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  1. If you use de in the passive form, the verb that follows is in the infinitive.
Discours direct (Direct speech)Discours indirect (Indirect speech)
Paul : "Je vais faire de la guitare." (Paul: "I'm going to play the guitar.")Il dit qu'il va faire de la guitare. (He says he is going to play the guitar.)
Marie : "J'aime beaucoup l'art" (Marie: "I really like art")Elle dit qu'elle aime beaucoup l'art. (She says that she really likes art.)
Tom : "Regardez là-bas !" (Tom: "Look over there!")Il dit de regarder là-bas. (He tells to look over there.)
Léa : "Mon train est en retard." (Léa: "My train is late.")Elle dit que son train est en retard. (She says that her train is delayed.)

Exceptions!

  1. "Que" becomes "qu'" when it is followed by a vowel or a silent h.
  2. "De" becomes "d'" when it is followed by a vowel or a silent h.

Exercise 1: Le discours indirect : Il dit que...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

dit que, dit de, dit qu', dit d'

1.
Tom : "Je peins des tableaux." Tom ...il peint des tableaux.
(Tom: "I paint pictures." Tom says that he paints pictures.)
2.
Louis : "Je vois le musicien." Louis ...il voit le musicien.
(Louis: "I see the musician." Louis says that he sees the musician.)
3.
Manon : "Je vais au musée avec Paul demain." Elle ...elle va au musée avec Paul demain.
(Manon: "I am going to the museum with Paul tomorrow." She says that she is going to the museum with Paul tomorrow.)
4.
Louis : "Ne courez pas!" Louis ... ne pas courir.
(Louis: "Don't run!" Louis says not to run.)
5.
Léa : "Le musée est intéressant." Léa ... le musée est intéressant.
(Léa: "The museum is interesting." Léa says that the museum is interesting.)
6.
Louis : "Écoutez la musique!" Louis ...écouter la musique.
(Louis: "Listen to the music!" Louis says to listen to the music.)
7.
Paul : "Essayez de peindre." Paul ...essayer de peindre.
(Paul: "Try to paint." Paul says to try to paint.)
8.
Léa : "Je rentre à deux heures et je pars à cinq heures." Léa ...elle rentre à deux heure et *qu'**elle part à cinq heures.
(Léa: "I come back at two o'clock and I leave at five o'clock." Léa says that she comes back at two o'clock and **that she leaves at five o'clock.)

Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

dit que

she says that

2

dit qu'

says that

3

dit d'

says to

4

dit de

says not to