The Past Tense in Hindi: Rules and Forms


Introduction:

Hindi is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is the official language of India and is spoken by more than 500 million people worldwide. In Hindi, just like any other language, tense plays a significant role in communication. The past tense in Hindi refers to actions or events that have already occurred. In this article, we will discuss the past tense in Hindi, its types, and the rules associated with it.

Types of Past Tense in Hindi:

Hindi has three types of past tense - Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, and Past Perfect Tense. Let's understand each of these in detail.

  1. Simple Past Tense:

The Simple Past Tense in Hindi refers to an action or event that has already occurred in the past and is over. In Hindi, this tense is known as 'Saamanya Bhoot Kaal'. To form the Simple Past Tense, the verb root is used along with a past tense marker. For regular verbs, the past tense marker is '-a'. For example, the verb 'khelna' (to play) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'khela'. Similarly, the verb 'dekhna' (to see) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'dekha'.

Here are some examples of Simple Past Tense in Hindi:

  • Maine khana khaya (I ate food)
  • Tumne kitab padhi (You read the book)
  • Vo car chalayi (He/she drove the car)

  1. Past Continuous Tense:

The Past Continuous Tense in Hindi refers to an action that was ongoing in the past at a specific time. In Hindi, this tense is known as 'Bheetar Bhoot Kaal'. To form the Past Continuous Tense, the verb root is used along with the past tense marker '-raha/-rahi/-rahe the'. For example, the verb 'khana khaana' (to eat food) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'khata/khati/khate the'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'jaa raha/jaa rahi/jaa rahe the'.

Here are some examples of Past Continuous Tense in Hindi:

  • Mai khana kha raha tha (I was eating food)
  • Tum kitab padh rahi thi (You were reading the book)
  • Vo car chala raha tha (He/she was driving the car)
  1. Past Perfect Tense:

The Past Perfect Tense in Hindi refers to an action that was completed in the past before another action or event occurred. In Hindi, this tense is known as 'Poorvakaalik Bhoot Kaal'. To form the Past Perfect Tense, the verb root is used along with the past participle '-chuka/-chuki/-chuke'. For example, the verb 'khana khaana' (to eat food) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'khaya/khaye/khaye the'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'gaya/gayi/gaye the'.

Here are some examples of Past Perfect Tense in Hindi:

  • Maine khana kha chuka tha jab tum aaye (I had eaten food before you came)
  • Tum kitab padh chuki thi jab mai aaya (You had read the book before I came)
  • Vo car chala chuka tha jab hum waha pahuche (He/she had driven the car before we reached there)
Rules of Past Tense in Hindi:
  1. Verbs ending with 'na':

Verbs that end with 'na' have a unique form in the past tense. In the Simple Past Tense, the 'na' is replaced with '-ne'. For example, the verb 'aana' (to come) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'aane'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'jaane'.

In the Past Continuous Tense, the 'na' is replaced with '-ne hi'. For example, the verb 'khana khaana' (to eat food) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'khate hue'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'jaate hue'.

In the Past Perfect Tense, the 'na' is replaced with '-ne ke baad'. For example, the verb 'khana khaana' (to eat food) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'khane ke baad'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'jaane ke baad'.

  1. Verbs ending with 'aa':

Verbs that end with 'aa' have a unique form in the past tense. In the Simple Past Tense, the 'aa' is replaced with '-e'. For example, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'gaye'. Similarly, the verb 'kaam karna' (to work) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'kaam kiya'.

In the Past Continuous Tense, the 'aa' is replaced with '-e hue'. For example, the verb 'khana khaana' (to eat food) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'khate hue'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'gaye hue'.

In the Past Perfect Tense, the 'aa' is replaced with '-kar'. For example, the verb 'khana khaana' (to eat food) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'khakar'. Similarly, the verb 'jaana' (to go) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'gaya kar'.

  1. Irregular Verbs:

Irregular verbs have unique forms in the past tense, and they do not follow the regular rules. Here are some examples of irregular verbs and their past tense forms:

  • Karna (to do) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'kiya'
  • Hona (to happen) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'hua'
  • Jana (to go) in Simple Past Tense becomes 'gaya'

In the Past Continuous Tense, irregular verbs are formed by adding '-raha/-rahi/-rahe the' after the verb root. For example, the verb 'hona' (to happen) in Past Continuous Tense becomes 'ho raha/ho rahi/ho rahe the'.

In the Past Perfect Tense, irregular verbs have unique forms as well. For example, the verb 'karna' (to do) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'kiya tha', and the verb 'hona' (to happen) in Past Perfect Tense becomes 'hua tha'.

Conclusion:

The past tense in Hindi is essential in communication and plays a significant role in expressing actions or events that have already occurred. Hindi has three types of past tense - Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, and Past Perfect Tense, each with its unique rules and forms. While regular verbs follow a standard pattern in forming the past tense, irregular verbs have their unique forms. Understanding the rules of the past tense in Hindi is crucial

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