Hij zegt dat hij morgen komt.
English: He says that he will come tomorrow.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- B2 Generic Grammar
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Indirect speech in Dutch is when you report what someone else said, thought, or asked, without quoting their exact words.
When to use it
Use indirect speech in Dutch to report what someone else said, thought, or asked, especially in formal writing, news, or when you don't want to repeat the exact words.
Key forms
- Gebruik van een inleidend werkwoord (zoals zeggen, vragen, denken) + 'dat' of 'of'.
- De volgorde van de zin verandert: het werkwoord komt vaak aan het einde.
- Voor ja/nee-vragen gebruik je 'of'.
Examples
Zij vraagt of je mee wilt gaan.
English: She asks if you want to come along.
Ik denk dat het gaat regenen.
English: I think that it is going to rain.
De leraar vertelt dat de toets volgende week is.
English: The teacher says that the test is next week.
Tips
- In indirect speech, the verb often moves to the end of the clause.
- Use 'dat' for statements and 'of' for yes/no questions.
- Do not use quotation marks in indirect speech.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Soms kun je 'dat' weglaten in informele spreektaal.