Past Perfect Continuous Tense in English and also With Urdu/Hindi examples
Back to: Tenses English Grammar with Examples and Guidance
Now it’s turn for for Past Perfect Continuous tense. While i hope so that you have gone through all of those previous Lectures. which are about forms of verbs and Basic introduction about Tenses.
Well, Past Perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action which was started in the past and being continued for a specific period of time and completed before another action took place.
In Urdu/Hindi we say : Raha Thaa, Rahi Thi, Rahay Thayy , etc etc.
It’s basically similar to Past continuous tense but having a little difference that we use ( For and since) to identify the period of time in this tense.
Examples
She had been studying English for five years before she moved to Canada.
Urdu: وہ پانچ سال سے انگریزی پڑھ رہی تھی جب وہ کینیڈا منتقل ہوئی۔
Roman Urdu: Usne pānch saal se angrezi parh rahi thi jab woh Canada muntaqil hui.
They had been living in the city since 2008 before they decided to relocate.
Urdu: وہ شہر میں دس سال سے رہ رہے تھے جب انہوں نے نقل مکان کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا۔
Roman Urdu: Unhon ne shehr mein das saal se reh rahe the jab unhone naqal makaan karne ka faisla kiya.
By the time he arrived at the party, she had been waiting for him for two hours.
Urdu: جب وہ پارٹی پہنچا تو وہ اس کا انتظار دو گھنٹے سے کر رہی تھی۔
Roman Urdu: Jab woh party pahuncha toh woh uska intezar do ghante se kar rahi thi.
The children had been playing outside since morning until it started raining.
Urdu: بچے صبح سے باہر کھیل رہے تھے جب تک بارش شروع ہوئی۔
Roman Urdu: Bachay subah se bahar khel rahe the jab tak barish shuru hui.
Sarah had been working on her project for a month before she submitted it to her teacher.
Urdu: سارہ اپنے منصوبے پر ایک مہینے سے کام کر رہی تھی جب اس نے اپنے استاذ کو پیش کیا۔
Roman Urdu: Sarah apne mansoobe par ek mahine se kaam kar rahi thi jab usne apne ustaad ko pesh kiya.
Since & For:
We use Since when we know about the exact period of time example since 3 oclock, sunday, since may, 2 , 2023 etc,
While we use “For” when we don’t know the exact time likewise for 5 hours, for a month etc.
Rule # 1:
In this rule we will talk about helping verb “Had been” . Well we use this helping verb with Singulars and plurals (He, She, It ,noun (name), i, we, you and they ) along with the addition of -ing and to represent time we use since and for.
Examples:
She had been studying for two hours. (Wo 2 ghanty say parh rahi thi).
She had been waiting for the bus since 7 o’clock.
Urdu: وہ سات بجے سے باس کا انتظار کر رہی تھی۔
Roman Urdu: Usne saat baje se bus ka intezar kar rahi thi.
He had been studying English for three years before he took the proficiency test.
Urdu: اس نے انگریزی کی تعلیم تین سال سے حاصل کی تھی پھر وہ مہارت کا امتحان دیا۔
Roman Urdu: Usne angrezi ki taleem teen saal se hasil ki thi phir woh maharat ka imtehan diya.
They had been living in that house since they got married.
Urdu: وہ شادی کے بعد اس گھر میں رہ رہے تھے۔
Roman Urdu: Unhon ne shadi ke baad is ghar mein reh rahe the.
The dog had been barking for hours since the mailman arrived.
Urdu: کتا گھنٹوں سے بھونک رہا تھا جب سیکڑوں وقتی موصول ہو گیا۔
Roman Urdu: Kutta ghanton se bhonk raha tha jab sekron waqtī moosool ho gaya.
Rule # 2 for Negative sentences:
Negative sentences means where we use Not in our sentences while in Past Perfect Continuous we use Not in between had and been. Below i am going to show you some examples.
Examples:
She had not been practicing piano for long before her recital.
Urdu: اس نے اپنے ریسائٹل سے پہلے لمبے عرصے تک پیانو کا مشق نہیں کیا تھا۔
Hindi: उसने अपने रेसाइटल से पहले लंबे समय तक पियानो का अभ्यास नहीं किया था।
They had not been talking to each other since their argument.
Urdu: انہوں نے اپنی بحث سے پہلے ایک دوسرے سے بات نہیں کی تھی۔
Hindi: उन्होंने अपनी झगड़े से पहले एक दूसरे से बात नहीं की थी।
He had not been exercising regularly before he joined the gym.
Urdu: اس نے جم کے ممبر شامل ہونے سے پہلے باقاعدگی سے ورزش نہیں کی تھی۔
Hindi: उसने जिम में शामिल होने से पहले नियमित रूप से व्यायाम नहीं किया था।
The students had not been paying attention in class since the teacher changed.
Urdu: طلباء نے استاد کی تبدیلی سے پہلے کلاس میں توجہ نہیں دی تھی۔
Hindi: छात्रों ने शिक्षक के बदलने से पहले कक्षा में ध्यान नहीं दिया था।
Rule # 4 Interrogative Sentences:
Interrogative mean those sentences which contains some question or Question mark at the end of the sentences. In these type of sentences usually helping verb (Had) is used in the beginning of the sentences and been is also used but not in beginning.
Examples:
Had she been studying all night before the exam?
Urdu: کیا وہ امتحان سے پہلے پوری رات پڑھ رہی تھی؟
Roman Urdu: Kya woh imtehan se pehle poori raat parh rahi thi?
Had they been waiting for us since morning?
Urdu: کیا وہ ہمارا انتظار صبح سے کر رہے تھے؟
Roman Urdu: Kya woh humara intezar subah se kar rahe the?
Had he been working on the project before the deadline?
Urdu: کیا وہ مہلت سے پہلے منصوبے پر کام کر رہا تھا؟
Roman Urdu: Kya woh mohlat se pehle mansoobe par kaam kar raha tha?
Had the children been playing in the park all afternoon?
Urdu: کیا بچے پارک میں پورے دوپہر کھیل رہے تھے؟
Roman Urdu: Kya bachay park mein poore dopeher khel rahe the?
In above sentences you can see clearly the helping verb is in the beginning of the sentences.