<Lesson-34>
In this lesson, you will learn direct and
indirect quotation sentences.
Direct quotation report the words actually spoken,
while indirect quotation is rephrased from the view point
of the reporter.
A, Direct quotation
First, let's see the sentences using the
direct quotation which report the words actually said.
( Please click HERE to hear these
sentences below.)
A1."KORE WA NAN DESU KA" TO watashi wa
kanojo ni kikimashita.*kiku=to ask
「これは何ですか。」と、私は彼女に聞きました。
A2. watashi wa "KORE WA NAN DESU KA" TO kanojo ni
kikimashita.
私は「これは何ですか。」と、彼女に聞きました。
*Both
sentences mean "I asked her ,"What is this?"
B1,"KORE WA WATASHI NO JISHO DESU" TO kanojo wa
kotaemashita. *kotaeru=to
reply
「これは私の辞書です。」と、彼女は答えました。
B2. kanojo wa "KORE WA WATASHI NO JISHO DESU" TO
kotaemashita.
彼女は「これは私の辞書です。」と、答えました。
*Both
sentences mean "She answered me,"This is my dictionary."
<Grammatical note>
* Please
place the conjunction word "TO" immediately after the
reported speech to mark the direct quotation.
* The subject of the main clause may come either before or
after the quotation which is itself always followed by the
marker
particle "to". ( In A1 and B 1, the subject of
the main clause is placed after the quotation, while, in A2
and B2, the subject of that
is placed before the
quotation.)
Exercise 1 Please translate the following conversations with direct narration.
e.g She
asked me "What is your hobby?" ==> kanojo wa watashi ni
"anata no shumi wa nan desu ka"to kikimashita.
I replied
to her: "My hobby is cooking "==> watashi wa kanojo
ni "watashi no shumi wa ryouri desu" to kotaemashita.
1, A. I asked him "what do you want to
eat tonight?" *tonight=今夜（こんや）
B, He answered "I want to eat tenpura"
2, A, He asked me "How long have you
been in Japan?"
B, I answered him "I have been in
Japan for 2 years."
3, A, She asked me "What is your
favorite animal?"
B, I answered her "My favorite animal is
the horse." *horse=馬（うま）
4, A, My son asked me "Can you
teach me how to play golf ?" *to teach=教える（おしえる）
B, I replied : "Yes, but please wait more 1
year."
B, Indirect quotation
Indirect quotation sentences which is
rephrased from the view point of the reporter accompany
different conjunctions
according to the type of clauses such as "yes or no"
questions, interrogative questions and so on.
Please note the
verb or verbal adjective of the indirect quotation must be
in the informal tense forms.
( This is the main distinction from a direct quotation
which can also use the formal tense forms )
Here are various types of reported clauses.
1) Plain clause ( with "TO")
Plain indirect quotation must be
followed by the conjunction word "to" to mark the
quotation.
Here are sample sentences. (
Please click HERE to hear these
sentences below.)
Watashi wa kare ni KARE WA MAJIME DA TO iimshita. (
I told him that he is serious.)
私は彼に彼は真面目だと言いました。
*copular verb "desu" need to be informal forms (
da/dewanai/datta/dewanakatta) before "to".
=>Direct narration sentence :watashi wa kare ni "ANATA
WA MAJIME DESU/DA" to iimashita.
ASHITA HAHA GA KURU TO watashi
wa kikimashita, (
I heard my mother will come tomorrow,)
明日、母が来ると私は聞きました。
* verbs need to be informal forms (e.g
kuru/konai/kita/konakatta) before "to"
=>Direct narration sentence: "ASHITA HAHA GA
KIMASU/KURU (YO)" to watashi wa kikimashita.
Kare wa ANO MISE WA TAKAI TO iimashita. ( He says that
that shop is expensive)
彼はあの店は高いと言いました。
*true adjectives need to be informal forms (e.g
takai/takakunai/takakatta/
=>Direct narration sentence: kare wa "ANO
MISE WA TAKAI (DESU) (YO)"TO iimashita.
<NOTE> The subject of the main clause is placed ether before and after the quoted clause.( same as for direct quotation speech.)
Exercise 2 Please express as direct and indirect narration as in the example.
e.g My friend said to me "you
are kind ,aren't you?."
(direct narration) tomodachi wa
watashi ni "anata
wa shinsetsu desu ne." to iimashita.
(indirect narration) tomodachi
wa watashi ni watashi
wa shinsetsu da to
iimashita,
1, He said to me " I live in Tokyo."
(direct naration)=>
(indirect narration)=>
2, He said to me "Japanese language is
difficult."
(direct narration)=>
(indirect narration)
3, I heard her say "there was an
earthquake yesterday" *earthquake=地震（じしん）
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
4, I think by myself " He won't come
here" *to think=omou. *by myself＝一人で（ひとりで）
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
5, I said to her " You are beautiful."
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
2) Interrogative clause ( with "KA")
A quoted question is marked by
with the conjunction word "ka" to connect with main clause.
