Language/Nepali-individual-language/Grammar/Past-Tense-in-Nepali
As a Nepali language teacher, I have been teaching Nepali for the past 20 years. In this lesson, we will be discussing the past tense in Nepali and how to use it in different types of sentences. This is an essential lesson in learning the Nepali language, as it is used frequently in conversation.
Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Interrogatives in Nepali & Conditional Mood.
Introduction to Past Tense
The past tense in Nepali is used to describe an action or event that has already happened in the past. In Nepali, the past tense is formed by adding different suffixes to the stem of the verb.
There are two types of past tense in Nepali: Simple past tense and Continuous past tense.
Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense is used to describe a completed action in the past. To form the simple past tense in Nepali, we add the suffix "-ya" to the stem of the verb. Let's look at some examples:
| Nepali (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| खानु (khaanu) | /kʰaːnʊ/ | to eat |
| खायो (khayo) | /kʰaːjo/ | ate |
| थिए (thie) | /tʰɪe/ | was/were |
| बोल्यो (bolyo) | /boːljo/ | spoke |
Here, we can see that the stem of the verb is "kha," "thi," and "bol." When we add "-ya" to the stem, we get "khayo," "thie," and "bolyo." This forms the simple past tense in Nepali.
Continuous Past Tense
The continuous past tense is used to describe an action or event that was ongoing in the past. To form the continuous past tense in Nepali, we add the suffix "-dai thiyo" to the stem of the verb. Let's look at some examples:
| Nepali (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| खानु (khaanu) | /kʰaːnʊ/ | to eat |
| खाँदै थिए (khaandai thie) | /kʰaːndai tʰɪe/ | was eating |
| बोल्नु (bolnu) | /boːlnʊ/ | to speak |
| बोलिरहेको थिए (boliraheko thie) | /boːlirahɛko tʰie/ | was speaking |
Here, we can see that the stem of the verb is "kha" and "bol." When we add "-dai thiyo" to the stem, we get "khaandai thie" and "boliraheko thie." This forms the continuous past tense in Nepali.
Usage of Past Tense
The past tense in Nepali is used in different types of sentences such as:
- Describing past events or actions
* Example: मैले आज खानी खायो। (Maile aaj khaani khayo.) - I ate food today.
- Describing a past habitual action
* Example: मेरो परिवार भिडियोखेल्दथ्यो। (Mero pariwar biddiyo kheldathyo.) - My family used to play volleyball.
- Indicating a time period in the past
* Example: त्यो तीन हफ्ता अघि भएको थियो। (Tyo teen hafta agi bhaeko thie.) - That was three weeks ago.
- Describing a past continuous action
* Example:हामी सबै एउटै गाडीमा बस्ने थियौं। (Hamī sabai auṭai gāḍīmā basne thiaun.) - We were all sitting in the same car.
Remember, the past tense suffixes "-ya" and "-dai thiyo" are only added to the verb stem and not the subject. To indicate who did the action, we use different Nepali pronouns such as "ma" (I), "timi" (you), or "usle" (he/she/they).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the past tense is an essential part of learning the Nepali language. By understanding how to form the simple and continuous past tense, and how it is used in different types of sentences, you can become more confident in communicating with Nepali speakers. Practice is key when learning any language, so take the time to practice using the past tense in your daily conversations.
Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Verbs kriyaharu क्रियाहरू & Adverbs in Nepali.
Other Lessons
- Introduction to Nepali Nouns
- Conditional Mood
- Pronouns in Nepali
- Give your Opinion
- Interrogatives in Nepali
- Verbs kriyaharu क्रियाहरू
- Comparison of Adjectives in Nepali
- Adjectives
- How to Use Be