Grammar Topics

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» 7.4 Past progressive

» 7.2. "[In order] to"

» 7.5 Since / For

» 7.3 Past imperfect

 
 

  7.3 Past Imperfect  

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 تھا / تھے / تھی.

Examples: I used to go to school. They used to eat vegetables. She wanted to buy a necklace.

Formula:

Subject

root verb +

verb ending

تا / تے / تی

auxiliary verb

تھا / تھے / تھی

(past tense of ہونا)

 

Examples: with the verb جانا

a. A guy says:

میں

جاتا

-تھا

"I used to go."

subject

(masculine)

root verb + masculine singular ending

masc. singular past auxiliary verb

b. A girl says:

میں

جاتی

تھی ۔

"I used to go."

subject

(feminine)

root verb + feminine ending

fem. singular past auxiliary verb

c. About a girl someone says:

وہ

جاتی

تھی ۔

"She used to go."

subject

(feminine)

root verb + feminine ending

fem. singular past auxiliary verb

d.A male group says:

ہم

جاتے

تھے ۔

"We used to go."

subject

(masculine plural)

root verb + masculine plural ending

masc.plural past auxiliary verb

e. A female group says:

ہم

جاتی

تھیں ۔

"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):

تُم

جاتے

تھے ۔

"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):

آپ

جاتی

تھیں ۔

"You used to go."

subject

(feminine)

root verb + feminine ending

fem.plural past auxiliary verb