Funktion
Die indirekte Rede - reported speech - berichtet, was jemand gesagt oder gedacht hat. Hier stehen keine Anführungszeichen (bei der direkten Rede - direct speech - schon). Nach dem einleitenden Verb steht im Englischen im Gegensatz zum Deutschen kein Komma. Die Konjunktion that, die die indirekte Rede einleitet, kann häufig weggelassen werden.
Merkmale
Verben, die die indirekte Rede einleiten, heißen reporting verbs. Dazu zählen: add · agree · answer · believe · explain · know · mention · point out · report · say · tell someone · think · wonder.
Beispiele:
- He mentioned (that) he wanted to learn how to ski.
- Julia said (that) she didn’t want to go to a museum.
- Matt answered (that) he really wanted to see the Dalí exhibition.
- Julia told him (that) she would come along.
Besonderheiten bei tell und say
Das Verb tell steht immer mit einem Objekt oder einem Personalpronomen. Es kann nie allein oder mit to stehen.
Beispiel: I told Ann-Sophie / her to come over for dinner. (nicht: I told to her ...)
Das Verb say hingegen kann nicht in der gleichen Weise verwendet werden. Will man ausdrücken, zu wem man etwas sagt, muss die Person mit to angeschlossen werden:
Beispiel: I said to her that she looked great. (nicht: I said her…)
Veränderung der Zeitformen
Wenn das Verb des einleitenden Satzes in der Vergangenheit steht, ändert sich auch in der indirekten Rede die Zeitfolge (change of tenses). Das Verb der direkten Rede wird nach einem festgelegten Schema in die Vergangenheit gesetzt (backshift of time).
| tense | direct speech | reported speech |
| present tense \(\rightarrow\) past tense | Fred: "I don't feel very well." | Fred said (that) he didn't feel very well. |
| past tense \(\rightarrow\) past perfect | Graham: "I didn't go last Saturday." | Graham said (that) he hadn't gone the previous Saturday. |
Eine ausführliche Übersicht findest du hier.
Veränderung von Pronomen
Bei der Wiedergabe der direkten Rede in der indirekten Rede werden auch die Pronomen verändert.
|
Änderung des Personalpronomens |
Beispiel |
| I, you \(\rightarrow\) she/he we, you \(\rightarrow\) they |
Michael said: “I am reading Bryson’ s latest bestseller.” – Michael said (that) he was reading Bryson’ s latest bestseller. |
| Änderung des Possessivpronomens (direct speech \(\rightarrow\) reported speech) |
Beispiel |
| my, our \(\rightarrow\) his, her our, your \(\rightarrow\) their me, you \(\rightarrow\) him, her us, you \(\rightarrow\) them |
Michael told me: “My aunt gave it to me for my birthday.” – Michael told me (that) his aunt had given it to him for his birthday. |
Veränderung der adverbialen Bestimmung
Nicht nur Pronomen, auch adverbiale Bestimmungen des Ortes und der Zeit werden der veränderten Sprechsituation angepasst. Dabei müssen der konkreten Situation entsprechend sinnvolle Veränderungen vorgenommen werden.
| Änderung direct speech \(\rightarrow\) reported speech | Beispiel |
| now \(\rightarrow\) then, at the moment today \(\rightarrow\) on that day |
Karen told me: “It’ s my birthday today.” – Karen told me (that) it was her birthday on that day. |
| tomorrow \(\rightarrow\) the next day, the following day yesterday \(\rightarrow\) the day before, the previous day last month \(\rightarrow\) the month before, the previous month next year \(\rightarrow\) the following year |
She said: “I’ ll turn eighteen next year.” – She said (that) she would turn eighteen the following year. |
| this \(\rightarrow\) that here \(\rightarrow\) there |
She continued: “I’ m going to celebrate here.” – She continued (that) she was going to celebrate there. |
Veränderungen der modalen Hilfsverben
Die modalen Hilfsverben verändern sich in der indirekten Rede nach einem festgelegten Schema.
