Week 18: Past Time: The Imperfect
This week is designed as a 60-minute self-study lesson. Read aloud first, then translate.
Aim of the Week
Recognise Past time: imperfect as it appears in Sanskrit reading.
Core Pattern
Verbs carry person, number, and time. In reading, first identify the verb form and then ask who or what it belongs to.
Translation Practice
- रामः अगच्छत्।
rāmaḥ agacchat. - अर्जुनः अपश्यत्।
arjunaḥ apaśyat. - कृष्णः अवदत्।
kṛṣṇaḥ avadat. - मुनिः आसीत्।
muniḥ āsīt.
Answer key
- Rāma went.
- Arjuna saw.
- Kṛṣṇa spoke.
- There was a sage. / The sage was.
Recitation Guidance
Give the verb a slight emphasis in each sentence. Sanskrit meaning often becomes clearer when the verb is heard distinctly.
Vocabulary
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अगच्छत् | agacchat | went |
| अपश्यत् | apaśyat | saw |
| अवदत् | avadat | spoke |
| आसीत् | āsīt | was |
| पुरा | purā | formerly |
Self-Check
- Can you recognise the time of the verb?
- Can you identify whether the verb means “I,” “you,” “he/she/it,” or “they”?