Reported Questions

What you’ll learn

Report questions without direct-question word order.

រាយការណ៍សំណួរដោយលំដាប់ប្រយោគធម្មតា។

Meaning and use

Reported questions use subject–verb order, not inversion. Keep the wh-word for information questions; use if or whether for yes/no questions. Backshift and reference changes depend on context. A statement reporting a question normally ends with a full stop rather than a question mark.

សំណួរដែលបានរាយការណ៍ប្រើប្រធានមុនកិរិយាសព្ទ។ រក្សា wh-word ឬប្រើ if/whether សម្រាប់សំណួរ yes/no។ ជាទូទៅវាបញ្ចប់ដោយសញ្ញាខណ្ឌ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Wh-question report	She asked where I lived.
Yes/no report	He asked if I was ready.

Examples

1. She asked what time the shop opened.

   នាងបានសួរថាហាងបើកម៉ោងប៉ុន្មាន។

2. He asked whether I had a ticket.

   គាត់បានសួរថាខ្ញុំមានសំបុត្រឬទេ។

3. They asked why we were waiting.

   ពួកគេបានសួរថាហេតុអ្វីយើងកំពុងរង់ចាំ។

4. Maly asked if Dara had called.

   ម៉ាលីបានសួរថាដារ៉ាបានទូរស័ព្ទមកឬនៅ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: What did the receptionist ask?

Maly: She asked whether I had booked a room.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
He asked where did I live.	He asked where I lived.	Reported questions use statement order without did.
She asked was I ready.	She asked if I was ready.	Use if or whether to introduce a reported yes/no question.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Report with backshift: She asked me, Where do you work?
2. Report with backshift: He asked me, Are you tired?
3. Correct: They asked why was the bus late.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. She asked me where I worked.

   Remove do and use subject–verb order.

2. He asked me if I was tired.

   If introduces the yes/no question.

3. They asked why the bus was late.

   Put the subject before was.

Quick recap

• Wh-question report: She asked where I lived.
• Yes/no report: He asked if I was ready.