と

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Place the particle と after the content of speech or thought to connect it to the following verb.
• Basic usage: In 父は明日も晴れると言った。, what the father said is 明日も晴れる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Plain forms and direct quotation
  • The nominal predicate's だ remains part of the quoted content in 学生だと言った. In direct quotation, 「学生です」と言った can retain the original polite form.
• Tense inside and outside the quotation
  • 帰ると言った reports a return still ahead at the time of speaking, while 帰ったと言った reports one already completed. A past 言った does not automatically make all the quoted content past tense.