Direct and indirect speech is one of the most practical grammar topics in Marathi. Whether you are writing a story, reporting a conversation, preparing for a competitive exam, or drafting a formal report, you will constantly need to switch between quoting someone's exact words and reporting what they said. The ability to perform this transformation accurately is tested in school examinations, competitive government exams, and language proficiency assessments alike.
In direct speech (प्रत्यक्ष कथन), the speaker's exact words are reproduced inside quotation marks exactly as they were spoken. Nothing is changed — the pronouns, tenses, adverbs, and exclamations remain in their original form. In indirect speech (अप्रत्यक्ष कथन), those words are reported through a reporting clause, and the quoted content is restructured without quotation marks. Understanding the difference is essential for mastering sentence formation, for correctly using tenses in Marathi, and for handling punctuation accurately.
This lesson walks through definitions, all key transformation rules, detailed worked examples across all four sentence types, an in-depth look at common errors, exam strategies, and practice questions with full answers. By the end you will be able to convert any direct sentence to indirect and back again with confidence and accuracy.
प्रत्यक्ष कथन म्हणजे काय? — What Is Direct Speech?
Direct speech reproduces the speaker's exact words. In written Marathi, the quoted portion is placed within double inverted commas (उद्धरण चिन्हे). A reporting verb — most commonly म्हणाला / म्हणाली / म्हणाले — introduces the quote. The reporting verb agrees in gender and number with the subject of the reporting clause.
The structure is: Reporting subject + म्हणाला / म्हणाली + comma + "quoted words in double inverted commas". The quoted portion retains its original tense, pronoun, and adverb. Correct use of punctuation — especially the comma after the reporting verb and the placement of inverted commas — is critical in direct speech and is often tested separately in examinations.
राम म्हणाला, "मी शाळेत जातो."
Ram said, "I go to school." — The quoted sentence is reproduced exactly as Ram spoke it. The pronoun remains मी and the tense is simple present.
सीता म्हणाली, "मला पाणी हवे आहे."
Sita said, "I want water." — Note the feminine reporting verb म्हणाली matching the feminine subject सीता.
मुले म्हणाली, "आम्हाला खेळायचे आहे."
The children said, "We want to play." — Plural subject मुले takes the neuter plural reporting verb म्हणाली.
अप्रत्यक्ष कथन म्हणजे काय? — What Is Indirect Speech?
Indirect speech (also called reported speech) conveys the meaning of what was said without quoting the exact words. The reporting clause remains, but the quoted portion is restructured using the subordinating conjunction की (that) along with the necessary grammatical changes. Quotation marks are removed entirely.
The structure becomes: Reporting subject + म्हणाला / म्हणाली + की + restructured dependent clause. Pronouns, tense markers, and place/time adverbs all shift according to fixed rules. The meaning is preserved but the form changes significantly.
राम म्हणाला की तो शाळेत जातो.
Ram said that he goes to school. — The pronoun "I" (मी) shifts to "he" (तो) because the reporting subject is Ram (third person masculine), and the quote becomes a dependent clause. No quotation marks.
Key Transformation Rules
There are five core rules governing the transformation from direct to indirect speech in Marathi. Applying them in sequence gives correct results for any sentence type.
Rule 1: Pronoun Shift (सर्वनाम बदल)
This is the most important rule. Pronouns inside the quoted clause shift based on the person-relationship between the reporter, the original speaker, and the original listener. The table below gives the standard mappings for all combinations.
| Direct — inside quote | Indirect — after transformation | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| मी (I — original speaker) | तो / ती / ते (he / she / they) | Refers back to the reporting-clause subject |
| तू (you — singular addressed) | त्याला / तिला (him/her) | Refers to the listener of the original utterance |
| आपण (you — polite/formal) | त्यांना (them — polite reference) | Polite second person shifts to polite third person |
| तो / ती / ते (he / she / they) | तो / ती / ते (unchanged) | Third person stays the same in most contexts |
| आम्ही (we — exclusive) | ते / त्यांनी (they) | Shifts to third-person plural |
| आपण (we — inclusive) | ते / त्यांनी | Shifts to third-person plural |
Rule 2: Tense Shift (काळ बदल)
When the reporting verb is in past tense, the tense inside the reported clause often shifts back one step (called backshift). However, Marathi follows a less rigidly obligatory backshift than English — context and aspect matter considerably. Study all tense forms in detail with the dedicated tenses lesson.
