Phrase · 📨 Reporting what someone said
Ele disse que ia chegar atrasado.
He said he was going to be late.
B1reporting what someone saidAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Elepronounhe3rd sing. · subjectdisse1verbsaiddizer · past · 3rd sing.que1conjunctionthatia2verbwas goingir · imperfect · 3rd sing.chegar2verbto arriveinfinitiveatrasado3adjectivelatemasc. · sing..
- Ele → disse: subject
- disse → ia: governs
- ia → chegar: periphrasis
- Ele → atrasado: agreement
Word for word: “He said that (he) was-going to-arrive late.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1disse que: que can’t be dropped in Portuguese. Reported speech I: disse que, perguntou se →
- 2"Vou chegar atrasado" → ia chegar. No a between ir and the infinitive. Reported speech I: disse que, perguntou se →
- 3chegar atrasado = to be late; the adjective agrees: ela chegou atrasada.
Variations
- Ele falou que ia chegar atrasado.
- Ele avisou que ia se atrasar.
- Ele disse que vai chegar atrasado.