subordinate clause in reported speech

Question

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salgo a cazar.

I told my bodyguards not to follow me when I go hunting.

As I haven't learnt about the reported speech in Spanish, I have a question: if there is a subordinate clause "cuando salgo a cazar" in the sentence above, should the verb form be changed accordingly to "salí a cazar", or would it change the meaning of the whole sentence to:

I told my bodyguards not to follow me when I went hunting.

I wanted "salir" to refer to such situations in general, not only to this particular situation.

yes, as this is a general idea, salgo is the best option:) - 00494d19, ENE 3, 2010

Since you are reporting speech using the past tense, the present tense in the direct speech must be changed to the imperfect. This is a basic rule of Spanish grammar. - lorenzo9, ENE 3, 2010

Answer 1

The two sentences are completely correct but in different contexts: When you use the present of indicative in “le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salgo a pasear” you are referring to the fact of leaving to go for a walk as something real and habitual (every morning, when leaving the work or once a week).

“Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando saliera a pasear”, you are referring to the fact of leaving to go for a walk not as something real or habitual (although perhaps it is like this) but as something hypothetical. It is similar to the conditional: Si/en el caso de que ...yo saliera a pasear, le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera.

Answer 2

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salgo a pasear.

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando saliera a pasear.

The first sentence indicates that you gave him an order that it should be completed every time when you come out.

The order in the second sentence was given for a single time.

Answer 3

You can say:

Le dije que no me siguiera cuando ...... yo salgo de caza.

You can say it, but it is grammatically incorrect. . .so is salga.

Well, I have written my point of view. That is all I have to say. - nila45, ENE 3, 2010

The use of "que" makes it indirect speech and dije is in the past tense. The rules of Spanish grammar for changing tenses are very specific. It is not a matter of opinion. - lorenzo9, ENE 3, 2010

It is not my opinion. In fact, it is as I say. But if you want to think that way.... What happens if I do not want English speakers to be confused about this subject. - nila45, ENE 3, 2010

Answer 4

You can say:

Le dije que no me siguiera cuando ...... yo salgo de caza.

Le dije que no me siguiera cuando ...... yo salga de caza.

Le dije que no me siguiera cuando ..... yo saliera de caza.

It depends on you want to say. Every sentence has its own slight difference. You must use the one or the other depending on the situation. And the reasons are the ones that I explained above.

Answer 5

Lorenzo, it is reported speech, Ok. But, you have to analyse the second sentence in a separated way. It has two parts.

The word "salgo" is in the speech being reported using "dije". It has to be changed to the imperfect. The word "siguiera" is already in the imperfect subjunctive, so it doesn't need to change. The length of the reported speech doesn't matter. - lorenzo9, ENE 3, 2010

Take into account that "siguiera" is always the same because it is reported speech, but you can use other forms for the verb that goes after. - nila45, ENE 3, 2010

...Specially if we are speaking about an hyphotetical situation and so on. It depens on the context. - nila45, ENE 3, 2010

Salgo is wrong no matter what. If the original speech was in the present indicative, it should be in the imperfect. If it was in the subjunctive, it should be in the subjunctive imperfect. - lorenzo9, ENE 3, 2010

Answer 6

The object of "¿Qué le dije?" is "que no me siguiera".

Here you can use the reported speech.

Le dije que no me siguiera y que no hablara con nadie.

Here you can use the reported speech because the object of "¿Qué le dije?" is "que no me siguiera" and "que no hablara con nadie". Both of them are objects of "¿Qué le dije?".

Answer 7

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salgo a pasear.

It is similar to:

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salga a pasear.

But it is a question of slight differences or possibilities. When "salgo" the possibility is superior. It is always. When "salga" the possibility is inferior "whenever". But, the meaning is almost the same.

I mean, there are several sentences for that. It depends on the meaning.

Answer 8

Reported speech in the present tense should be changed to the imperfect if the main verb is in the past. If the original speech was not in the subjunctive, there is no reason to change it to the subjunctive.

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salía a cazar.

Le digo a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salgo a cazar.

link

Answer 9

Reported speech in the present tense should be changed to the imperfect. If the original speech was not in the subjunctive, there is no reason to change it to the subjunctive.

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salía a cazar

If you do not use the subjunctive, you are referring to something different. I mean, here is not a condition, you are not speaking about something hypothetical. In fact, it is something that happened when you were leaving to go for a walk.

Answer 10

Thanks, nila - I was actually more interested in the subordinate clause and whether it could be used in present tense, but I'll add your links to my faves

Answer 11

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salgo a cazar.

This is correct.

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando salga a cazar.

I think it is correct, but perhaps the former sounds better.

Le dije a mi escolta que no me siguiera cuando saliera a cazar.

I do not like "saliese".

Answer 12

Anyway, if you want to know more things about subjunctive you can visit this place:

some links about subjunctive

But, I think that in this case "indicative" and "subjunctive" can work.