The word sī is used to mark that something happened in the past. Often, sī is used regardless of subject, number, or gender, but there are some other forms used in formal or dialectic language
Person | Subject | Past tense | English |
First | mae(n) | sī / sā(n) | I was |
asī(n) | sī / sā(n) | We were | |
Second | tū(n) | sī / sae(n) | You were (singular, informal) |
tusī(n) | sī / sao | You (plural / respectful) were | |
Third near | ih | sī / sae | He / she / this was |
ih | sī / san | They were | |
Third far | uh | sī / sae | He / she / that was |
uh | sī / san | They were |
Both variations are valid, but sī is almost always used in colloquial language
ਮੈਂ ਬੈਠਾ ਸੀ
mae(n) baeṭhā sī
I was sitting
mae(n) baeṭhā sī
I was sitting
ਮੈਂ ਬੈਠਾ ਸਾਂ
mae(n) baeṭhā sā(n)
I was sitting
mae(n) baeṭhā sā(n)
I was sitting
ਤੁਸੀਂ ਬੋਲ ਰਹੇ ਸੀ
tusī(n) bol rahē sī
You (plural / respectful) were speaking
tusī(n) bol rahē sī
You (plural / respectful) were speaking
ਤੁਸੀਂ ਬੋਲ ਰਹੇ ਸਓ
tusī(n) bol rahē sao
You (plural / respectful) were speaking
tusī(n) bol rahē sao
You (plural / respectful) were speaking
ਇਹ ਖੇਡਦੇ ਸੀ
ih khēḍadē sī
They used to play
ih khēḍadē sī
They used to play
ਇਹ ਖੇਡਦੇ ਸਨ
ih khēḍadē san
They used to play
ih khēḍadē san
They used to play