| Direct tense (काळ) | Indirect tense (reporting verb past) | Marathi example shift |
|---|---|---|
| Simple present (सामान्य वर्तमान) | Often unchanged; sometimes shifts to imperfect | जातो → जातो (often unchanged) |
| Simple past (सामान्य भूत) | Past / reported past with होता/होती | गेला → गेला होता |
| Future (भविष्यकाळ) | Conditional or future retained | जाईल → जाईल (context-dependent) |
| Present continuous (चालू वर्तमान) | Past continuous | जात आहे → जात होता |
| Perfect (पूर्ण भूत) | Past perfect | गेला आहे → गेला होता |
Rule 3: Place and Time Adverbs (स्थानवाचक व कालवाचक अव्यय बदल)
Deictic words — words whose meaning depends on the speaker's location in time and space — shift when the utterance moves to a reported context. The following are the standard shifts:
- इथे / येथे (here) → तिथे / तेथे (there)
- आता (now) → तेव्हा (then)
- आज (today) → त्या दिवशी (that day)
- उद्या (tomorrow) → दुसऱ्या दिवशी (the next day)
- काल (yesterday) → आदल्या दिवशी (the day before)
- हे (this) → ते (that)
Rule 4: Reporting Verb Selection (कथनक्रियापद निवड)
The reporting verb is not always म्हणाला. The correct verb depends on the type of sentence being reported. Using the wrong reporting verb is one of the most common errors in examination writing.
- Declarative: म्हणाला / म्हणाली (said)
- Interrogative: विचारले (asked)
- Imperative (command): सांगितले (told/ordered)
- Imperative (request): विनंती केली (requested)
- Exclamatory: उद्गार काढला / आनंद व्यक्त केला / दुःख व्यक्त केले
Rule 5: Connector Addition (जोडणारा शब्द)
For declarative sentences, add की after the reporting verb. For WH-questions, the question word (कोण, काय, कुठे, केव्हा, कसे, किती) itself serves as the connector. For yes/no questions, use का / की नाही. For imperatives, use an infinitive construction (-णे + ला/साठी) or की with subjunctive.
Types of Sentences and Their Transformation
1. Declarative Sentences (विधानार्थी वाक्ये)
Declarative sentences state a fact, opinion, or idea. They are the simplest to convert to indirect speech. Add की after म्हणाला/म्हणाली, shift pronouns, apply tense shift if needed, and remove quotation marks.
आई म्हणाली, "मी जेवण बनवते."
→ आई म्हणाली की ती जेवण बनवते.
Mother said, "I am making food." → Mother said that she makes food. Pronoun shift: मी → ती (matching the feminine reporting subject आई).
विजय म्हणाला, "आज पाऊस खूप आहे."
→ विजय म्हणाला की त्या दिवशी पाऊस खूप होता.
Vijay said, "Today there is a lot of rain." → Vijay said that on that day there was a lot of rain. Adverb shift: आज → त्या दिवशी; tense shift: आहे → होता.
2. Interrogative Sentences (प्रश्नार्थी वाक्ये)
Questions require a different reporting verb (विचारले) and a different connector. WH-questions (who, what, where, when, how, why) retain the question word as the connector. Yes/no questions use का or की नाही to introduce the reported question.
त्याने विचारले, "तू कुठे जातोस?"
→ त्याने विचारले की तो कुठे जातो.
He asked, "Where are you going?" → He asked where he (the listener) was going. The question word कुठे stays as the connector. Pronoun: तू → तो referring to the original listener.
तिने विचारले, "तू चहा घेणार का?"
→ तिने विचारले की तो चहा घेणार का.
She asked, "Will you have tea?" → She asked whether he would have tea. Yes/no question: का is retained at the end.
3. Imperative Sentences (आज्ञार्थी वाक्ये)
Commands use the reporting verb सांगितले, and polite requests use विनंती केली. The imperative verb in the quoted clause transforms into an infinitive construction using -णे + ला or -णे + साठी, or into a की clause using the present tense.
शिक्षकांनी सांगितले, "शांत बसा."
→ शिक्षकांनी शांत बसण्यास सांगितले.
किंवा: शिक्षकांनी सांगितले की त्यांनी शांत बसावे.
The teacher said, "Sit quietly." → The teacher told them to sit quietly. Two equivalent indirect forms exist: the infinitive with बसण्यास, or the की + subjunctive form (बसावे).
तिने विनंती केली, "मला माफ करा."
→ तिने त्यांना माफ करण्याची विनंती केली.
She requested, "Please forgive me." → She requested them to forgive her. Polite register: विनंती केली; the object pronoun shifts from मला → तिला (embedded in the infinitive).
4. Exclamatory Sentences (उद्गारार्थी वाक्ये)
Exclamations use specialised reporting verbs to describe the emotion expressed. The exclamatory particle (अरे! वाह! अहो! छान!) is removed and replaced by an adverbial phrase of emotion. This type requires the most creative paraphrasing.
