The use of a reporting verb in the present or the perfect instead of the past (see below)
is determined by the proximity of the original command or request to the actual
reporting.
Tráigame toda la documentación.
Bring me all the documentation.
Me ha dicho que le lleve toda la documentación.
He/she has told me to bring him/her all the documentation.
No se lo digáis a Enrique.
Don’t tell Enrique.
Nos ha pedido que no se lo digamos a Enrique.
He/she has asked us not to tell Enrique.
Enséñame a conducir.
Teach me to drive.
Manuel quiere que le enseñe a conducir.
Manuel wants me to teach him to drive.
A reporting verb in the past – usually the preterite – will be used when the time lapse
between the original command or request and the reporting is more significant. The
use of the past for the reporting verb calls for the -ra or -se forms of the subjunctive in
the subordinate clause. 16.1.1.3 (p. 61)
Tráigamelo mañana mismo.
Bring it to me tomorrow without fail.
Me dijo que se lo llevara mañana mismo.
He/she told me to bring it to him/her tomorrow without fail.
Vuelva usted el lunes por la tarde.
Come back on Monday afternoon.
Me pidió que volviese el lunes por la tarde.
He/she asked me to come back on Monday afternoon.
No vuelvas a hacerlo.
Don’t do it again.
Recuerda que tu padre te pidió que no volvieras a hacerlo.
Remember your father asked you not to do it again.33.6.2 Reporting verbs for commands and requests
Decir is the most neutral of the verbs used when reporting commands or requests,
while pedir and querer are more appropriate when reporting requests. Commands
can also be reported with verbs such as mandar, ordenar, ‘to order’, exigir, ‘to
demand’.
Hazlo arreglar.
Have it repaired.
Me dijo que lo hiciera arreglar.
He/she told me to have it repaired.
Pasa un día por casa.
Drop by the house some time.REPORTING 33.6