Reported Speech in Slovak (No Sequence of Tenses)

In Slovak syntax, *Reported Speech (Nepriama reč) converts direct utterances into subordinate clauses introduced primarily by the conjunction že (that) or interrogative particles (či, kde, kedy*):

*1. The Fundamental Principle: NO Sequence of Tenses (Žiadny časový posun): Unlike English (which shifts present to past: «I am tired» → He said he was tired), Slovak strictly preserves the original tense used by the speaker: - Direct: Peter hovorí: «Bývam v Bratislave.» (Present) - Indirect: Peter povedal, že býva v Bratislave. (Lit. 'Peter said that he lives in Bratislava'). - Direct: Mária hovorí: «Zajtra prídem.» (Future) - Indirect: Mária povedala, že zajtra príde. (Lit. 'Maria said that she will come tomorrow'). - Direct: Kolegovia hovoria: «Včera sme boli v kine.» (Past) - Indirect: Kolegovia povedali, že včera boli* v kine.

*2. Indirect Questions (Nepriame zisťovacie otázky): - Yes/No questions convert using či (whether / if): - Opýtal sa ma, či hovorím po slovensky. (He asked me whether I speak Slovak). - Wh-questions retain their interrogative word: - Pýtal sa, kde bývame a kedy odchádzame.* (He asked where we live and when we are leaving).

*3. Indirect Commands (Nepriame rozkazy): Direct commands convert using conjunction aby + past l-participle (conditional sense): - Učiteľ povedal študentom: «Čítajte!» → Učiteľ povedal študentom, aby čítali.*

Learner Mistake: Translating English sequence of tenses into Slovak past tense (Peter povedal, že pracoval implies Peter had worked previously, not that he was currently working at the moment of speaking).