7.7 Perfective Aspect
The perfective aspect is divided in three parts:
- Simple Perfect: It is used to describe a single completed action in the past without any auxiliary verb in Punjabi. Past adverb of time can be used in a simple perfective aspect.
- The Present Perfect: The perfective aspect in the present tense is used to describe recently completed action with the present ਹੋਣਾ to be auxiliary in Punjabi. The effect of the action may still be continued. The past adverb of time cannot be used in the present perfective tense.
- The Past Perfect: The perfective aspect in the past is used to express a remote past completed action with the past ਹੋਣ to be auxiliary in Punjabi. The past adverbs of time can be used in the past perfective tense.
Note: Conjugation for all three aspects (simple perfective aspect, present perfective aspect, and past perfective aspect) are the same. Only the auxiliary changes. The auxiliary tells us the time when the action is/was completed.
Perfective Aspect Formation
Perfective aspect is formed by adding ਇਆ, ਈ, ਏ, ਈਆਂ or ਿ-ਆ, ੀ, ੇ, –ੀਆਂ to the verb stem. See the following chart for more clarity.
If a verb stem ending by a vowel the formation would be: (Take the verb ਰੋਣਾ (to cry) as an example.)
| Infinitive Form of Verb | Stem | + | Perfective Marker | = | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ਰੋਣਾ (to cry) | ਰੋ | + | ਇਆ (m.s.) | = | ਰੋਇਆ |
| ਰੋਣਾ | ਰੋ | + | ਈ (f.s.) | = | ਰੋਈ |
| ਰੋਣਾ | ਰੋ | + | ਏ (m.p.) | = | ਰੋਏ |
| ਰੋਣਾ | ਰੋ | + | ਈਆਂ (f.p.) | = | ਰੋਈਆਂ |
If the verb stem is ending by a consonant, the conjugation would be: (Take the verb ਦੇਖਣਾ (to see/to watch) as an example.)
| Infinitive Form of Verb | Stem | + | Perfective Marker | = | Formation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ਦੇਖਣਾ (to see/to watch) | ਦੇਖ | + | ਿਆ (m.s.) | = | ਦੇਖਿਆ |
| ਦੇਖਣਾ | ਦੇਖ | + | ੀ (f.s.) | = | ਦੇਖੀ |
| ਦੇਖਣਾ | ਦੇਖ | + | ੇ (m.p.) | = | ਦੇਖੇ |
| ਦੇਖਣਾ | ਦੇਖ | + | ੀਆਂ (f.p.) | = | ਦੇਖੀਆਂ |
Irregular Verbs in Perfective Aspect
| Verbs | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ਲੈਣਾ (to take) | ਲਿਆ | ਲਈ | ਲਏ | ਲਈਆਂ |
| ਦੇਣਾ (to give) | ਦਿੱਤਾ | ਦਿੱਤੀ | ਦਿੱਤੇ | ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ |
| ਖਾਣਾ (to eat) | ਖਾਧਾ | ਖਾਧੀ | ਖਾਧੇ | ਖਾਧੀਆਂ |
| ਪੀਣਾ (to drink) | ਪੀਤਾ | ਪੀਤੀ | ਪੀਤੇ | ਪੀਤੀਆਂ |
| ਸੌਣਾ (to sleep) | ਸੁੱਤਾ | ਸੁੱਤੀ | ਸੁੱਤੇ | ਸੁੱਤੀਆਂ |
| ਕਰਨਾ (to do) | ਕੀਤਾ | ਕੀਤੀ | ਕੀਤੇ | ਕੀਤੀਆਂ |
| ਕਹਿਣਾ (to say) | ਕਿਹਾ | ਕਹੀ | ਕਹੇ | ਕਹੀਆਂ |
| ਧੌਣਾ (to wash) | ਧੌਤਾ | ਧੌਤੀ | ਧੌਤੇ | ਧੌਤੀਆਂ |
| ਜਾਣਾ (to go) | ਗਿਆ | ਗਈ | ਗਏ | ਗਈਆਂ |
| ਰਹਿਣਾ (to stay/to live) | ਰਿਹਾ | ਰਹੀ | ਰਹੇ | ਰਹੀਆਂ |
Rules and Verb Subject/Object Agreements
Perfective Aspect with Intransitive Verbs
If the verb is Intransitive, it agrees with the subject of the sentence.
