Reporting a command is more interesting than reporting a statement. A statement has a truth value to preserve; a command doesn't. When you relay "Fecha a porta!" ("Close the door!") you have to decide how much force the command carries, who issued it, and what kind of relationship existed between the commander and the commanded. Portuguese offers three structurally distinct strategies, each with its own register: para + personal infinitive, que + subjunctive, and mandar/pedir + infinitive. Choosing among them is part of getting reported speech right.
For the general framework of reported speech, see the overview page. For tense shifts, see tense shifts. For questions, see reporting questions. This page is about imperatives and requests.
The three strategies, side by side
Take the same direct command and render it three ways:
Direct: "O João disse-me: «Liga-me amanhã!»" — João said to me: "Call me tomorrow!"
Strategy 1 (para + personal infinitive): "O João disse-me para lhe ligar no dia seguinte."
Strategy 2 (que + subjunctive): "O João disse-me que lhe ligasse no dia seguinte."
Strategy 3 (mandar + infinitive): "O João mandou-me ligar-lhe no dia seguinte."
All three are grammatical. All three report the same command. But they carry different nuances:
- Strategy 1 is everyday, neutral. It's what you'd say in casual conversation without thinking much about it.
- Strategy 2 is slightly more formal or careful, common in writing and in contexts where you want to emphasize the content of the command.
- Strategy 3 is stronger and more hierarchical — mandar implies an order, a command with authority behind it.
The choice is not arbitrary — it depends on register, on the relationship between commander and commanded, and on the reporting verb.
Strategy 1: Para + personal infinitive
This is the go-to construction in European Portuguese. It uses para followed by an infinitive that agrees with the implicit subject (the person being commanded). When the subject is clear from context, you can often use the plain infinitive; when it needs to be made explicit, you use the personal infinitive.
The basic pattern
Direct: «Vem cá!»
'Come here!'
Indirect: Disse-me para ir lá.
He told me to go there.
The structure is: [reporting verb] + [indirect object pronoun] + para + [infinitive]. The indirect object (me) tells us who was told; the infinitive expresses the commanded action.
Direct: «Fala mais devagar.»
'Speak more slowly.'
Indirect: Pediu-me para falar mais devagar.
She asked me to speak more slowly.
When the subject is plural: personal infinitive
When the command was given to multiple people, or when you want to be explicit about the subject, Portuguese uses the personal infinitive — an inflected infinitive that carries person/number endings. This is genuinely unique to Portuguese among major Romance languages.
Direct: «Venham todos à reunião amanhã!» (to a group)
'Everyone come to the meeting tomorrow!'
Indirect: Disse para virem todos à reunião no dia seguinte.
He said for everyone to come to the meeting the next day.
Virem is the personal infinitive 3rd-person plural of vir, distinct from the plain infinitive vir. The personal inflection makes the subject ("all of them") unambiguous.
Direct: «Façam silêncio!» (to a group)
'Be quiet!'
Indirect: Pediu-nos para fazermos silêncio.
She asked us to be quiet.
Fazermos (1st plural personal infinitive) agrees with "us" — the group being commanded.
Different subjects in reporting and command
When the implicit subject of the command differs from the object of the reporting verb, the personal infinitive disambiguates cleanly:
Direct: «Que a Ana feche a porta!»
'Let Ana close the door!' (addressed to someone else, referencing Ana)
Indirect: Pediu para a Ana fechar a porta.
He asked for Ana to close the door.
In this construction, a Ana is the explicit subject of fechar, and the structure is transparent: the speaker asked for [subject + infinitive action].
The negative: para não
Negative commands follow the same pattern, with não between para and the infinitive:
Direct: «Não faças barulho!»
'Don't make noise!'
Indirect: Pediu-me para não fazer barulho.
She asked me not to make noise.
Direct: «Não se atrasem!»
'Don't be late!' (to a group)
Indirect: Avisou-nos para não nos atrasarmos.
He warned us not to be late.
Strategy 2: Que + subjunctive
The second strategy uses que plus the subjunctive, parallel to how verbs of wish and influence construct their complements in regular sentences ("quero que venhas" → "I want you to come"). When the reporting verb is past, the subjunctive is typically the imperfect subjunctive.
The basic pattern
Direct: «Come os legumes!»
'Eat your vegetables!'
Indirect: Disse-lhe que comesse os legumes.
She told him to eat his vegetables.
The structure: [reporting verb] + [indirect object] + que + [imperfect subjunctive]. This feels more formal or more emphatic than the para-construction — more like written Portuguese or the way a lawyer or doctor might relay what they told someone.
Direct: «Tragam os documentos amanhã!»
'Bring the documents tomorrow!' (to a group)
Indirect: Insistiu que trouxessem os documentos no dia seguinte.
He insisted they bring the documents the next day.
When this pattern is preferred
The que + subjunctive version is preferred:
- After certain verbs that typically take que complements (insistir, exigir, ordenar, recomendar, sugerir) even in non-reporting contexts.
- In formal writing or journalism.
- When the command's content needs rhetorical weight.
