Language/Assamese/Grammar/Past-Tense
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn about the past tense in Assamese. We will cover the different types of past tense, how to form them, and how to use them in sentences. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use the past tense in your conversations and writing.
Forming the Past Tense
In Assamese, there are two types of past tense: the Simple Past and the Continuous Past. The Simple Past is used to describe a completed action in the past. The Continuous Past is used to describe an ongoing action in the past.
To form the Simple Past tense, the suffix "-il" is added to the root verb. For example:
| Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| খোৱা (khua) | /kho-wa/ | Ate |
| খোৱাইলা (khua-ila) | /kho-wai-la/ | Ate (simple past) |
To form the Continuous Past tense, the particle "ত হ; ত যাওৰ"(t ha; t jao-r) is added to the root verb. For example,
| Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ভাত খা (vhat kha) | /vhat kha/ | Eating (rice) |
| ভাত খাত হ' (vhat kha-t ha) | /vhat kha-t ha/ | Was eating (rice) |
Note that when the verb ends with the vowel "অ" (a), a nasalized "-ng" (ঙ)' becomes inserted in between the verb and the "t-ha; t-jao-r" particle. For example:
| Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| কামচা (kamcha) | /kom-cha/ | Work |
| কামচা্ঙৰে হ' (kamcha-ngore ha) | /kom-cha-ngore ha/ | Was working |
Conjugation Rules
The conjugation of verbs in the past tense depends on the number of the subject.
In the case of singular pronouns like "I" and "you," the verb root is simply combined with the appropriate suffix. For example:
| Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| মই খোৱা (moi khua) | /moy kho-wa/ | I ate |
| আপোন খোৱাইলা (apon khua-ila) | /apon kho-wai-la/ | You ate (simple past) |
| মই ভাত খা (moi vhat kha) | /moy vhat kha/ | I am eating (rice) |
| আপোন ভাত খাত হ' (apon vhat kha-t ha) | /apon vhat kha-t ha/ | You were eating (rice) |
However, in the case of plural pronouns like "we" and "they," the suffix "-sila" is added to the verb root. For example:
| Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| আমি ভাত খা (ami vhat kha) | /a-mi vhat kha/ | We are eating (rice) |
| সেহমান খোৱাইছিলা (seh-man khua-ichila) | /seh-man kho-wai-chila/ | They ate (simple past) |
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs in the past tense do not follow the standard conjugation rules. Instead, they have unique conjugations. Here are some common irregular verbs in Assamese and their respective past tense forms:
| Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| আহিচ (ahich) | /a-hich/ | Came |
| ল'গিছিল (lagichil) | /lagi-chil/ | Liked |
| ম'ৰিল (moril) | /mo-ril/ | Died |
Using the Past Tense
The past tense is used to describe completed or ongoing actions in the past. Here are some examples of both Simple Past and Continuous Past tense in use:
Simple Past:
- মই বিলাখ লিখিলোঁ। - Moi bilak likhilo. - I wrote the letter.
- সেহমান নাকন খোৱা। - Seh-man nakan khua. - They did not eat fish.
Continuous Past:
- মই হাজাৰীত আছিলোঁ। - Moi hajari't ahsilu. - I was present in the meeting.
- ভগিৰথ সক্ৰিয়ত হৈছিল। - Bhagirath sakriyo-t haichil. - Bhagirath was being active.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have reached the end of the lesson on the Past Tense in Assamese! You now know the different types of past tense, how to form them, and how to use them in sentences. Keep practicing with different verbs to reinforce your understanding. Soon, you'll be able to speak and write in Assamese with ease!