Tense Rules for Direct and Indirect speech in Present Tense / Usage of ‘ani’in Telugu

 Today you will learn about the tense rules for Direct and Indirect speech.

Unlike English, there are no major grammar rules in Telugu. You just need to change the subject and object as specified in the previous lesson. You also have to add ‘ani’ (అని) to the verb in the quotations. There is no need to change the tense as in English.

Here are some examples of sentences in all tenses so that you can get a clear idea about changing a direct speech sentence into an indirect speech sentence. Each sentence is given with different subjects and objects for a clearer understanding.  

First, you will learn about the Present tense.

Ø  “Naenuschoolllopanichaesthaanu” ani Rojaandhi. (“నేను స్కూల్లో పని చేస్తాను” అని రోజా అన్నది.) – Roja said, “I work in a school.” – Direct Speech

Ø  Thaanuschoollopanichaestaanani(Chaesthaanu+ ani becomes chaesthaanani) Rojaannadhi. (తాను స్కూల్లో పని చేస్తానని రోజా అన్నది.) – Roja said that she worked in a school. - Indirect Speech

The above sentence is an example of a simple present tense. If you observe it, there is no change in the verb as in English. But the subject in quotation ‘naenu’ (I) changed into ‘thaanu’ (she),and ‘ani’ is added to the verb in the quotation as a suffix. Even ‘ani’ is found in direct speech after the quotation which is added to the verb in the indirect speech. So except for the change of subject, there will be no other change.

Ø  “Naenuannamtintunnaanu” ani naenuathanithoannanu. (“నేను అన్నం తింటున్నాను” అని నేను అతనితో అన్నాను.) – I said to him, “I am eating food.” – Direct speech.

Ø  Naenuannamtintunnanani(thintunnaanu+ ani becomes thintunnaanani) naenuathanithoannaanu. (నేను అన్నం తింటున్నానని నేను అతనితో అన్నాను.) – I told him that I was eating food. – Indirect speech.

The above sentence is an example of the Present Continuous tense. Since the subject is the first person, there will be no change in it, even in the indirect form of speech. Except for the addition of ‘ani’ to the verb in quotations, there will be no change. 

Note:  The addition of ‘ani’ is compulsory to the verb in the quotation in all tenses in the indirect speech.

Ø  “Naenuippudaebattaluvuthikaanu” ani aameannadhi. (“నేను ఇప్పుడే బట్టలు ఉతికాను” అని ఆమె అన్నది.) – She said, “I have just washed the clothes.”  – Direct speech

Ø  Thaanuappudaebattaluvuthikaanani(vuthikaanu+ ani becomes vuthikaanani) aameannadhi. (తాను అప్పుడే బట్టలు ఉతికానని ఆమె అన్నది.) – She said that she had just washed the clothes. – Indirect

The above sentence is in the Present Perfect tense. In the above sentence, the subject ‘naenu’ (నేను) became ‘thaanu’ (తాను),and ‘ippudae’ (ఇప్పుడే) changed to ‘appudae’ (అప్పుడే).  And the remaining is the same.

Ø  “Athadu nee kosamrendugantalugaaedhuruchoosthoonaevunnaadu” ani Raghu naathoannaadu. (“అతడు నీ కోసం రెండు గంటలుగా ఎదురు చూస్తూనే ఉన్నాడు” అని రఘు నాతో అన్నాడు.) – Raghu said to me, “He has been waiting for you since two hours.” – Directspeech

Ø  Athadunaakosamrendugantalugaaedhuruchoostoonaevunnaadani(vunnaadu+ ani becomes vunnaadani) Raghu naathoannaadu. (అతడు నా కోసం రెండు గంటలుగా ఎదురు చూస్తూనే ఉన్నాడని రఘు నాతో అన్నాడు.)  – Raghu said to me that he had been waiting for me since two hours”. – Indirectspeech

The above tense is in Present Perfect Continuous tense. In the above sentence, the object ‘nee kosam’ (నీ కోసం) became ‘naakosam’ (నా కోసం) since the listener is the first person. If the listener is the second person, it remains the same, i.e., ‘nee kosam’. If it is the third person singular, it will be changed to ‘athadikosam’ (అతడి కోసం) (he), ‘aamekosam’ (ఆమె కోసం) (she) and ‘dhaanikosam’ (దాని కోసం) (it).  If the person is in plural form, it will be changed to as follows:

Ø  Meekosam(మీ కోసం) – Maa kosam(మా కోసం) (we)

Ø  Meekosam(మీ కోసం) – Meekosam(మీ కోసం) (you)

Ø  Meekosam(మీ కోసం) - Vaarikosam(వారి కోసం) (They,i.e.,the plural form of he and she)

You will learn about the past tense sentences in the next lesson