| No. | Punjabi | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਕੁੜੀ ਰੋਈ। | The girl cried. |
| 2. | ਮੁੰਡਾ ਰੋਇਆ ਹੈ। | The boy has cried. |
| 3. | ਮੁੰਡੇ ਰੋਏ ਸਨ। | The boys had cried. |
| 4. | ਕੁੜੀਆਂ ਰੋਈਆਂ। | The girls cried. |
If the subject of the sentence is mixed gender or feminine honorific in such sentences verb takes masculine plural agreement.
- ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਉਂ ਰੋਏ? (Why did you cry?)
Perfective Aspect with Transitive Verbs
If the verb is transitive, it agrees with the object of the sentence and 3rd person subject takes ਨੇ. ਨੇ is just a perfective aspect marker. It has no English equivalent. ਨੇ is considered as a postposition in the sentence, so it makes the 3rd person subject oblique. ਇਹ and ਉਹ singular becomes ਇਸ and ਉਸ in oblique, and ਇਹ and ਉਹ plural becomes ਇਹਨਾਂ and ਉਹਨਾਂ in oblique.
| No. | Punjabi | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਇਸ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਫਿਲਮ ਦੇਖੀ। | He/she saw a movie. |
| 2. | ਰਮਨ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਫਿਲਮ ਦੇਖੀ ਹੈ। | Raman has seen a movie. |
| 3. | ਅਸੀਂ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਖਰੀਦੇ। | We bought clothes. |
| 4. | ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਖਰੀਦੇ ਸਨ। | They had bought clothes. |
Exceptions in Perfective Aspect with Transitive Verbs
There are a few transitive verbs that do not use the 3rd person subject with ਨੇ marking and agrees with the subject of the sentence. These verbs are ਲਿਆਉਣਾ (to bring), ਭੁੱਲਣਾ (to forget), ਬੋਲਣਾ (to speak), and ਮਿਲਣਾ (to meet).
Examples:
| No. | Punjabi | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਜੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਲਈ ਕਿਤਾਬਾਂ ਲਿਆਏ ਸਨ। | My father had brought books for me. |
| 2. | ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇਹ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਭੁੱਲੇ? | How did you forget it? |
| 3. | ਡਿੰਪਲ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਬੋਲਦੀ। | Dimple doesn’t speak with me. |
| 4. | ਮੇਰਾ ਦੋਸਤ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹੈ। | My friend has met him. |
Default Agreement in Perfective Aspect
When the subject is marked by ਨੇ and the object is marked by any post position, the verb of a sentence does not have any noun/pronoun to agree with. In these cases, the verb will always take third person, singular, masculine perfect aspect marking which is also called default marking.
Examples:
| No. | Punjabi | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਕਿਰਨ ਨੇ ਅਧਿਆਪਕ ਤੋਂ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ। | Kiran asked the teacher. |
| 2. | ਤੁਸੀਂ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਕਿਉਂ ਮਾਰਿਆ? | Why did you beat him? |
| 3. | ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਚੋਰ ਨੂੰ ਫੜਿਆ। | People caught a thief. |
Negation of Perfective Aspect
In negative sentences, use ਨਹੀਂ directly before the main verb.
- ਅਸੀਂ ਫਿਲਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੇਖੀ। (We did not see a movie.)
If there is a negative and interrogative word together in a sentence, the interrogative word comes before the negative.
- ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇਹ ਫਿਲਮ ਕਿਉਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੇਖੀ? (Why did not you see this movie?)
The Future Perfective Tense
The perfective aspect in the future tense is used to express assumption that some action must have been completed by a particular time. The future form of ਹੋਣਾ (to be) is used to express presumption.
