Simple Past Tense (सामान्य भूतकाल) and Past continuous tense (अपूर्ण भूतकाल)

Simple Past Tense (सामान्य भूतकाल)

Definition

The Simple Past Tense is used to talk about an action that started and finished in the past.

नेपाली:
Simple Past Tense भूतकालमा भएको र सकिएको काम बताउन प्रयोग हुन्छ।

---

Structure

1Affirmative (Positive)

Subject + V² / V-ed + Object

I played football.
She went to school.

---

2 Negative

Subject + did not (didn’t) + V¹ + Object

I did not play football.
She didn’t go to school.

---

3Interrogative (Question)

Did + Subject + V¹ + Object ?

 Did you play football?
 Did she go to school?

---

 Uses of Simple Past Tense

✔ 1. Completed action in the past

I met him yesterday.
(हिजो मैले उसलाई भेटेँ।)

✔ 2. Past habit

She walked to school every day.
(उनी हरेक दिन स्कुल हिँडेर जान्थिन्।)

✔ 3. Sequence of past events

He entered the room and sat down.
(ऊ कोठामा पस्यो र बस्यो।)

✔ 4. Past time is mentioned or understood

We watched a movie last night.
(हामीले हिजो राति फिल्म हेर्यौं।)

---

Common Time Adverbs (समय जनाउने शब्दहरू)

English	Nepali
yesterday	हिजो
last night	हिजो राति
last week	गएको हप्ता
last year	गएको वर्ष
ago	अघि
in 2022	सन् 2022 मा
then	त्यतिबेला
once	एक पटक

---

10 Examples (English → Nepali)

1 I went to school yesterday.
म हिजो स्कुल गएँ।

2 She completed her homework.
उनले आफ्नो गृहकार्य पूरा गरिन्।

3We played football in the evening.
हामी साँझ फुटबल खेल्यौं।

4He bought a new mobile last week.
उसले गएको हप्ता नयाँ मोबाइल किन्यो।

5 They watched a movie last night.
उनीहरूले हिजो राति फिल्म हेरे।

6 I met my teacher this morning.
म आज बिहान मेरो शिक्षकलाई भेटेँ।

7 She did not come to class yesterday.
उनी हिजो कक्षामा आइनन्।

8 We didn’t understand the question.
हामीले प्रश्न बुझेनौं।

9 Did you finish your work?
के तिमीले आफ्नो काम सक्यौ?

10. He lived in Kathmandu five years ago.
ऊ पाँच वर्ष अघि काठमाडौंमा बस्थ्यो।

 

Past Continuous Tense (अपूर्ण भूतकाल)

Definition (परिभाषा)

Past Continuous Tense भूतकालको कुनै निश्चित समयमा चलिरहेको (अधूरो) काम जनाउन प्रयोग हुन्छ।

नेपालीमा:
भूतकालको कुनै समयमा भइरहेको (जारी) काम बताउन Past Continuous Tense प्रयोग गरिन्छ।

---

Structure (बनावट)

1 Affirmative (सकारात्मक)

Subject + was / were + V-ing

• I was reading a book.
• They were playing football.

---

2 Negative (नकारात्मक)

Subject + was not / were not + V-ing

• I was not reading a book.
• They weren’t playing football.

---

3 Interrogative (प्रश्नवाचक)

Was / Were + Subject + V-ing ?

• Was she cooking?
• Were they watching TV?

---

Uses (प्रयोग)

✔ 1. भूतकालको निश्चित समयमा भइरहेको काम

 I was studying at 8 pm.
(म राति ८ बजे पढ्दै थिएँ।)

✔ 2. अर्को कामले बीचमै रोकिएको काम

I was sleeping when he called me.
(ऊ फोन गर्दा म सुतिरहेको थिएँ।)

✔ 3. दुई काम एकै समयमा भइरहेका

She was cooking while I was cleaning.
(म सफा गरिरहँदा ऊ खाना पकाइरहेकी थिई।)

✔ 4. अस्थायी अवस्था (temporary action)

He was living in Kathmandu then.
(त्यतिबेला ऊ काठमाडौंमा बसिरहेको थियो।)

---

Time Adverbs (समय जनाउने शब्दहरू)

English	Nepali
at that time	त्यतिबेला
at 7 pm	७ बजे
while	गर्दा
when	जब
all day	दिनभर
all night	रातभर
yesterday at…	हिजो … बजे

---

10 Examples (English → Nepali)

1I was reading a book yesterday evening.
म हिजो साँझ किताब पढ्दै थिएँ।

2 She was cooking food at that time.
ऊ त्यतिबेला खाना पकाइरहेकी थिई।

3 We were playing football in the field.
हामी मैदानमा फुटबल खेल्दै थियौं।

4 He was watching TV when I entered the room.
म कोठामा पस्दा ऊ टिभी हेरिरहेको थियो।

5 They were studying all night.
उनीहरू रातभर पढिरहेका थिए।

6 I was not listening to music.
म संगीत सुनिरहेको थिइनँ।

7  She wasn’t feeling well yesterday.
ऊ हिजो ठीक महसुस गरिरहेकी थिइन।

8 Was he driving the car?
के ऊ गाडी चलाइरहेको थियो?

9 Were you waiting for me?
के तिमी मेरो प्रतीक्षा गरिरहेका थियौ?

10 The children were sleeping at 10 pm.
बच्चाहरू राति १० बजे सुतिरहेका थिए।