| modales Hilfsverb | direct speech | reported speech |
| will \(\rightarrow\) would | Tom said: “I will help my father in the garden.” |
Tom said (that) he would help his father in the garden. |
| can \(\rightarrow\) could | Tom explained: “I can earn some extra cash by mowing the lawn.” |
Tom explained that he could earn some extra cash by mowing the lawn. |
| may \(\rightarrow\) might | His mother said: “I may need some help in the kitchen as well.” |
His mother said (that) she might need some help in the kitchen as well. |
| shall \(\rightarrow\) should | Tom asked: “Shall I give you a hand afterwards?” |
Tom asked if he should give her a hand afterwards. |
| needn't \(\rightarrow\) needn't oder: needn't \(\rightarrow\) didn't have to |
My teacher said: “You needn’t worry about your English grade.” |
My English teacher said to me (that) I needn’t worry about my English grade. My English teacher said to me (that) I didn’t have to worry about my English grade. |
| mustn't \(\rightarrow\) mustn't oder: mustn't \(\rightarrow\) wasn't to/weren't to |
The sign on the bus said: “You mustn’t speak to the driver when the bus is moving.” |
The sign on the bus said: “You mustn’t speak to the driver when the bus is moving.” |
Besonderheiten
Die Hilfsverben would, could, might, should und ought to bleiben unverändert.
Beispiel: My sister said: „I ought to see a dentist.“ \(\rightarrow\) My sister said (that) she ought to see a dentist.
Das Hilfsverb must kann mit had to ersetzt werden, wenn eine Verpflichtung oder ein Zwang ausgedrückt wird.
Beispiel: The bank manager said: “You must pay back the money this month.” \(\rightarrow\) The bank manager said (that) I had to pay back the money that month.
must kann jedoch in der indirekten Rede stehen bleiben, wenn eine Annahme, ein Vorschlag, eine Schlussfolgerung ausgedrückt wird.
Beispiel: My host said: “You must be tired after the long journey.” \(\rightarrow\) My host said that I must be tired after the long journey.
Aufforderung, Vorschlag und Einladung
Aufforderungen und Befehle (commands) werden in der indirekten Rede mit to/not to + Infinitiv wiedergegeben. Zu den einleitenden Verben bei Aufforderungen und Befehlen gehören: order · tell · command · instruct · ask.
Beispiele:
- Teacher to pupil: “Put away your Maths book!” → The teacher told the pupil to put away his Maths book.
- Teacher to girl: “Don’t be late again!” → The teacher told the girl not to be late again.
- Hockey trainer: “Bring your new hockey sticks!” → Our hockey trainer instructed us to bring our new hockey sticks.
Ein Vorschlag (suggestion) wird in der indirekten Rede mit suggest eingeleitet. Darauf folgt kein Infinitiv mit to, sondern ein Gerundium oder ein that-Satz mit should.
Beispiele:
- The teacher suggested taking a short break.
- The teacher suggested that they should work in pairs.
Einladungen (invitations), Ratschläge (advices) und Bitten (favours) werden in der indirekten Rede mit to/not to + Infinitiv oder einem Nebensatz wiedergegeben. Zu den einleitenden Verben gehören: invite · ask · offer · advise someone.
Beispiele:
- The pupils advised the teacher not to give such complicated explanations.
- Eric: “Take an extra pair of shoes.” → Eric advised me to take an extra pair of shoes.
- Grandmother: “Would you like to eat something?” → My grandmother offered me something to eat.
- Kate: “Would you like to have a look at my new painting?” → Kate invited me to have a look at her new painting.
Fragen
Werden Fragen in der indirekten Rede wiedergegeben, so verwendet man im einleitenden Satz die Verben ask, want to know oder wonder. Sofern in der direkten Rede ein Fragewort vorhanden ist, verbindet dieses Haupt- und Nebensatz. Andernfalls werden if oder whether als Konjunktion verwendet. Die Regeln des backshift of time verwendet für den Nebensatz gelten auch hier. Die Satzstellung im Nebensatz ist wie in Aussagesätzen: Subjekt – Verb.
Beispiele:
- The Blakes to the Smiths: “Where did you book your flight?” → They asked where they had booked their fl ight.
- The Smiths: “What are you doing?” → The Smiths wanted to know what the Blakes were doing.
- The Blakes to the Smiths: “Are you going to Scotland this summer?” → The Blakes wanted to know if they were going to Scotland this summer.
- The Blakes to the Smiths: “Didn’t you go there last year?” → They wondered whether they hadn’t gone there the year before.