2.5 Past Tense ਹੋਣਾ (To Be)

Past ਹੋਣਾ Video Transcript

Sat Sri Akal friends!

In the previous video, you learned about present ਹੋਣਾ (to be) in Punjabi. In this video, you are going to learn about ਹੋਣਾ (to be) in the past in Punjabi. ਹੋਣਾ (to be) in past is “was” and “were” in English and ਸੀ and ਸਨ in Punjabi. ਸੀ is used for 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person singular. So 1st person singular and plural both, 2nd person singular and plural both, but for 3rd person, it is used only for singular and ਸਨ is used for 3rd person plural only.

Examples:

• “main see” (I was blank.)
• “asee see” (We were blank.)
• “toon see” (You were blank.)
• “tusi see” (You were blank.)
• “eh/oh” singular “see” (He, she, it, this/that was blank.)

As you know, this is for ਇਹ, and that is for ਉਹ.

• “eh/oh” plural “san” (They were blank.)

Now we need to add the object. So:

• ਮੈਂ ਅਧਿਆਪਕ ਸੀ। (I was a teacher.)
• ਅਸੀਂ “munde see” (We were boys.)
• ਤੂੰ ਕੁੜੀ ਸੀ। (You were a girl.)

Like this, so we need to add an object here. In some grammar books, you can see there are different forms of past ਹੋਣਾ (to be). Like ਸਾਂ, ਸੀ, ਸੋ, etc., but nowadays this trend is changed. In schools, only ਸੀ and ਸਨ form of past ਹੋਣਾ (to be) is taught.

For more, you can look at the chapter or you can see the grammar books. Thank you so much!