The past imperfect
tense is used for actions that are performed regularly or often
in the past, or for statements about a condition that existed in
the past. It is also sometimes called the past habitual tense.
Note that
the Past Imperfect tense is identical to the present habitiual tense
(Lesson 2) except for the use of
था / थे / थी .
Examples:
I used to go to school. They used to eat vegetables.
She wanted to buy a necklace.
|
Formula: |
Subject |
root verb + |
verb ending
ता / ते / ती |
auxiliary verb
था / थे / थी
(past tense of
होना) |
Examples: with
the verb
जाना ("to go")
|
a. A guy says:
|
मैं |
जाता |
था । |
|
"I used to go." |
subject
(masculine) |
root verb +
masculine singular ending |
masc. singular
past auxiliary verb |
|
b. A girl says:
|
मैं |
जाती |
थी । |
|
"I used to
go." |
subject
(feminine) |
root verb +
feminine ending |
fem. singular
past auxiliary verb |
|
c. About a
girl someone says: |
वह |
जाती |
थी । |
|
"She used to
go." |
subject
(feminine) |
root verb +
feminine ending |
fem. singular
past auxiliary verb |
|
d. A male group
says: |
हम |
जाते |
थे । |
|
"We used to
go." |
subject
(masculine
plural) |
root verb +
masculine plural ending |
masc. plural
past auxiliary verb |
|
e. A female
group says: |
हम |
जाती |
थीं । |
|
"We used to
go." |
subject
(feminine plural) |
root verb +
fem. ending |
fem. plural
past auxiliary verb |
|
f. You say
to your friend(s) (masc. familiar): |
तुम |
जाते |
थे । |
|
"You used to
go." |
subject
(masculine) |
root verb +
masculine plural ending |
masc. plural
past auxiliary verb |
|
g. You say
to your friend(s) (fem. polite): |
आप |
जाती |
थीं । |
|
"You used to
go." |
subject
(feminine) |
root verb +
feminine ending |
fem. plural
past auxiliary verb |
 |
See
Snell's Teach Yourself Hindi (2000)
Section
7.1 page 87 |
|
