Language/Javanese/Grammar/Past-Tense
Introduction
In Javanese, the past tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. It is an essential aspect of Javanese grammar, and it is necessary to understand how to use it correctly. In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate verbs in the past tense and how to use them in sentences.
Conjugation in the Past Tense
To form the past tense in Javanese, you need to conjugate the verb according to the subject. In Javanese, there are two types of verbs: verbs that end in "-i" and verbs that end in "-a".
Verbs Ending in "-i"
To conjugate verbs that end in "-i" in the past tense, you need to drop the "-i" and add the suffix "-a". The following table shows some examples of verbs in the past tense:
| Javanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| mangan(i) | [maŋɡan] | ate |
| mbungkus(i) | [mbʊŋkus] | wrapped |
| ngomong(i) | [ŋɔmoŋ] | spoke |
| nyapu(i) | [ɲapu] | swept |
As you can see from the table, the "-i" at the end of the verbs is dropped, and the suffix "-a" is added. It is important to note that when conjugating verbs in the past tense, the root form of the verb should not be used.
Verbs Ending in "-a"
To conjugate verbs that end in "-a" in the past tense, you need to add the suffix "-na". The following table shows some examples of verbs in the past tense:
| Javanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| takon(a) | [takon] | asked |
| mriki(a) | [mrikɪ] | stayed |
| krungu(a) | [krʊŋɡʊ] | heard |
| yudha(a) | [jʊdha] | fought |
As you can see from the table, the suffix "-na" is added at the end of the verb to form the past tense.
Using the Past Tense
The past tense in Javanese is used to describe an action that was completed in the past. It can be used to talk about an activity that happened yesterday, last week, or even years ago. Here are some examples:
- Kulo mangan wong sing nduwe mripat kae. (I ate with someone who had a beard there.)
- Aku krungu suarane wong sing kondang. (I heard the voice of a famous person.)
- Kowe nyapu omah arep lego. (You swept the house to be emptied [because you don't live there anymore].)
In the first example, the past tense is used to describe an action that happened in the past. The speaker is talking about eating with someone who had a beard in a particular location. In the second example, the past tense is used to describe hearing the voice of a famous person. In the third example, the past tense is used to describe sweeping the house to be emptied because the speaker does not live there anymore.
Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
In Javanese, some verbs are irregular in the past tense. This means that instead of following the standard conjugation rules, they have their own unique forms. Here are some examples:
- Sampun (past tense of "esuk"): yesterday
- Dados (past tense of "dadi"): became
- Lali (past tense of "lali"): forgot
- Parane (past tense of "pari"): had said
As you can see from the examples, the past tense of these verbs is unique and does not follow the standard conjugation rules. It is essential to memorize these irregular verbs to use them correctly in sentences.
Practice
Now that you have learned how to conjugate verbs in the past tense and how to use them in sentences, it's time to practice. Here are some exercises to help you practice:
Exercise 1: Translate the following English sentences into Javanese using the past tense.
- She watched a movie last night.
- They ate dinner together two days ago.
- I wrote a letter to my friend last week.
- He saw a beautiful sunset on the beach.
Exercise 2: Rewrite the following Javanese sentences in the past tense.
- Kula arep nangis. (I want to cry.)
- Luwih becik mundut dhuwur. (Better to squat higher.)
- Ene ora saged watu. (This does not require a stone.)
- Esuk aku tangi omah pukul sepuluh. (Yesterday, I left home at ten o'clock.)
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned how to conjugate and use verbs in the past tense in Javanese. You have seen how to conjugate verbs that end in "-i" and verbs that end in "-a". You have also learned how to use the past tense to describe actions that were completed in the past. Finally, you have seen some examples of irregular verbs in the past tense and how to practice using them. By mastering the past tense, you will be able to describe completed actions accurately and effectively in Javanese.