Language/Amharic/Grammar/Using-the-Past-Tense

Amharic → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Intermediate Amharic → Using the Past Tense

Introduction

Welcome to the Intermediate Amharic course! In this lesson, we will focus on using the past tense of verbs in Amharic. Understanding how to talk about past events is essential for effective communication, as it allows us to discuss our experiences and the actions that have already occurred. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use the past tense in your conversations and express yourself fluently in Amharic.

To ensure that you have a solid foundation, we will start by reviewing the basic structure of Amharic sentences and the conjugation of verbs in the present tense. This will help you grasp the differences and similarities between the present and past tenses. We will then delve into the details of forming the past tense, including the conjugation of regular and irregular verbs. Throughout the lesson, we will provide numerous examples and exercises to reinforce your understanding and provide opportunities for practice.

Additionally, we will explore the cultural significance of the past tense in Amharic. We will discuss how the language reflects the rich history and traditions of Ethiopia, and how the past tense is used to narrate stories, discuss historical events, and share personal experiences. By gaining insight into the cultural context, you will deepen your appreciation for the language and its connection to the Ethiopian culture.

Let's begin our journey into the past tense of Amharic verbs!

Basic Sentence Structure and Verb Conjugation Review

Before we dive into the past tense, let's quickly review the basic sentence structure and verb conjugation in Amharic. This will serve as a foundation for understanding the past tense and its formation.

In Amharic, the basic sentence structure follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) order. This means that the subject comes first, followed by the object, and then the verb. For example:

• Subject: "እኔ" (I)
• Object: "ቤት" (house)
• Verb: "እንዴት ነሽ?" (are you?)

Putting it all together, we have the sentence: "እኔ ቤት እንዴት ነሽ?" (I house are you?). In English, this translates to "Where is my house?"

Now, let's review the conjugation of verbs in the present tense. In Amharic, verbs are conjugated based on the subject pronoun and the tense. Here is an example using the present tense:

• Verb: "ወደችህ" (go)
• Subject pronoun: "እኔ" (I)

Conjugated verb: "እኔ ወደችህ" (I go).

It's important to note that the verb form changes depending on the subject pronoun. In the present tense, the verb form for "I" is different from "you" or "he/she/it."

Now that we have refreshed our understanding of basic sentence structure and verb conjugation in Amharic, let's move on to learning about the past tense!

Forming the Past Tense

The past tense in Amharic is used to talk about actions that have already happened in the past. To form the past tense, we typically add specific suffixes to the verb stem. The suffixes vary based on whether the verb is regular or irregular. Let's explore both cases in detail.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in Amharic follow predictable patterns when conjugated in the past tense. The suffixes we add to the verb stem depend on the subject pronoun. Here is a table illustrating the conjugation of a regular verb, "አስጠነቅቃለሁ" (study), in the past tense:

Subject Pronoun	Past Tense Verb
እኔ (I)	አስጠነቅቀችሁ
አንተ (You)	አስጠነቅቄህ
እርስዎ/እርሱ/እስራት (He/She/It)	አስጠነቅቀችሁ
እኛ (We)	አስጠነቅንን
እስራትዎ/እስራትህ (You Plural)	አስጠነቅቄላለሁ
እስራትና (They)	አስጠነቅቄላለሁ

As you can see from the table, the verb stem "አስጠነቅ" remains the same, and we add different suffixes to indicate the subject pronoun in the past tense.

Let's look at an example sentence using the past tense of the verb "አስጠነቅቃለሁ" (study):

• Present Tense: "እኔ በቤት ተማርከው አስጠነቅቃለሁ" (I study at home)
• Past Tense: "እኔ በቤት ተማርከው አስጠነቅቀችሁ" (I studied at home)

In the past tense, the verb form "አስጠነቅቀችሁ" indicates that the action of studying has already taken place.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs in Amharic do not follow the same conjugation patterns as regular verbs. Instead, they have unique forms in the past tense. Let's look at an example using the irregular verb "መጥፎ" (eat):

Subject Pronoun	Past Tense Verb
እኔ (I)	መጥፎችሁ
አንተ (You)	መጥፎህ
እርስዎ/እርሱ/እስራት (He/She/It)	መጥፎችሁ
እኛ (We)	መጥፎንን
እስራትዎ/እስራትህ (You Plural)	መጥፎላለሁ
እስራትና (They)	መጥፎላለሁ

As you can see, the past tense forms of the irregular verb "መጥፎ" (eat) are different from the regular verb forms. It's important to memorize the irregular verbs and their past tense conjugations to use them correctly in conversations.

Let's see an example sentence using the past tense of the irregular verb "መጥፎ" (eat):

• Present Tense: "እኔ ምጥፍት አልነበረም" (I don't eat meat)
• Past Tense: "እኔ ምጥፍት መጥፎችሁ" (I didn't eat meat)

In this example, the past tense form "መጥፎችሁ" indicates that the action of eating meat in the past did not occur.

