B1 Spanish grammar

Reported Commands and Requests in Spanish

Report an instruction or request with decir, pedir, ordenar, recomendar, or aconsejar plus que and a subjunctive clause. Adjust the person references to the reporting context.

reported commands Spanish: Report instructions with decir que

When decir means tell someone to do something, use an indirect object and que plus subjunctive.

Me dijo que esperara.
She told me to wait.Me identifies the recipient and esperara reports the command.

Quick check

He told us to leave.

Report requests and recommendations

Pedir, recomendar, aconsejar, and ordenar introduce the requested or recommended action with que plus subjunctive.

El médico me recomendó que descansara.
The doctor recommended that I rest.The recommendation is reported from a past viewpoint.

Adjust pronouns and addressees

Change reflexive and object pronouns so the reported action points to the correct people and things.

Ana me dijo: «Llévatelo». → Ana me dijo que me lo llevara.
Ana told me, 'Take it with you.' → Ana told me to take it.Te becomes me from the reporter's viewpoint.

Common mistakes

Me dijo esperar.

Me dijo que esperara.

A reported instruction normally uses a finite que clause.

Me recomendó que descansé.

Me recomendó que descansara.

A past recommendation selects imperfect subjunctive.

Ana me dijo que te lo llevara.

Ana me dijo que me lo llevara.

The person carrying it is now reported as me.

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Reported commands FAQ

What does reported commands cover?

Report an instruction or request with decir, pedir, ordenar, recomendar, or aconsejar plus que and a subjunctive clause. Adjust the person references to the reporting context.

What is the first rule to remember?

When decir means tell someone to do something, use an indirect object and que plus subjunctive.

What is another important B1 pattern?

Pedir, recomendar, aconsejar, and ordenar introduce the requested or recommended action with que plus subjunctive.

How can I practise reported commands Spanish?

Complete the focused round, review each correction, and repeat the lesson when its skills become due again.

Continue learning

Direct and reported speechChange quoted statements into reported clauses with decir que and appropriate person references.Reported questionsReport yes-or-no and information questions without retaining direct-question word order or punctuation.Reported-speech tense changesAfter a past reporting verb, shift present ideas toward the imperfect and future ideas toward the conditional when the viewpoint requires it.Complete B1 Spanish grammar courseSee every B1 unit and continue through the course in order.Spanish tense guidesCompare the major tense systems used throughout this course.