To express something used to happen or someone used to do something in the past, the ending of the verb changes to match the gender + number of the subject and the word sī is used to indicate it happened in the past.
This table outlines ways of expressing the phrase “used to happen” or “used to be” using the past tense of hoṇā (to be) depending on the gender and number of the subject
Singular | Plural | |
Masculine | hunddā sī | hunddē san |
Feminine | hunddī sī | hunddīā(n) san |
ਪੁਰਾਣੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਯਾਤਰਾ ਪੈਦਲ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਸੀ
purāṇē samē(n) vicch yātarā paedal hunddī sī
In old times, travels were by foot
purāṇē samē(n) vicch yātarā paedal hunddī sī
In old times, travels were by foot
ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਜੰਗਲ਼ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੰਘਣੇ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਨ
pahilā(n) janggaḷ bahut sangghaṇē hunddē san
Jungles used to be very dense
pahilā(n) janggaḷ bahut sangghaṇē hunddē san
Jungles used to be very dense
This table outlines ways of expressing the phrase “used to do” using the past tense of karanā (to do) depending on the gender and number of the subject
Singular | Plural | |
Masculine | karadē sī | karadē san |
Feminine | karadī sī | karadīā(n) san |
ਅਸੀਂ ਇੱਥੇ ਰੋਜ ਖੇਡਦੇ ਸੀ
asī(n) itthē roj khēḍadē sī
We used to play here everyday
asī(n) itthē roj khēḍadē sī
We used to play here everyday
ਉਹ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਕਰਦੀਆਂ ਸਨ
uh pahilā(n) bahut gallā(n) karadīā(n) san
They used to talk a lot before
uh pahilā(n) bahut gallā(n) karadīā(n) san
They used to talk a lot before