मुलाने उद्गार काढला, "वाह! किती सुंदर फूल आहे!"
→ मुलाने आनंदाने सांगितले की ते फूल खूप सुंदर आहे.
The boy exclaimed, "Wow! What a beautiful flower!" → The boy said with joy that the flower was very beautiful. The exclamation वाह is replaced by the adverbial phrase आनंदाने (with joy).
Step-by-Step Conversion Method
Use this five-step method for any direct-to-indirect conversion. Practise it until it becomes automatic, then try the sentence checker tool to verify your output.
- Read and identify sentence type — Is it declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? The sentence type determines Steps 2 and 3.
- Change the reporting verb — Choose from म्हणाला / विचारले / सांगितले / विनंती केली / उद्गार काढला as appropriate to the sentence type and the emotion being conveyed.
- Add the connector — की for statements; the WH-word for WH-questions; का / की नाही for yes/no questions; infinitive + ला/साठी for commands; की with subjunctive for requests.
- Shift all pronouns — First person (मी, आम्ही) → third person aligned to reporting subject; second person (तू, आपण) → third person aligned to original listener.
- Check tense, remove quotes, adjust adverbs — Apply tense backshift if the reporting verb is past; shift deictic adverbs; remove all quotation marks.
Tip
Always identify the subject of the reporting clause first before shifting any pronoun. That subject is who मी inside the quote refers to in indirect form. If the reporting subject is masculine (तो), then मी becomes तो. If it is feminine (ती), it becomes ती. This one habit prevents the majority of pronoun errors.
Detailed Worked Examples Across All Types
The following four worked examples each demonstrate a complete transformation with step-by-step annotations.
Example 1 (Declarative):
Direct: सुमन म्हणाली, "मी आता इथे राहतो."
Indirect: सुमन म्हणाली की ती तेव्हा तिथे राहते.
Steps: मी → ती (feminine reporting subject); आता → तेव्हा; इथे → तिथे; म्हणाली + की added.
Direct: Suman said, "I live here now." Indirect: Suman said that she lived there then. All three deictic shifts apply simultaneously.
Example 2 (Interrogative — WH):
Direct: बाबांनी विचारले, "तू कसे शिकतोस?"
Indirect: बाबांनी विचारले की तो कसे शिकतो.
Steps: म्हणाले → विचारले; तू → तो; कसे retained as connector; ? removed.
Father asked, "How do you study?" → Father asked how he studied. The WH-word कसे serves as the connector.
Example 3 (Imperative):
Direct: आईने सांगितले, "लवकर झोपा."
Indirect: आईने लवकर झोपण्यास सांगितले.
Steps: म्हणाली → सांगितले; imperative → infinitive (झोपण्यास); no connector needed.
Mother told them, "Sleep early." → Mother told them to sleep early. Imperative झोपा becomes infinitive झोपण्यास.
Example 4 (Exclamatory):
Direct: त्याने उद्गार काढला, "अरे! मी परीक्षेत पहिला आलो!"
Indirect: त्याने आनंदाने सांगितले की तो परीक्षेत पहिला आला.
Steps: अरे removed; उद्गार काढला → आनंदाने सांगितले; मी → तो; आलो → आला.
He exclaimed, "Hey! I came first in the exam!" → He happily said that he came first in the exam.
Practice Questions
Convert the following direct sentences to indirect. Use the five-step method. Check your work with the writing practice tool after attempting each one.
Q1. Convert to indirect speech: रमेश म्हणाला, "मी उद्या परीक्षा देणार आहे."
Show answer
रमेश म्हणाला की तो दुसऱ्या दिवशी परीक्षा देणार आहे. — Shifts: मी → तो (masculine reporting subject); उद्या → दुसऱ्या दिवशी; reporting verb म्हणाला + की added.
Q2. Convert to indirect speech: आईने विचारले, "तू जेवलास का?"
Show answer
आईने विचारले की त्याने जेवले का. — Reporting verb: विचारले; pronoun: तू → त्याने; yes/no question: का retained at the end.
Q3. Convert to indirect speech: शिक्षकांनी सांगितले, "सगळे प्रश्न सोडवा."
Show answer
शिक्षकांनी सर्व प्रश्न सोडवण्यास सांगितले. — Imperative सोडवा → infinitive सोडवण्यास; reporting verb: सांगितले.
Q4. Convert to indirect speech: सीता म्हणाली, "मी इथे राहीन."