As I mentioned before, verbs and adjectives before "ka" must
be in informal tense forms.
Here are sample sentences.( Please
click HERE to hear these
sentences below.)
DARE GA SORE O ITTA KA (watashi wa)
shirimasen.( I don't know who said that)
誰がそれを言ったか、（私は）知りません。
ITSU KORE O KATTA KA (watashi
ni) oshiete-kudasai( Please let me know when you bought
this.)
いつこれを買ったか、（私に）教えてください。
KARE GA NANI O TABETAI KA itte-kudasai. ( Please
tell me what he wants to eat.)
彼が何を食べたいか、言ってください。
DOOSHITE KONO HON GA BENRI KA iimashoo.(
I will tell you why this book is useful.)
どうしてこの本が便利か、言いましょう。
* Please note that "da"which is informal tense form of "desu"
is omitted before "ka"
e.g Not "benri da ka",but "benri ka"
Exercise 3 Please translate the following sentences into Japanese using indirect narration with "ka"
1, Please tell me why you don't want
to come with me.
2, I don't know when his birthday is.
3, Please let me know where you found my wallet. *to
find=mitsukeru *wallet=財布（さいふ）
4, I heard who bought your house.
5, I would like to know how many people there are in
your family.
3) "Yes or No" question clause (with "KA DOU KA")
If the quoted question is one answered by " yes" or "no" , the conjunction word "ka dou ka" is put immediately after informal tense from of the verb or adjective in the quoted clause in order to link it with the main clause.
Here are some examples of such sentences.( Please click HERE to hear these sentences below.)
ASHITA AME GA FURU KA DOU KA watashi wa
shirimasen.
明日、雨が降るかどうか、私は知りません。
( I don't know whether it will rain or not tomorrow.)
UCHI NI ANATA NO HON GA ATTA KA DOU KA oboeteimasen.*oboeru=to
remember
家にあなたの本があったかどうか、覚えていません。
( I don't remember whether your books were in my home or not
.)
KONO SAKANA GA SHINSEN KA DOU KA kare ni
kikimashita. *shinsen=fresh
この魚が新鮮かどうか、彼に聞きました。
( I asked him whether this fish is fresh or not.)
*"da"(informal tense form of "desu") before "ka doo ka" is
omitted.
Exercise 4 Please translate the following sentences using "ka dou ka"
1, Please tell me today whether you
want to buy my car or not.
2, I asked my friend whether that movie is interesting
or not. *to ask=尋ねる（たずねる）
3, Please ask your teacher whether this answer is correct or
not. *answer=答え（こたえ）
4, I want to know whether you will come home by 10 o'clock or
not.
5, I am not sure whether Tokyo on December is cold or not. *to
be sure=確かです
4) Request clause (with "YOU NI")
A reported requests to do (or not to do) any action,is
expressed by placing the conjunction word "you ni" immediately
after its informal verb tense form in order to connect with
the main clause.
Here are sample sentences.
SENSEI WA KONO HON O YOMU YOU NI (watashi ni)
iimashita.
先生はこの本を読むように、（私に）言いました。
( The teacher told me to read this book.)
=>Direct narration sentence: Sensei wa
watashi ni "KONO HON O YOMINASAI (YONDE-KUDASAI)" to
iimashita.
HAHA WA SOUJI O TETSUDAU YOU NI
iimashita.*souji=cleaning *tetsudau=to help
母は掃除を手伝うように、言いました。
( My mother told me to help her with the cleaning.)
=> Direct narration sentence: Haha wa "SOUJI
O TETSUDAINASAI ( TETSUDATTE-KUDASAI) "to iimashita.
watashi wa KONO SHIGOTO
O KYOU OWARU YOU
NI kanojo
ni tanomimashita. *tanomu=to
ask
私はこの仕事を今日終わるように、彼女に頼みました。
( I asked her to finish this work today. )
=> Direct narration sentence: watashi wa
kanojo ni "KONO SHIGOTO O KYOO OWATTE-KUDASAI " to
tanomimashita.
CHICHI WA USO O IWANAI YOU NI iimashita.
*uso=lie
父はうそを言わないように、言いました。
( My father told me not to tell a lie.)
=> Direct narration sentence: chichi wa "USO
O ITTE-WA IKEMASEN" to iimashita.
Exercise
5. Please
translate the following direct narration sentences
into Japanese and also change to
indirect narration sentences
as in the example.
e.g My mother said to me "
don't wear my clothes"
(direct narration) haha
wa watashi ni "watashi no fuku o kinai de (kudasai)" to
iimashita.
(indirect narration) haha
wa watashi ni haha no fuku o kinai yoo ni iimashita.
1, She said to me "please come to my
office by 5 o'clock."
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
2, My father said to me " don't use my
car."
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
3, My teacher said to us " please eat
breakfast before coming to school "
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
4, I said to her " don't tell my
secret to anyone." *secret=秘密（ひみつ）
(direct narration)
(indirect narration)
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