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18.2.2 Indicative clauses, if the introductory verb is in past tense

The following table shows, how the tenses change if the introductory verb is in past tense.

* Instead of the conditionel I also futur proche can be used in imparfait.
** This is the only case where the French and the English system are not equal.

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Imparfait, passé composé, passé simple, plus-que-parfait, conditionel passé
	direct speech:	reported speech / sequence of tenses
		présent changes to imparfait
	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit: "Je le fais"	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit, qu' il le faisait.
	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé: "Je le fait"	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu' il le faisait. Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu' il allait le faire. *
	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought, "I do it."	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought that he did it. (simple present to simple past)
		imparfait stays imparfait **
	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit : "Je le faisais"	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit, qu' il le faisait.
	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé: "Je le faisais"	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu' il le faisait.
	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought, "I did it."	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought that he had done it. (simple past to past perfect)
		passé composé changes to plus-que-parfait
	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit : "Je l' ai fait"	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit, qu' il l' avait fait.
	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé: "Je l' ai fait"	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu' il l' avait fait.
	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought, "I have done it."	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought that he had done it. (present perfect to past perfect)
		plus-que-parfait stays plus-que-parfait
	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit : "Je l' avais fait"	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit, qu' il l' avait fait.
	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé: "Je l' avait fait"	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé qu' il l' avait fait.
	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought, "I had done it."	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought that he had done it. (past perfect)
		futur simple changes to conditionnel présent
	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit : "Je le ferai"	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit, qu' il le ferait.
	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé: "Je le ferai"	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu' il le ferait. Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu'il allait le faire**
	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought, "I will do it."	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought that he would do it. (future to conditional)
		futur composé changes to passé du conditionnel
	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit : "Je l' aurai fait."	Il disait / Il a dit / Il dit / Il avait dit, qu' il l' aurait fait.
	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé: "Je l' aurai fait."	Il pensait / Il a pensé / Il pensa / Il avait pensé, qu' il l' aurait fait.
	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought, "I will have done it."	He said/thought, has said/has tought, had said/had tthought that he would have done it. (future II to conditional II)