Tense use in reported speech in French

Read more about how to use Tense use in reported speech in French.
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Tense use in reported speech

When the verb which introduces the reported speech (dire, annoncer, demander, penser, etc.) is in the present or future tense, the tense of the verbs in the reported speech doesn't change.

Combien coûte le billet ? → Muriel demande combien coûte le billet. How much does this ticket cost? → Muriel is asking how much this ticket costs.
J’ai perdu mes clés. → Victor pense qu’il a perdu ses clés. I've lost my keys. → Victor thinks that he has lost his keys.
Je ne l’aime plus. → Je lui dirai que je ne l’aime plus. I don't love him any more. → I will tell him that I don't love him any more.

However, when the verb which introduces the reported speech is in the past tense (i.e. the imparfait, passé composé, plus-que-parfait, etc.):

• Subsequent verbs in the present tense change into the imparfait (imperfect).

Je travaille à l’AIGF. → J’ai dit que je travaillais à l’AIGF. I work at the AIGF. → I said that I worked at the AIGF.

• Subsequent verbs in the passé composé change into the plus-que-parfait (past perfect).

J’ai travaillé à l’AIGF pendant 3 ans. → Il nous a affirmé qu’il avait travaillé à l’AIGF pendant 3 ans. I worked at the AIGF for three years. → He claimed that he had worked at the AIGF for three years.

• Subsequent verbs in the simple future tense change into the conditionnel présent (conditional).

Un jour ils travailleront à l’AIGF. → Gérard a annoncé qu’un jour ils travailleraient à l’AIGF. One day they will work at the AIGF. → Gérard announced that they would work at the AIGF one day.

• Subsequent verbs in the futur proche (near future tense) change into the futur proche dans le passé (near future in the past), made up of the imperfect + infinitive.

Muriel va travailler avec Victor. → Vous avez dit que Muriel allait travailler avec Victor. Muriel is going to work with Victor. → You said that Muriel was going to work with Victor.

• Subsequent verbs in the imparfait (imperfect), plus-que-parfait (past perfect) or the conditionnel présent (conditional) do not change.

À cette époque, je travaillais à l’AIGF. → J’ai dit qu’à cette époque je travaillais à l’AIGF. At the time, I was working at the AIGF. → I said that I was working at the AIGF at the time.
J’avais déjà travaillé à l’AIGF. → Il a affirmé qu’il avait déjà travaillé à l’AIGF. I had already worked at the AIGF. → He claimed that he had already worked at the AIGF.
J’aimerais bien travailler à l’AIGF. → Elle m’a annoncé qu’elle aimerait bien travailler à l’AIGF. I would really like to work at the AIGF. → She told me that she would really like to work at the AIGF.

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