Show answer
सीता म्हणाली की ती तिथे राहील. — Shifts: मी → ती; इथे → तिथे; future tense राहीन → राहील (person shift); म्हणाली + की added.
Common Mistakes
Common mistake
Forgetting to change मी to तो/ती is the single most frequent error in examinations. Students also often keep इथे, आता, आज unchanged — remember that deictic adverbs always shift away from the speaker's original vantage point. A third common error is leaving quotation marks in indirect speech — they must be completely removed. And do not use both की and quotation marks simultaneously.
Another common error is using the wrong reporting verb. Not every sentence uses म्हणाला. Commands need सांगितले, questions need विचारले, and requests need विनंती केली. Using म्हणाला for a command is grammatically wrong and changes the register of the sentence entirely.
Students sometimes also apply tense shifts incorrectly. Not all tenses need to shift — for example, if the reported fact is still true or the reporting verb is in present tense, no backshift is needed. Read the context carefully before applying a tense change. Practise with the sentence formation lesson to build contextual awareness.
Converting Indirect Back to Direct
Reversing the process — converting indirect speech back to direct — is equally tested in advanced examinations. The method is essentially the reverse of the five-step process:
- Remove की (or the WH-connector) and open a quotation with double inverted commas.
- Shift third-person pronouns back to first or second person as appropriate — तो → मी if the reporting subject is the original speaker.
- Shift tense forward if a backshift was applied.
- Restore deictic adverbs — तिथे → इथे, त्या दिवशी → आज.
- Restore the appropriate sentence-ending punctuation (quotation mark close, exclamation mark, question mark).
अप्रत्यक्ष: अनिता म्हणाली की ती त्या दिवशी थकलेली होती.
प्रत्यक्ष: अनिता म्हणाली, "मी आज थकलेले आहे."
Indirect: Anita said that she was tired that day. Direct: Anita said, "I am tired today." — All shifts are reversed: ती → मी, त्या दिवशी → आज, past → present.
Expert insight
In formal written Marathi — especially in newspapers and literature — tense backshift in indirect speech is frequently omitted when the reported fact is still true or when the style is vivid present. You will encounter तो म्हणाला की मी उद्या येतो (without backshift) alongside तो म्हणाला की तो दुसऱ्या दिवशी येणार आहे (with full backshift and adverb shift). Both are acceptable in published Marathi. However, for examination purposes, always apply the full transformations consistently — examiners expect the textbook form.
Special Cases and Advanced Points
Reported Speech with Modal Verbs (सहायक क्रियापद)
Marathi modal constructions such as पाहिजे (need/must), हवे आहे (want), शकतो (can), नको (do not want) typically do not change form in indirect speech because they already encode the speaker's attitude. Only the pronoun and the connector की are added. For example: "मला जायचे आहे" → तो म्हणाला की त्याला जायचे आहे.
Nested Indirect Speech
When a reported clause contains another reported clause — someone reporting what someone else reported — each layer must be correctly transformed. This is advanced usage but appears in literary and journalistic Marathi. Work through each layer of the nest methodically, innermost first.
Formal Register (प्रमाण मराठी)
In official documents and formal writing, the reporting verbs असे सांगितले की (it was stated that) or असे नमूद केले की (it was noted that) replace simple म्हणाला की. This pattern appears in government notices, legal documents, and news agency reports. Recognising it helps with reading comprehension in competitive exams.
Exam-Oriented Summary and Strategy
For competitive Marathi exams, direct-indirect speech questions typically award four to eight marks. They test pronoun shifts, reporting verb choice, tense changes, and adverb shifts. Focus on these four pillars. The tenses lesson and the punctuation lesson are essential companions. Use the sentence checker and writing practice tool to drill transformations daily. Also explore the advanced grammar guide for complete exam strategies covering this topic and related areas.
A reliable shortcut for exam answers: always write the direct sentence to yourself first, even if the question gives you indirect speech to convert. Seeing the original helps you apply each rule more confidently. Examiners award partial marks — correct pronoun shift earns marks even if the tense transformation is slightly off, so always prioritise pronoun accuracy above all other rules.
Summary
Direct speech (प्रत्यक्ष कथन) quotes exact words inside inverted commas with the reporting verb म्हणाला/म्हणाली. Indirect speech (अप्रत्यक्ष कथन) reports those words through a restructured clause using की (or another connector), with pronoun shifts, possible tense backshift, deictic adverb shifts, and the appropriate reporting verb for the sentence type. The four sentence types — declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory — each have distinct indirect forms. Apply the five-step method: identify type, change reporting verb, add connector, shift pronouns, adjust tense and adverbs. Practise all four types daily until the transformations become second nature.
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