Grammar Topics

» 7.1 Oblique for Destinations

» 7.4 Past progressive

» 7.2. "[In order] to"

» 7.5 Since / For

» 7.3 Past imperfect

 
 

  7.4 Past Progressive  

The past progressive tense is used for actions that were in progress in the past. It is also sometimes called the past continual tense. Note how in English this tense uses an auxiliary verb ("to be") and the verb ending "-ing."

Examples: I was going to school. They were eating vegetables. She was buying a necklace.

Formula:

Subject

root verb +

verb ending

تا / تے / تی

auxiliary verb

تھا / تھے / تھی

Examples: with the verb جانا ("to go") ("to go")

a. A guy says:

میں

جا رہا

تھا ۔

"I was going."

subject (masculine)

root verb + masculine singular ending

masc. singular past auxiliary verb

b. A girl says:

میں

جا رہی

تھی ۔

"I was going."

subject(feminine)

root verb + feminine ending

fem. singular past auxiliary verb

c. About a girl someone says:

وہ

جا رہی

تھی ۔

"She was going."

subject(feminine)

root verb + feminine ending

fem. singular past auxiliary verb

d. A male group says:

ہم

جا رہے

تھے ۔

"We were going."

subject(masculine plural)

root verb + masculine plural ending

masc. plural past auxiliary verb

e. A female group says:

ہم

جا رہی

تھیں ۔

"We were going."

subject(feminine plural)

root verb + fem. ending

fem. plural past auxiliary verb

f. You say to your friend(s) (masc. familiar):

تُم

جا رہے

تھے ۔

"You were going."

subject(masculine)

root verb + masculine plural ending

masc. plural past auxiliary verb

g. You say to your friend(s) (fem. polite):

آپ

جا رہی

تھیں ۔

"You were going."

subject(feminine)

root verb + feminine ending

fem. plural past auxiliary verb