O tribunal ordenou que o réu comparecesse na próxima audiência.
The court ordered the defendant to appear at the next hearing. (formal/legal)
O médico recomendou que evitasse alimentos gordurosos.
The doctor recommended that she avoid fatty foods. (medical/formal)
When que + subjunctive is mandatory
Some reporting verbs pretty much require the que + subjunctive pattern rather than para + infinitive:
- Insistir que — "Insistiu que ficasse mais tempo." ("He insisted she stay longer.")
- Exigir que — "Exigiu que pagássemos imediatamente." ("He demanded we pay immediately.")
- Sugerir que — "Sugeriu que experimentasse o peixe." ("He suggested she try the fish.")
- Recomendar que — "Recomendou que viesse cedo." ("He recommended he come early.")
- Ordenar que — "Ordenou que parassem imediatamente." ("He ordered them to stop immediately.")
Sugeriu que tomasse uma chávena de chá antes de dormir.
She suggested he have a cup of tea before sleeping.
Exigiu que me desculpasse imediatamente.
He demanded I apologize immediately.
With these verbs, the para + infinitive pattern sounds awkward or foreign. Stick with que + subjunctive.
Strategy 3: Mandar/Pedir/Ordenar + infinitive (causative)
The third strategy uses a causative verb (one that expresses making or having someone do something) followed directly by an infinitive, with the commanded person as a direct or indirect object pronoun.
Mandar + infinitive
Mandar is the classic causative verb in Portuguese. It's used not just in reported speech but in all "make/have someone do X" constructions. When used in reporting, it strongly implies an order or a directed action.
Direct: «Sai daqui!»
'Get out!'
Indirect: Mandou-me sair.
He told me to leave. / He ordered me out.
Notice the structure: mandou-me sair, not mandou-me a sair or mandou-me para sair. Mandar links directly to the infinitive with no preposition.
Direct: «Fechem as janelas!»
'Close the windows!' (to a group)
Indirect: Mandou-nos fechar as janelas.
He told us to close the windows.
Mandar is not rude by itself — it's neutral-to-firm. Parents mandar children to do chores, bosses mandar employees to complete tasks, and people mandar their kids to go to bed. The word doesn't imply harshness; it implies directed instruction.
A minha mãe mandou-me arrumar o quarto.
My mum told me to tidy my room.
O treinador mandou-nos correr mais cinco voltas.
The coach made us run five more laps.
Pedir + infinitive (with para, usually)
Pedir is the polite request verb — it implies asking, not commanding. It commonly combines with para + infinitive (Strategy 1 above), but also can combine with direct infinitive in some cases:
Pediu-me para esperar.
He asked me to wait. (most common pattern)
Pediu-me que esperasse.
He asked me to wait. (slightly more formal)
Ordenar + que + subjunctive
Ordenar is strongly hierarchical — military, judicial, or deeply formal contexts. In everyday Portuguese it sounds heavy; in a novel or news article, it's standard. Unlike mandar, ordenar normally takes que + subjunctive rather than a bare infinitive.
O capitão ordenou aos soldados que recuassem.
The captain ordered the soldiers to retreat.
A juíza ordenou ao advogado que não interrompesse.
The judge ordered the lawyer not to interrupt.
Choosing among the three strategies: a decision guide
| Situation | Preferred strategy |
|---|---|
| Everyday conversation, neutral request | para + infinitive |
| Everyday conversation, clear order | mandar + infinitive |
| Formal writing, journalism | que + subjunctive or para + infinitive |
| Legal, medical, hierarchical contexts | que + subjunctive or ordenar + que |
| Very strong or confrontational | exigir que + subjunctive |
| Polite request | pediu + para + infinitive |
| Suggestions, advice | sugeriu / recomendou que + subjunctive |
A practical rule: if you're not sure, go with para + infinitive in speech and que + subjunctive in writing. These are the safe defaults, and both will sound natural.
Positive vs negative commands
Both positive and negative commands convert cleanly with all three strategies. Here are parallel examples:
Positive:
Direct: «Lê este livro!»
'Read this book!'
Para + infinitive: Disse-me para ler aquele livro.
He told me to read that book.
Que + subjunctive: Disse-me que lesse aquele livro.
He told me to read that book. (more formal)
Mandar + infinitive: Mandou-me ler aquele livro.
He had me read that book.
Negative:
Direct: «Não abras a janela!»
'Don't open the window!'
Para + não + infinitive: Disse-me para não abrir a janela.
She told me not to open the window.
Que + não + subjunctive: Disse-me que não abrisse a janela.
She told me not to open the window. (more formal)
Note: *Mandar* is not typically used for negative commands.
Use para + não or que + não.
Register and politeness: how reporting verbs reshape the message
The reporting verb you pick carries its own register. Consider how the same underlying command — "please call me" — can be reported with vastly different implications:
Pediu-me para lhe ligar.
He asked me to call him. (polite, neutral)
Sugeriu que lhe ligasse.
He suggested I call him. (tentative, advisory)
Disse-me para lhe ligar.
He told me to call him. (neutral, reporting a statement)
Mandou-me ligar-lhe.
