Indirect Speech

In Hindi, there is no indirect speech. The only way to render someone's words is to quote them. The direct speech follows the main sentence and is usually introduced by the conjunction कि ki 'that'. No sequence of tenses is required:

उसने कहा कि मैं यह काम हर शाम करता हूँ।

usne kahaa ki maiN yah kaam har śaam kartaa huuN.

'He said that he did work every evening.' (= He said that 'I do this work every evening.')

मैं ने उस से पूछा कि तुम कहाँ थे?

maiN ne us se puuchaa ki tum kahaaN the?

'I asked him where he had been.' (= I asked him that 'Where have you been?')

See Also:

• Some Important Hindi Constructions
• Possessive Constructions
• Permissive Construction
• Constructions with an Accessory Word
• The Must-Constructions
• Types of Action
• Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses
• Word Order
• Conjunctions
• Interrogative_Pronouns