I was (aay waz) aniga waxaan ahaa you were (yuu wer) adiga waxaad aheyd, idinka waxaad ahaydeen he was (hii waz) isaga waxaa ahaa she was (shii waz) iyada waxay aheyd we were (wii wer) anaga waxaana aheyn they were (THey wer) iyaga waxay ahaayen
It can be seen that the Simple Past of the verb be has two forms: was and were. The Simple Past of other English verbs has only one form.
I opened (aay oopend) waan furay you opened (yuu oopend) waad furtay, waad furten he opened (hii oopend) wuu furay she opened (shii oopend) way furtay we opened (wii oopend) waanu furnay they opened (THey oopend) way furen
Sometimes the spelling of the verb is changed when the ending ed is added:
If the verb ends in e, only d is added.
For example:
Verb and Simple Past of the Verb
hate (heyt) nacbeysi, hated (heyted) love (lav) jacayl, loved (lavd) use (yuuz) isticmaal, used (yuuzd)
If the verb ends in a consonant followed by y, the letter y is changed to i before the ending ed is added.
For example:
If the verb is pronounced with the most stress on the last syllable, and ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, the consonant must be doubled before the ending ed is added.
For example:
For example, here is the Simple Past of the verb bring:
I brought (aay brot) waan keenay you brought (yuu brot) waad keentay, waad keenten he brought (hii brot) wuu keenay she brought (shii brot) way keentay we brought (wii brot) waanu keennay they brought (THey brot) way keenen
begin (biigin) bilaabid, bilow, began (biigaan) bring (bring) gey, ken, brought (brot) buy (baay) iibsi, gadasho, bought (bot) catch (kaach) qabo, caught (kot) come (kam) kaalay, imow, came (keym) cost (kost) qime, cost (kost) do (duu) samey, did (did) drink (dringk) cabbid, cab, drank (draangk) drive (draayv) kaxayn, wadid, drove (droov) eat (iit) cunid, cun, ate (eyt) fly (flaay) duulid, flew (fluu) give (giv) sii, bixin, gave (geyv) go (goo) tag, tegid, bax, went (went) grow (groo) beerid, korin, grew (gruu) have (haav) leeyahay, leh, had (haad) hear (hiir) maqal, heard (herd) keep (kiip) hay, xajin, kept (kept) know (noo) garasho, knew (niuu) leave (liiv) ka tegid, left (left) meet (miit) kulmid, met (met) pay (pey) bixin, siin, paid (peyd) put (pUt) dhig, la dhigo, put (pUt) read (riid) aqriyid, read (red) ride (raayd) fuulid, rode (rood) run (ran) ordid, carar, ran (raan) say (sey) dhihid, orah, said (sed) see (sii) arag, fiiri, saw (so) sell (sel) iibsid-gadid, sold (soold) send (send) dir, u dirid, sent (sent) sit (sit) fariisasho, sat (saat) sleep (sliip) hurdo, slept (slept) speak (spiik) hadal, spoke (spook) stand (staand) istaag, stood (stUd) take (teyk) qaadid, took (tUk) teach (tiich) barasho, taught (tot) think (thingk) fekar, thought (thot) understand (anderstaand) fahmid, understood (anderstUd) write (raayt) qor, qorid, wrote (root)
The Past Continuous
The Past Continuous tense can be used to refer to an action which was taking place at a time when something else happened in the past.
For example:
I was walking to work when I saw her. Anigu waxaan u lugeynaye shaqada marki aan arkay ayada.
Like the Present Continuous tense, the Past Continuous tense of a verb is formed from the Present Participle and the verb be. However, for the Past Continuous tense, the Simple Past of the verb be is used.
For example:
I was opening waan furayay you were opening waad furaysay, waad furaysen he was opening wuu farayay she was opening way furaysay we were opening waanu furaynay they were opening way furayen
The expression used to (yuustuu) can be placed before the verb, in order to refer to a habitual action which happened in the past.
For example:
I used to open waan furi jiray you used to open waad furi jirtay, waad furi jirteen he used to open wuu furi jiray she used to open way furi jirtay we used to open waanu furi jirnay they used to open way furi jireen
I was (aay waz) aniga waxaan ahaa you were (yuu wer) adiga waxaad aheyd, idinka waxaad ahaydeen he was (hii waz) isaga waxaa ahaa she was (shii waz) iyada waxay aheyd we were (wii wer) anaga waxaana aheyn they were (THey wer) iyaga waxay ahaayen
Falalka kale ee Ingiriska waxay leeyihin hal qaab kaliya ee ah Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay.
