Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous Tense

 

The past continuous tense is formed by combining "was/were" with the present participle (-ing form) of a verb. It is used to indicate an ongoing action or event that was happening at a specific point in the past.

If the subject is singular then we write was and if the subject is plural then we write were. And we use was for I.

 

 

Affirmative:

Formula: Subject + was/were + verb 1st form + ing + Object + Rest of the sentence.

Examples:

सीता मधुर गीत गा रही थी।
Sita was singing a sweet song.

प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने स्टेज पर भाषण दे रहे थे।
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi was giving speech on the stage.

वह मरीजों का इलाज कर रहे थे।
They were donating blood to patients.

सिपाही चोर को पकड़ रहा था।
The constable was catching the thief.

लड़के नदी में स्नान कर रहे थे।
Boys were bathing in the river.

एक लड़की टोकरियां बेच रही थी।
A girl was selling the baskets.

मैं छत पर पतंग उड़ा रहा था।
I was flying kite on my roof.

वह लड़कियां अपना गृह कार्य अच्छी तरह से कर रही थी।
Those girls were doing their homework very well.

हम फिल्म देख रहे थे।
We were watching the movie.

वह यह काम कर रहे थे।
They were doing this .

Negative:

Formula: Subject + was/were + not + verb 1st form + ing + Object + Rest of the sentence.  (Or wasn't/weren't for contractions)

Examples:

मेरा दोस्त मुझे पत्र नहीं लिख रहा था।
My friend was not writing a letter to me.

राधा अपना पाठ याद नहीं कर रही थी।
Radha was not learning her lesson.

मेरा भाई नहीं खेल रहा था।
My brother was not playing.

चपरासी घन्टी नहीं बजा रहा था।
The peon was not ringing the bell.

वह घर नहीं जा रहा था।
He was not coming home.

ये लड़के सड़क पर नहीं खेल रहे थे।
These boys were not playing on the road.

वह स्नान नहीं कर रहे थे।
He was not bathing.

वह पतंग नहीं उड़ा रहा था।
He was not flying a kite.

प्रधान मंत्री जी स्टेज पर भाषण नहीं दे रहे थे।
Prime Minister was not delivering speech on the stage.

तुम स्कूल नही जा रहे थे।
You were not going to school.

Interrogative (yes/no questions):

Formula: Was/were + Subject + verb 1st form + ing + Object + Rest of the sentence?

Examples:

क्या गाँव में ठंडी हवा चल रही थी?
Was the cold wind blowing in the village?

क्या विद्यार्थी कक्षा में शोर मचा रहे थे?
Were the students making noise in the class?

क्या तुम दिल्ली जा रहे थे?
Were you going to Delhi?

क्या मुकेश गीत गा रहा था?
Was Mukesh singing a song?

क्या पंछी आकाश में उड़ रहे थे ?
Were the birds flying in the sky?

क्या बादल हवा में तैर रहे थे?
Were the clouds swimming in the air?

क्या लड़के मैदान में क्रिकेट खेल रहे थे?
Were the boys playing in the field?

क्या राहुल अपनी मम्मी से फोन पर बात कर रहा था?
Was Rahul talking to his mother over the phone?

क्या सूनार अँगूठी बना रहा था?
Was the goldsmith making rings?

क्या बढ़ई सुन्दर मेज़ बना रहा था?
Was the carpenter making a beautiful table?

Interrogative (wh- questions):

Formula: Wh-word+ was/were + Subject + verb 1st form + ing + Object + Rest of the sentence?

Examples:

तुम अपना गृह कार्य कैसे निपटा रहे थे?
How were you doing your homework?

तुमने कौनसी फिल्म देख रहे थे?
Which film you were watching?

बन्दर पेड़ पर क्यों चढ़ रहे थे?
Why were the monkeys climbing on the tree?

तुम क्या चाह रहे थे ?
What were you wanting?

तुम सुबह किसको पढ़ा रहे थे?
Whom were you teaching in the morning?

वह उसे इस तरह क्यों देख रहा था?
Why was he seeing him this way?

वह लड़का क्या कर रहा था?
What was this boy doing?