Past Perfect Tense

Definition: The past perfect tense expresses dual pasts This tense is used to describe actions or events that occurred in the past and were completed before another past action or point in time. It is often used to indicate the sequence of events in the past and to show which action happened first. It is formed by using the helping verb “had” and past participle (3rd form of the verb).


Past Perfect Tense in Hindi and Urdu

 Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense do (2) pasts ki baat karta hai jis me koi kaam bhootkaal (past) me hua aur bhootkaal ke hi kisi kaam se pehle khatam ho chuka tha. Ye tense hame kaam ki tarteeb batata hai ki konsa kaam pehle hua aur konsa baad me hua. Past perfect tense ka sentence banane ke liye helping verb "had" istemaal hota hai. 

Formula For Past Perfect Tense

Positive Sentence:

 Subject+had+verb 3rd form


Examples:

  • She had finished her homework before she went to bed.
    • Wo bistar pe jane se pehle apna kaam khatam kar chuki thi.
  • They had already left the party by the time we arrived, 
    • Hum jis waqt party me aye wo pehle hi ja chuke they.
  • He had left his keys at home when he reached the office.
    • Wo jab daftar pohchi to apni chabiyan ghar pe chor chuki thi.

    Negative Sentence:

    Subject+had+not+verb 3rd form


    Examples:

    • He had not completed her work on the given time.
      • Wo diye huey awqt pe apna kaam nahi kar chuki thi.
    • They had not finished the dinner when I got to the restaurant.
      • Jub hum restaurant ponhce to wo apna khana khatam nahi kar chuke the.
    • The plane had not taken off by the time we arrived at the airport.
      • Jub hum airport pohche to us waqt tak jahaz nahi uda tha.

    Interrogative Sentence:

    Had+subject+verb 3rd form+?


    Examples:

    • Had the patient died before the ambulance came?
      • Kya ambulance ane se pehle mareez mar chuka tha?
    • Had the train left when you reached the station?
      • Kya jab tum station pohche to train ja chuki thi?
    • Had you checked your wallet before you went to the market?
      • Kya tum bazaar jane se pehle apna wallet check kar chuke they?

    Uses of Past Perfect Tense in English and Hindi/Urdu

    a) Sequential Actions in the Past (Maazi/Bhootkaal Ke Tarteebwaar Kaam):

    It is used to show the chronological order of two past actions or events. The action described in the past perfect tense precedes another action in the simple past tense.

    Examples:

    • She had finished her breakfast before she left for work.
    • By the time they arrived, I had already left.

    b) Actions That Happened Before a Specific Point in the Past (Wo Kaam Jo Bhootkaal Ke Kisi Waqt Se Pehle Huey):

    The past perfect tense can be used to describe actions that were completed before a specific past time or point.

    Examples:

    • He told me that he had never visited that museum before yesterday.
    • The company's profits had been steadily increasing until last year.

    c) Reported Speech and Reported Thoughts (Khabar Ke Anusaar Bayaan):

    It is commonly used in reported speech or reported thoughts to shift the original tense of the statement back one step in time.

    Examples:

    • She said she had already finished her presentation.
    • He thought that he had left his keys at home.

    d) Expressing Regret or Conditional Sentences (Pachtaawa ya Shartiya Jumle) :

    The past perfect tense can be used to express regret about a past action that didn't happen or to create conditional sentences in the past.

    Examples:

    • If I had known about the party, I would have attended.
    • She wished she had studied more for the exam.

      e) Narrating Stories or Past Events (Kahaniyan ya Maazi Ke Qisse Sunane Ke Liye):

      In storytelling or when narrating past events, the past perfect tense is often used to provide background information or describe events that occurred before the main events.

      Examples:

      • Before they embarked on their journey, they had spent weeks planning and preparing.
      • When he arrived at the crime scene, the detectives had already gathered evidence.

      The past perfect tense is valuable for indicating the temporal relationships between events in the past, emphasizing completed actions that happened before other past actions, and providing context or background information in storytelling or reporting.