I opened (aay oopend) waan furay you opened (yuu oopend) waad furtay, waad furten he opened (hii oopend) wuu furay she opened (shii oopend) way furtay we opened (wii oopend) waanu furnay they opened (THey oopend) way furen
Mararka qaarkooda hingaada way is badashaa marka ed la raaciyo:
Haddii fal ku dhamaado e waxaa la raaciya d kaliya.
Tusaale:
Fal iyo Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay
hate (heyt) nacbeysi, hated (heyted) love (lav) jacayl, loved (lavd) use (yuuz) isticmaal, used (yuuzd)
Haddii fal ku dhamaado shibanne oo ay raacdo y, xarafka y waxaa isku badali i, ed hortooda.
Tusaale:
Haddii fal ku dhamaado hal shakhal-dheere oo ay raacdo hal shibanne, iyo shakhal-deerihii waa lagu dhawaaqaa sare, shibannihii isagoo la laba-laabaan marka ed la raacin.
Tusaale:
Halkan waxaad ku aragtaan Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay ee falka bring:
I brought (aay brot) waan keenay you brought (yuu brot) waad keentay, waad keenten he brought (hii brot) wuu keenay she brought (shii brot) way keentay we brought (wii brot) waanu keennay they brought (THey brot) way keenen
Halkan waxaa ah qoor ka mid ah falalka caadiga ah ee Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay (aan caadiga aheeynin) oo anan raacin ed:
Fal iyo Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay
begin (biigin) bilaabid, bilow, began (biigaan) bring (bring) gey, ken, brought (brot) buy (baay) iibsi, gadasho, bought (bot) catch (kaach) qabo, caught (kot) come (kam) kaalay, imow, came (keym) cost (kost) qime, cost (kost) do (duu) samey, did (did) drink (dringk) cabbid, cab, drank (draangk) drive (draayv) kaxayn, wadid, drove (droov) eat (iit) cunid, cun, ate (eyt) fly (flaay) duulid, flew (fluu) give (giv) sii, bixin, gave (geyv) go (goo) tag, tegid, bax, went (went) grow (groo) beerid, korin, grew (gruu) have (haav) leeyahay, leh, had (haad) hear (hiir) maqal, heard (herd) keep (kiip) hay, xajin, kept (kept) know (noo) garasho, knew (niuu) leave (liiv) ka tegid, left (left) meet (miit) kulmid, met (met) pay (pey) bixin, siin, paid (peyd) put (pUt) dhig, la dhigo, put (pUt) read (riid) aqriyid, read (red) ride (raayd) fuulid, rode (rood) run (ran) ordid, carar, ran (raan) say (sey) dhihid, orah, said (sed) see (sii) arag, fiiri, saw (so) sell (sel) iibsid-gadid, sold (soold) send (send) dir, u dirid, sent (sent) sit (sit) fariisasho, sat (saat) sleep (sliip) hurdo, slept (slept) speak (spiik) hadal, spoke (spook) stand (staand) istaag, stood (stUd) take (teyk) qaadid, took (tUk) teach (tiich) barasho, taught (tot) think (thingk) fekar, thought (thot) understand (anderstaand) fahmid, understood (anderstUd) write (raayt) qor, qorid, wrote (root)
Qaabka Xaalad la Soodhafay ee Socota waxaa loo isticmaalaa ama u yahay fal xaaladiisu socota oo isla markaana hore u dhacay.
Tusaale:
I was walking to work when I saw her. Anigu waxaan u lugeynaye shaqada marki aan arkay ayada.
Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay ee Socota waxaa qaab ahaan la mid yahay sida Qaab Xaalad Socota, marka laga reebo Qaab Xaalad la Soodhafay oo loo isticmaalay falkla be.
Tusaale:
I was opening waan furayay you were opening waad furaysay, waad furaysen he was opening wuu farayay she was opening way furaysay we were opening waanu furaynay they were opening way furayen
Erayada used to (yuustuu) waxaa la dhigi karo falka hortiisa. Qaabkan waxaa loo isticmaalaa qabad la caadiyastey ee wakhti la soo dhafay.
Tusaale:
I used to open waan furi jiray you used to open waad furi jirtay, waad furi jirteen he used to open wuu furi jiray she used to open way furi jirtay we used to open waanu furi jirnay they used to open way furi jireen