| Quoting & citing, or direct & indirect speech are constructed
with the "citing と (to)". The citing と (to) is placed
after the full sentence which you want to cite, followed by a verb
capable of citing like "to say", "to ask", or
"to remember".
The citing と (to) can be combined with many verbs where it is best
translated as "to says that", "to understand that",
"to feel that", etc.
| と言う |
という |
to iu |
say |
| と考える |
とかんがえる |
to kangaeru |
think |
| と感じる |
とかんじる |
to kanjiru |
feel |
| と聞く |
ときく |
to kiku |
hear |
| と知る |
としる |
to shiru |
know |
| と呼ぶ |
とよぶ |
to yobu |
call / name |
| と分かる |
とわかる |
to wakaru |
understand |
| |
The distinction between direct and indirect speech can be made
from the quotation marks.
| |
明日行くと太郎君が言った。(Ashita
iku to Tarou-kun ga itta.)
Tarou said he was going tomorrow.
「明日行く。」と太郎君が言った。("Ashita
iku." to Tarou-kun ga itta.)
"I'm going tomorrow." said Tarou. |
| |
The verb before the citing to cannot be in the polite form, unless
the quote is direct speech.
| |
明日行くと太郎君が言いました。(Ashita
iku to Tarou-kun ga iimashita.)
Tarou said he was going tomorrow.
「明日行きます。」と太郎君が言った。 ("Ashita
ikimasu." to Tarou-kun ga itta.)
"I'm going tomorrow." said Tarou.
「明日行きます。」と太郎君がいいました。 ("Ashita
ikimasu." to Tarou-kun ga iimashita.)
"I'm going tomorrow." said Tarou. |
| |
The use of polite forms in the quote and outside the quote can
be applied completely independent from one another in direct speech.
Related pages:
Rentaikei
+ と (to)
The particle と (to) |