Now that we have learned about regular and irregular verbs in the past tense, let's move on to the cultural section to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of the past tense in Amharic.

Cultural Insight: The Past Tense in Amharic Narratives

In Amharic, the past tense plays a crucial role in storytelling and narrating historical events. Ethiopia has a rich history and diverse cultural heritage, and the past tense allows Ethiopians to preserve and share their stories and traditions.

One prominent example of the use of the past tense in Amharic narratives is the epic poem "Kebra Nagast" or "The Glory of Kings." This ancient text tells the story of the Solomonic dynasty and the lineage of Ethiopian emperors. The use of the past tense in the poem creates a sense of historical significance and emphasizes the connection between the past and the present.

Amharic speakers also use the past tense to recount personal experiences and memories. Whether it's sharing childhood memories, describing past travels, or discussing historical events, the past tense allows individuals to express themselves and connect with others through storytelling.

Exercises

Now that we have covered the formation of the past tense in Amharic and explored its cultural significance, it's time to put your knowledge into practice! Complete the following exercises to reinforce your understanding and improve your ability to use the past tense in Amharic.

Exercise 1: Conjugate the following regular verbs in the past tense according to the subject pronoun provided:

1. Verb: "ሰውን ይቀጥላል" (see)

• Subject Pronoun: አንተ (You)
• Past Tense Verb:

2. Verb: "ተነስቷል" (sleep)

• Subject Pronoun: እርስዎ/እርሱ/እስራት (He/She/It)
• Past Tense Verb:

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the irregular verb "እንዴት ነሽ?" (are you?):

1. እኔ በዚህ ቦታ አቅጣጫዎች መሰረት አይችልም. 2. እርሱ በስሜ አስቀድማለሁ.

Exercise 3: Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) using the past tense to describe a memorable experience you had. Be sure to include details and vivid descriptions.

Solutions

Exercise 1: 1. Past Tense Verb: ሰውን ይቀጥልህ 2. Past Tense Verb: ተነስት

Exercise 2: 1. እኔ በዚህ ቦታ አቅጣጫዎች መሰረት አይችልም. 2. እርሱ በስሜ አስቀድማለሁ.

Exercise 3: (example paragraph) በዚህ አምስት ዓመት በእስራት አነጋገር ላይ እንደሚያስፈልግ ተፈራርሺ፣ አስመልክቶልኛል፣ በመንገረው የሚያስተምር እና የሚያሳስብ እድሜው በእስር ቤት ላይ እንደሚቀጥልልኝ አገርን በማስመልከት ተስፋ አድርጎ ያስጠነቀቀውን እድሜ ያስረዳል። በዚህ አስተዳደር ሰውነትን አቅጣጫውን በሙሉ መሰረት ላይ እንደሚቆጠር ሆነሻል፣ እና እስራትውን በእድሜው ላይ መልካም ለማስተማር ምሳሌውን እንደሚሰማርበት እናገራለሁ።

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to use the past tense of verbs in Amharic. By understanding the formation of the past tense and practicing with various examples, you are now equipped to express yourself confidently when discussing past events, sharing experiences, or narrating stories in Amharic.

Continue practicing the past tense through conversations, reading Amharic texts, and listening to native speakers. The more you immerse yourself in the language, the more natural and fluent your use of the past tense will become.

In the next lesson, we will explore basic prepositions and adverbs in Amharic, which will further enhance your ability to construct more complex sentences and express yourself more precisely. Keep up the great work!

Table of Contents - Amharic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Amharic Alphabet

• Fidel and Syllables
• Pronunciation and Phonetics

  ---

Basic Vocabulary

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Counting
• Days of the Week and Months
• Colors and Shapes
• Family and Relationships

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Nouns and Pronouns
• Verbs and Tenses
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Prepositions and Conjunctions

  ---

Everyday Vocabulary

• Food and Drinks
• Clothing and Accessories
• Weather and Seasons
• Travel and Transportation
• Hobbies and Leisure

  ---

Intermediate Sentence Structure

• Negation and Questions
• Imperatives and Requests
• Expressing Possession
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Advanced Vocabulary

• Professions and Work
• Health and Body
• Education and Learning
• Nature and Environment
• Technology and Communication

  ---

Ethiopian Culture and Traditions

• Ethiopian Holidays and Festivals
• Ethiopian Cuisine
• Ethiopian Music and Dance
• Ethiopian History and Heritage

Sources

• Introduction to Verb Conjugation – Learning Amharic
• Learning Amharic Basic Grammar and Workbook for Foreigners ...

Other Lessons

• Question Words
• Complex Sentence
• Noun Gender and Articles
• Using the Conditional
• Future Tense
• Conjugation of mäwdäd (to like) present tense
• The Simple Past
• The Past and Present Continuous Tenses
• Stem verbs
• The Past Perfect Tense