Examples:
| No. | Punjabi | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਮੇਰੇ ਭਰਾ ਨੇ ਸਕੂਲ ਦਾ ਕੰਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ। | My brother must not have done homework. |
| 2. | ਉਸਨੇ ਬੈਂਕ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਪੈਸੇ ਕੱਢੇ ਹੋਣਗੇ। | He must have withdrawn money from the bank. |
| 3. | ਮੇਰੇ ਦੋਸਤ ਨੇ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਖਰੀਦੇ ਹੋਣਗੇ। | My friend must have bought clothes. |
Test Yourself
Activity 1: Writing
Make two sentences in perfective aspects using the following intransitive verbs.
| No. | Intransitive Verb | Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਹੱਸਣਾ (to laugh) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 2. | ਬੈਠਣਾ (to sit) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ਆਉਣਾ (to come) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 4. | ਜਾਣਾ (to go) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 5. | ਨੱਚਣਾ (to dance) | 1. |
| 2. |
Activity 2: Writing
Write any four sentences in perfective aspect using verbs ਲਿਆਉਣਾ (to bring), ਭੁੱਲਣਾ (to forget), ਬੋਲਣਾ (to speak), and ਮਿਲਣਾ (to meet).
| No. | Sentence |
|---|---|
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. |
Activity 3: Writing
Make two sentences in perfective aspects using the following transitive verbs.
| No. | Transitive Verb | Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਖਾਣਾ (to eat) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 2. | ਪੀਣਾ (to drink) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ਲੈਣਾ (to take) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 4. | ਦੇਣਾ (to give) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 5. | ਪੜ੍ਹਨਾ (to read/study) | 1. |
| 2. |
Activity 4: Writing
Make negative sentences in all perfective tenses using the following verbs.
| 1. | ਲਿਖਣਾ (to write) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2. | ਕਰਨਾ (to do) | |||
| 3. | ਬੋਲਣਾ (to speak) | |||
| 4. | ਨਹਾਉਣਾ (to take shower) | |||
| 5. | ਭੱਜਣਾ (to run) | |||
| No. | Verbs | Simple Perfect (without Auxiliary) | Present Perfect with the Auxiliary of Present ਹੋਣਾ (To Be) | Past Perfect with the Auxiliary of Past ਹੋਣਾ (To Be) |
Activity 5: Writing
Make two sentences in future perfective tense using the following verbs.
| No. | Punjabi | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ਲੜਨਾ (to fight) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 2. | ਰਹਿਣਾ (to live/stay) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ਭੇਜਣਾ (to send) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 4. | ਬਣਾਉਣਾ (to make) | 1. |
| 2. | ||
| 5. | ਪੁੱਛਣਾ (to ask) | 1. |
| 2. |
Activity 6: Simple Perfect Tense
Write 5 sentences in Punjabi explaining what you did yesterday.
| No. | Sentences |
|---|---|
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. |
Activity 7: Present Perfect
Write five sentences explaining what you are doing today using the present perfect tense.
| No. | Sentences |
|---|---|
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. |
Activity 8: Past Perfect
Write ten sentences about your most memorable memory in the past.
| No. | Sentences |
|---|---|
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. | |
| 7. | |
| 8. |
Activity 9: Future Perfect Tense
Write 8 sentences. You are absent from school. Assume what your Punjabi, English, and math teacher have taught today in the class.
| No. | Sentences |
|---|---|
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. | |
| 7. | |
| 8. |
Activity 10: Fill in the Perfective Verb
Activity 11: Listening
Pre-Listening Activity
Learn/review the following vocabulary
| Punjabi | English |
|---|---|
| ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ | study |
| ਬੇਸ਼ੁਮਾਰ | countless |
| ਜਿੰਦਗੀ ਗੁਜਾਰਨਾ | to spend life |
| ਪੜ੍ਹਾਉਣਾ | to spend life |
| ਬਹੁਤ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ | lots of |
| ਮੌਜਾਂ ਕਰਨਾ | to have fun |
| ਕਿਸਮਤ | destiny/luck |
| ਬਾਤੌਰ | as a |
| X ਤੋਂ ਪਿਆਰ ਮਿਲਣਾ | to receive/get love from X |
| ਅੱਛੀ | good |
| X ਦਾ ਸਾਥ ਦੇਣਾ | to support X |
Listening
Watch the following video carefully, then answer the following questions.
Post-Listening Activity
Based on the above video, answer the following questions.
ਧੰਨਵਾਦ!