He told me to call him. / He made me call him. (directive, stronger)
Exigiu que lhe ligasse.
He demanded I call him. (strong, confrontational)
Ordenou-me que lhe ligasse.
He ordered me to call him. (formal, hierarchical)
Each of these is a grammatically valid report of the same underlying utterance. The choice encodes your attitude toward what was said. Native speakers make this choice effortlessly; for learners, it's a place where deliberate attention pays off.
Pronoun placement in reported commands
Object pronouns in commands follow normal Portuguese enclisis/proclisis rules. When the reporting structure uses a negative, a subjunctive, or certain conjunctions, the pronoun goes before the verb; otherwise it attaches after:
Disse-me para o chamar.
He told me to call him. (proclisis after 'para')
Disse-me para lho dar.
He told me to give it to him. ('lho' = 'lhe' + 'o' = 'it to him')
Disse-me que o chamasse.
She told me to call him. (proclisis after 'que')
Mandou-me chamá-lo.
He had me call him. (enclisis on infinitive; note the accent)
The chamá-lo form (with accent) appears when o/a/os/as attaches to an infinitive ending in -ar. This is general pronoun placement, not specific to reported speech, but it commonly shows up in reported commands.
Common Mistakes
❌ Ele disse-me fechar a porta.
Incorrect — missing 'para' before the infinitive.
✅ Ele disse-me para fechar a porta.
He told me to close the door.
The para is not optional. Without it, the structure collapses — Portuguese needs the preposition to link the reporting verb to the infinitive complement.
❌ Pediu-me que feche a porta.
Incorrect — present subjunctive doesn't combine with past reporting verb.
✅ Pediu-me que fechasse a porta.
He asked me to close the door.
Pediu is past. The embedded subjunctive must be the imperfect subjunctive (fechasse), not the present subjunctive (feche). This is the backshift rule applied to the subjunctive.
❌ Mandou-me para sair.
Incorrect — 'mandar' takes a bare infinitive, not 'para + infinitive'.
✅ Mandou-me sair.
He told me to leave.
Mandar is a causative verb; it links directly to the infinitive without para. The para + infinitive pattern belongs with dizer, pedir, avisar, etc.
❌ Disse-me fechar-me a porta.
Incorrect — pronoun doubling.
✅ Disse-me para fechar a porta.
She told me to close the door.
The indirect object me on the reporting verb already specifies who was told. The infinitive doesn't need another me. Double indirect-object pronouns in this construction produce a confusing mess.
❌ Disse-me para venham todos.
Incorrect — mixing singular 'me' with plural 'venham'.
✅ Disse-nos para virmos todos. / Disse para virem todos.
He told us for all of us to come. / He told all of them to come.
Make sure the indirect object of the reporting verb and the implicit subject of the infinitive agree in number and match the real-world situation.
❌ Pediu-me que fechasse a porta!
Incorrect — exclamation mark; reported commands take a period.
✅ Pediu-me que fechasse a porta.
He asked me to close the door.
The exclamation mark belongs to the original imperative, not to the reported version. The reported sentence is declarative.
Key Takeaways
- Portuguese has three strategies for reporting commands: para + personal infinitive, que + subjunctive, and mandar/pedir/ordenar + infinitive.
- Para + personal infinitive is the everyday default — conversational, neutral, common.
- Que + imperfect subjunctive is more formal or emphatic, required after insistir, exigir, sugerir, recomendar, ordenar.
- Mandar + bare infinitive is a causative construction — "make/have someone do X". No para needed.
- The choice of reporting verb (dizer, pedir, mandar, ordenar, exigir, sugerir, recomendar) encodes register and force. Match it to the situation.
- Backshift applies to any subjunctive in the embedded clause: present subjunctive → imperfect subjunctive under a past reporting verb.
- Negative commands work identically to positive ones with all three strategies, adding não before the infinitive or subjunctive.
For the other pieces of reported speech, see the overview, tense shifts, and reporting questions pages.
Related Topics
- Reported Speech OverviewB1 — Converting direct speech to indirect speech in European Portuguese — the five shifts (que, pronouns, tenses, adverbs, questions) and the verbs that introduce reported speech.
- Tense Shifts in Reported SpeechB1 — The backshift rules for every tense when converting direct to indirect speech in European Portuguese — with a complete table, worked examples, and when not to shift.
- Reporting QuestionsB2 — Converting yes/no and wh-questions to indirect speech in European Portuguese — 'se' for yes/no, wh-words for content, word-order reversion, and tense shifts.
- Personal Infinitive: OverviewB1 — The infinitivo pessoal — an infinitive that conjugates for person and number — is Portuguese's signature grammatical feature, and one of the things that makes the language feel unlike the rest of Romance.
- Imperfect Subjunctive OverviewB1 — What the imperfeito do conjuntivo is, how it is built from the preterite stem, and the five families of sentences — hypotheticals, past wishes, politeness, sequence of tenses, and past conjunctions — that call for it.
- Imperative OverviewA2 — Giving commands and instructions in European Portuguese