंकि listener “me” है)
2. Change in Tense (काल का परिवर्तन)
अगर reporting verb (said, told etc.) past tense में है, तो reported speech का tense बदलता है।
| Direct Tense | Indirect Tense |
|---|---|
| Present Simple | Past Simple |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Past Simple | Past Perfect |
| Future (will) | would |
Examples:
- Direct: He said, “I eat apples.”
Indirect: He said that he ate apples. - Direct: She said, “I am reading a book.”
Indirect: She said that she was reading a book. - Direct: They said, “We have finished.”
Indirect: They said that they had finished.
Note: अगर reporting verb present या future में हो (says, will say), तो tense change नहीं होता।
3. Change in Time and Place Words (समय और स्थान के शब्द)
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
Example:
Direct: He said, “I will go tomorrow.”
Indirect: He said that he would go the next day.
4. Reporting Verb Changes (Said to → Told, Asked etc.)
- “Said to” becomes “Told”
- For questions, “asked, enquired”
- For requests, “requested, begged”
- For orders, “ordered, commanded”
- For advice, “advised”
- For exclamations, “exclaimed with joy/sorrow/surprise”
5. Changes Based on Sentence Type
1. Assertive Sentences (Statements)
said → said that / told that
Example:
Direct: She said, “I love coffee.”
Indirect: She said that she loved coffee.
2. Interrogative Sentences (Questions)
a) Yes/No Questions:
Use if / whether
Example:
Direct: He said, “Do you like tea?”
Indirect: He asked if I liked tea.
b) WH- Questions:
Use the same WH-word (what, where, when, why, how)
Example:
Direct: She said, “Where are you going?”
Indirect: She asked where I was going.
3. Imperative Sentences (Order, Request, Advice)
Use verbs like requested, ordered, advised, warned, urged etc.
a) Request:
Direct: He said, “Please help me.”
Indirect: He requested me to help him.
b) Order:
Direct: The teacher said, “Sit down.”
Indirect: The teacher ordered us to sit down.
c) Advice:
Direct: The doctor said, “Take rest.”
Indirect: The doctor advised me to take rest.
4. Exclamatory Sentences (Emotion वाले वाक्य)
Use exclaimed with joy, sorrow, surprise, etc.
Example:
Direct: He said, “What a beautiful painting!”
Indirect: He exclaimed with admiration that it was a beautiful painting.
Special Cases:
1. Universal Truths:
Tense doesn’t change.
Example:
Direct: He said, “The sun rises in the east.”
Indirect: He said that the sun rises in the east.
2. Modal Verbs:
| Modal in Direct | In Indirect |
|---|---|
| can | could |
| may | might |
| shall | should |
| will | would |
| must | had to (sometimes stays as “must”) |
Example:
Direct: She said, “I can swim.”
Indirect: She said that she could swim.
Tips to Master Reported Speech:
- Pronoun और Tense change करने की practice करो।
- पहले sentence को identify करो – क्या वो statement है, question है, order है या emotion?
- Verb को ध्यान से select करो — said, asked, advised, etc.
- WH-questions और Yes/No questions में फर्क समझो।
- Time expressions को जल्दी बदलना सीखो – today → that day, now → then.
Conclusion:
Direct और Indirect Speech में mastery पाने के लिए सिर्फ rules याद रखना काफी नहीं है — regular practice करना भी ज़रूरी है।
इन rules को बार-बार पढ़ो, खुद से examples बनाओ और spoken English में apply करो — धीरे-धीरे ये grammar का हिस्सा बन जाएगा।
