Direct speech – discours direct
Let's Define It!
What's a *direct speech*?
A discours direct (direct speech) is when somebody's actual words are quoted directly (i.e. unfiltered) rather than reported through a third party.
For example, when you say:
Marie dit: "Ma mère est allée au supermarché" (Marie said: "My mother went to the supermarket)
you are using/quoting Marie's words in direct speech.
In an indirect speech, the introductory verb "dit" would be followed by que as in "Marie dit que...." plus other changes which will be discussed when we tackle that topic.
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Let's Pronounce It!
What does it sound like in French?
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Let's Have an Example or Two!
Can a little reinforcement do the trick?
A couple of sentences in the direct speech:
- Eric dit: "Je n'ai plus faim". / He said: "I'm no longer hungry"
- L'accusé déclara: "Je suis innocent. Je n'ai rien à cacher". / The defendant declared: "I am innocent. I have nothing to hide."
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