- How is the indicative past narrative imperfect tense formed?
- How is its negative conjugation formed?
- What is the equivalent English tense?
The indicative past narrative imperfect is a past tense with an indicative mood that has both narrative and imperfect aspects at the same time. It is formed according to the following pattern:
می (mi-) | + | past participle | + | weak form of بودن (to be) in present simple |
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The weak form of بودن (budan: to be) in present simple is:
1S | ام am |
1P | ایم im |
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2S | ای i |
2P | اید id |
3S | است ast |
3P | اند and |
Conjugation
Simple verbs
- Infinitive: رفتن (raftan: to go)
- Past participle: رفته (rafte: gone)
1S | میرفتهام mirafteam I have used to go I have been going |
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2S | میرفتهای miraftei You have used to go You have been going |
3S | میرفتهاست mirafteast He/She has used to go He/She has been going |
1P | میرفتهایم mirafteim We have used to go We have been going |
2P | میرفتهاید mirafteid You have used to go You have been going |
3P | میرفتهاند mirafteand They have used to go They have been going |
Compound verbs
- Verb: کار کردن (kâr kardan: to work)
- Preverb: کار (kâr: work)
- Infinitive: کردن (kardan: to do)
- Past participle: کرده (karde: done)
1S | کار میکردهام kâr mikardeam I have used to work I have been working |
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2S | کار میکردهای kâr mikardei You have used to work You have been working |
3S | کار میکردهاست kâr mikardeast He/She has used to work He/She has been working |
1P | کار میکردهایم kâr mikardeim We have used to work We have been working |
2P | کار میکردهاید kâr mikardeid You have used to work You have been working |
3P | کار میکردهاند kâr mikardeand They have used to work They have been working |
Negative conjugation
The negative form of the past narrative imperfect tense is constructed by prefixing ن (ne-) to می (mi-).
1S | نمیرفتهام nemirafteam I have not used to go I have not been going |
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2S | نمیرفتهای nemiraftei You have not used to go You have not been going |
3S | نمیرفتهاست nemirafteast He/She has not used to go He/She has not been going |
1P | نمیرفتهایم nemirafteim We have not used to go We have not been going |
2P | نمیرفتهاید nemirafteid You have not used to go You have not been going |
3P | نمیرفتهاند nemirafteand They have not used to go They have not been going |
1S | کار نمیکردهام kâr nemikardeam I have not used to work I have not been working |
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2S | کار نمیکردهای kâr nemikardei You have not used to work You have not been working |
3S | کار نمیکردهاست kâr nemikardeast He/She has not used to work He/She has not been working |
1P | کار نمیکردهایم kâr nemikardeim We have not used to work We have not been working |
2P | کار نمیکردهاید kâr nemikardeid You have not used to work You have not been working |
3P | کار نمیکردهاند kâr nemikardeand They have not used to work They have not been working |
Examples
The past narrative imperfect tense does not have an exact equivalent in English but its usage covers English present perfect continuous.
انگلیسی میخواندهاست؟ Engelisi mikhwândeast? Has she been studying English? |
سالها آنجا درس میدادهاست Sâlhâ ânjâ dars midâdeast She has been teaching there many years |
او را از مدتها پیش میشناختهام U râ az moddathâ pish mishenâkhteam I have known her a long time |
چه مدت برای آن شرکت کار میکردهاید؟ Che moddat barâ-ye ân sherkat kâr mikardeid? How long have you been working for that firm? |