Understanding Latviešu Indirect Speech
Indirect speech is a way of telling someone what another person said, without using the exact words they used. It's like retelling a story in your own words.
Important Points
- Indirect speech does not use quotation marks.
- The verb tense often changes to the past tense.
- Pronouns may change to match the perspective of the speaker.
- Time expressions may also change, like 'today' to 'that day'.
When you use indirect speech in Latviešu, you need to be careful about how you change the verbs and pronouns. This helps the listener understand who is speaking and when the action happened.
Examples
- Direct: Viņa teica, 'Es eju uz veikalu.' Indirect: Viņa teica, ka viņa iet uz veikalu.
- Direct: Viņš jautāja, 'Vai tu nāksi?' Indirect: Viņš jautāja, vai es nākšu.
- Direct: Viņi teica, 'Mēs to darīsim rīt.' Indirect: Viņi teica, ka viņi to darīs nākamajā dienā.
It's important to listen carefully to the context so you can choose the right words and tenses. Practice will help you get better at using indirect speech.