Reported Speech in Brazilian Portuguese: Say What Someone Said
Use reported speech to pass along a message without repeating every word. Compare how Brazilian Portuguese reports what someone said, asked, or requested.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Use dizer in a form that matches the person and time, followed by que and the message: ela disse que estava ocupada (she said she was busy). In everyday conversation, Brazilians also commonly use falar to introduce what someone said: ele falou que chegaria mais tarde (he said he would arrive later).
Report a statement with disse que
Keep the reported idea clear. You do not always need to change every verb tense as English does; choose a form that communicates when the event happens from the current speaker's point of view.
A Júlia disse que está no trabalho.
Julia said she is at work.
O Paulo falou que vai ligar amanhã.
Paulo said he is going to call tomorrow.
Report a yes-or-no question with perguntou se
When you report a yes-or-no question, use perguntar se (to ask whether/if) and state the information as a normal clause. The embedded part does not need the original question intonation or a question mark.
Keep the question word when the original asks for a detail: perguntou onde fica a estação (asked where the station is). The question word introduces the reported question, while the rest follows ordinary sentence order.
Ela perguntou se você vem hoje.
She asked if you are coming today.
Ele perguntou onde fica a estação.
He asked where the station is.
Report a request with pediu para
For a request directed at someone, a common pattern is pedir para + person + infinitive: ela pediu para eu esperar (she asked me to wait). The person after para is the one expected to do the action.
Do not confuse a request with a reported statement. Ela disse que eu podia esperar means she said I could wait; ela pediu para eu esperar means she asked me to wait. The structure changes the speaker's intention.
A professora pediu para a gente abrir o livro.
The teacher asked us to open the book.
Meu colega pediu para eu enviar o arquivo.
My colleague asked me to send the file.
Put it into practice
Use disse/falou que for a statement, perguntou se for a yes-or-no question, and pediu para + person + infinitive for a request.
Keep the message and the source distinct
When the exact wording matters, use a direct quote. When you only need to pass along the idea, reported speech is shorter. You can also name the source: a professora disse que… (the teacher said that…) or me perguntaram se… (they asked me whether…).
If you are summarizing a voice message or work instruction, repeat the important date, person, or next action. That makes it easier for the listener to confirm whether you understood the original message correctly.
A recepção avisou que a consulta mudou de horário.
Reception let me know that the appointment time changed.
Me perguntaram se eu podia chegar mais cedo.
They asked me if I could arrive earlier.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Julia said she is at work”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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