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

 Let us learn about past tense and future tense rules for direct and indirect speech.

·         “Nenu apple thinnaanu” ani Ramana annadu. (“నేను ఆపిల్ తిన్నాను” అని రమణ అన్నాడు.) – Ramana said, “I ate an apple.” – Direct Speech

·         Thaanu apple tinnaanani Ramana annadu. (తాను ఆపిల్ తిన్నానని రమణ అన్నాడు.) – Ramana said that he had eaten an apple - Indirect Speech

The above sentence is an example for a simple past. The same rules of simple present apply here. ‘naenu’ (I) changed into ‘thaanu’ (he),and ‘ani’ is added to the verb in the quotation as a suffix.

·         “Maemuninnaaadukuntoovunnamu” ani vaaruannaru. (“మేము నిన్న ఆడుకుంటూ ఉన్నాము” అని వారు అన్నారు.) – They said, “We were playing a game yesterday.”  – Direct Speech.

·         Vaaru aa rojuaadukuntoovunnamani(vunnaamu+ ani) annaaru. (వారు ఆ ముందురోజు ఆడుకుంటూ ఉన్నామని అన్నారు.) – They said that they had been playing a game on the previous day’. – Indirect Speech.

The above sentence is an example of past continuous tense. Except for the change of subject and ‘yesterday’ to ‘the previous day’/’the day before’ there were no changes.

·         “Naenu aa rojuappudaeintikivellaanu” ani aameannadhi. (“నేను ఆరోజు అప్పుడే ఇంటికి వెళ్ళాను” అని ఆమె అన్నది.) – She said, “I had gone to home.” – Direct Speech

·         Thaanuaarojuappudaeintikivellanani(Vellaanu+ ani) aameannadhi. (తాను ఆరోజు అప్పుడే ఇంటికి వెళ్ళానని ఆమె అన్నది.) – She said that she had gone home. – Indirect speech.

The above sentence is in the Past Perfect tense. Except for the subject change, everything remained as such.  The rules are the same for the future tense as well.