Introduction
In this blog post, we will learn how to use past tense short forms with -と言っていました (-to itteimashita) to report what someone said in the past. This structure helps you accurately convey what you heard.
What It Means
To report something someone said in the past tense, you use the short form past tense of the verb + と言っていました (-to itteimashita).
When You Use It
Use this structure when you want to report what someone said about past actions or events.
Examples
りくさんは、昼ごはんを食べなかったと言っていました。
(Riku-san wa, hirugohan o tabenakatta to itteimashita.) – Riku said that he didn’t have lunch.
Note
Japanese does not follow the “sequence of tense” rule. The original tense is kept when it is reported. If someone used the present tense, you must also use the present tense inside the quote. For example, if your friend Riku said 今、晩ご飯を食べています (Ima, bangohan o tabeteimasu), your report should have 晩ご飯を食べている (bangohan o tabeteiru) in the present tense, not 晩ご飯を食べていた (bangohan o tabeteita) in the past tense.
りくさんは晩ご飯を食べていると言っていました。
(Riku-san wa bangohan o tabeteiru to itteimashita.) – Riku said that he was having dinner.
Conclusion
Using past tense short forms with -と言っていました (-to itteimashita) allows you to report past statements accurately.
