直接引用别人的原话叫直接引语。用自己的话转述别人的话叫间接引语。直接引语要加引号。间接引语多数情况下构成宾语从句。直接引语变间接引语时，句中的人称、动词时态、指示代词、某些状语等都要视说话的实际情况作相应的变化。例如：
She said,“I will come this evening.”
She said that she would go that evening.
She said,“Where are you going?”
She asked me where I was going.
陈述句变为间接引语时应注意的几个问题 若直接引语是陈述句，其变间接引语时，应把直接引语变成由that引导的宾语从句。从句之前常用say、tell等动词。除了人称上相应变化外，还应注意如下几点。
1)主句中的动词时态如果是过去时态，直接引语中的谓语动词时态要做如下变化：
直接引语 间接引语
一般现在时 一般过去时
现在进行时 过去进行时
现在完成时 过去完成时
一般过去时 过去完成时
过去完成时 过去完成时
一般将来时 过去将来时
例如：
He said,“I have left my book in your room.”
He told me that he had left his book in my room.
他告诉我他把书丢在我房间里了。
He said,“I am busy.”
He said that he was busy.
他说他很忙。
Betty said,“I’ll be waiting for your call.”
Betty said that she would be waiting for my call.
贝蒡说她将等候我的电话。
2)在下列情况下，变间接引语时，时态不发生如上相应变化：
①直接引语中，如果表示过去的时间状语用来表示事态发生或存在的具体时间，变间接引语时，其谓语动词仍用一般过去时;例如：
Mr Brown said,“I flew to London in 1981.”
Mr Brown said that he flew to London in 1981.
②直接引语中的过去完成(进行)时，在间接引语中时态不变;例如：
He said,“My brother had been a worker for two years before he came here.”
He said that his brother had been a worker for two years before he came here
③间接引语中动词所表示的动作或状态说话时仍继续进行或存在时，其时态不变;例如：
“I am forty.”he said.
He said that he is forty.
④转述习惯性动作、客观事实或科学真理时，其时态不变;例如：
He said,“China is in Asia.”
He said that China is in Asia.
⑤引述动词为现在时，间接引语中的动词可保持原来时态;例如：
He says,“I have accepted her invitation.”
He says that he has accepted her invitation.
⑥如果直接引语用虚拟语气，变间接引语时，仍用原来的动词形式;例如：
“I insist that you give up smoking,”said the doctor.
The doctor insisted that he give up smoking.
⑦如果直接引语中有无过去时形式的情态动词，如must,ought to等，变间接引语时，
可用原来形式，也可用其他形式;例如：
He said,“All men must die.”
He said that all men must die.(表示必然)
He said,“You must be fond of music.”
He said that I must be fond of music.(表示推测)