to say that (quotation)

と marks the content of speech before 言う. Indirect quotes use the plain form before と, while direct quotes keep the original words in brackets. と言っていました is common for reporting what someone said.

Examples

• 田中たなかさんは明日あした来くると言い[いい]ました。

  Tanaka-san wa ashita kuru to iimashita.

  Tanaka-san said that he would come tomorrow.

• 母ははは早はやく寝ねなさいと言い[いい]ました。

  Haha wa hayaku nenasai to iimashita.

  My mother told me to go to bed early.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 明日 tomorrow
• 来る to come
• 言う to say
• 母 mother (one's own)
• 早い early
• 寝る to sleep; to go to bed

Related patterns · Quotation and embedded questions

• 〜と思う to think that
• 〜という（名前） called, named
• 〜かどうか whether or not
• 疑問詞＋〜か embedded question (who, what, when ... )