Past Continuous & Habitual (Was doing vs. Used to do)
raha tha for a video clip of the past, and ta tha for a photo album of memories.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'raha tha' for actions in progress in the past, and 'karta tha' for repeated habits.
- Use 'raha tha' for ongoing actions: 'Main so raha tha' (I was sleeping).
- Use 'karta tha' for past habits: 'Main roz khelta tha' (I used to play daily).
- Both change based on gender and number: 'Woh (f) ja rahi thi' vs 'Woh (f) jaati thi'.
Overview
When you narrate past events in Hindi, you move beyond simply listing completed actions. You require tools to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific point in the past, or actions that occurred repeatedly as a habit or routine. These are the functions of the Past Continuous (raha tha) and the Past Habitual (ta tha) tenses.
Mastering them allows you to paint vivid scenes and convey complex ideas about duration, repetition, and the circumstances surrounding past events. These tenses are fundamental for constructing coherent narratives and expressing nuances that are critical for intermediate-level communication.
How This Grammar Works
- The Past Continuous (प्रगतिशील भूतकाल -
pragatisheel bhutkaal) indicates an action that was in progress at a specific moment in the past. It sets a scene, describes an unfinished activity, or implies simultaneous actions. Think of it as a snapshot of an ongoing event. - The Past Habitual (अभ्यासिक भूतकाल -
abhyasik bhutkaal) signifies actions that were repeated, customary, or habitual in the past. It also covers past states or conditions. This tense implies a series of events over time or a continuous state rather than a single ongoing action. Consider it a summary of a past routine or condition.
raha/rahe/rahi for continuous or ta/te/ti for habitual) followed by the past auxiliary verb tha (था) and its inflected forms (the/थी/थीं). The crucial element is the agreement of both the participle and the auxiliary verb with the gender and number of the subject.Formation Pattern
Verb Root + raha/rahe/rahi + tha/the/thi/thin)
raha, rahe, rahi), and the past auxiliary (tha, the, thi, thin). Both the continuous participle and the past auxiliary verb agree with the gender and number of the subject.
Verb Root + रहा/रहे/रही (raha/rahe/rahi) + था/थे/थी/थीं (tha/the/thi/thin)
raha (रहा): Masculine singular subject (e.g., वह लड़का खेल रहा था। - Vah ladka khel raha tha. - That boy was playing.)
rahe (रहे): Masculine plural subject OR formal singular subject (e.g., वे लोग खा रहे थे। - Ve log kha rahe the. - Those people were eating. / आप पढ़ रहे थे। - Aap padh rahe the. - You (formal) were reading.)
rahi (रही): Feminine singular OR plural subject (e.g., वह लड़की नाच रही थी। - Vah ladki naach rahi thi. - That girl was dancing. / वे लड़कियाँ गा रही थीं। - Ve ladkiyaan ga rahi thin. - Those girls were singing.)
rahi is used for both singular and plural feminine participles, the auxiliary verb thi becomes thin for feminine plural subjects.
khelna - खेलना - to play)
Main khel raha tha. | I was playing. | Subject is masculine. |
Main khel rahi thi. | I was playing. | Subject is feminine. |
Tu khel raha tha. | You were playing. | Very informal. |
Tu khel rahi thi. | You were playing. | Very informal. |
Tum khel rahe the. | You were playing. | Informal, can be singular/plural. |
Tum khel rahi thin. | You were playing. | Informal, plural feminine auxiliary. |
Vah khel raha tha. | He was playing. | Masculine singular. |
Vah khel rahi thi. | She was playing. | Feminine singular. |
Ham khel rahe the. | We were playing. | Masculine plural. |
Ham khel rahi thin. | We were playing. | Feminine plural auxiliary. |
Aap khel rahe the. | You were playing. | Always formal, treated as plural. |
Aap khel rahi थीं। | You were playing. | Always formal, treated as plural. |
Ve khel rahe the. | They were playing. | Masculine plural. |
Ve khel rahi thin. | They were playing. | Feminine plural auxiliary. |
कल रात बारिश हो रही थी। (Kal raat baarish ho rahi thi.) - It was raining last night.
जब मैंने उसे देखा, वह गाना गा रही थी। (Jab maine use dekha, vah gaana ga rahi thi.) - When I saw her, she was singing a song.
बच्चे पार्क में दौड़ रहे थे। (Bachche park mein daud rahe the.) - The children were running in the park.
Verb Root + ta/te/ti + tha/the/thi/thin)
ta, te, ti), and the past auxiliary (tha, the, thi, thin). Both the habitual participle and the past auxiliary verb agree with the gender and number of the subject.
Verb Root + ता/ते/ती (ta/te/ti) + था/थे/थी/थीं (tha/the/thi/thin)
ta (ता): Masculine singular subject (e.g., वह रोज़ किताब पढ़ता था। - Vah roz kitaab padhta tha. - He used to read a book daily.)
te (ते): Masculine plural subject OR formal singular subject (e.g., हम बचपन में क्रिकेट खेलते थे। - Ham bachpan mein cricket khelte the. - We used to play cricket in childhood. / मेरे दादाजी सुबह सैर करते थे। - Mere dadaji subah sair karte the. - My grandfather used to go for a morning walk.)
ti (ती): Feminine singular OR plural subject (e.g., वह हमेशा सच बोलती थी। - Vah hamesha sach bolti thi. - She always used to speak the truth. / मेरी सहेलियाँ स्कूल जाती थीं। - Meri saheliyaan school jaati thin. - My friends used to go to school.)
thi becomes thin for feminine plural subjects.
padhna - पढ़ना - to read)
Main padhta tha. | I used to read. | Subject is masculine. |
Main padhti thi. | I used to read. | Subject is feminine. |
Tu padhta tha. | You used to read. | Very informal. |
Tu padhti thi. | You used to read. | Very informal. |
Tum padhte the. | You used to read. | Informal, can be singular/plural. |
Tum padhti thin. | You used to read. | Informal, plural feminine auxiliary. |
Vah padhta tha. | He used to read. | Masculine singular. |
Vah padhti thi. | She used to read. | Feminine singular. |
Ham padhte the. | We used to read. | Masculine plural. |
Ham padhti thin. | We used to read. | Feminine plural auxiliary. |
Aap padhte the. | You used to read. | Always formal, treated as plural. |
Aap padhti thin. | You used to read. | Always formal, treated as plural. |
Ve padhte थे। | They used to read. | Masculine plural. |
Ve padhti thin. | They used to read. | Feminine plural auxiliary. |
वह हर सुबह पार्क में टहलता था। (Vah har subah park mein tahalta tha.) - He used to stroll in the park every morning.
मेरी नानी मुझे कहानियाँ सुनाती थीं। (Meri naani mujhe kahaaniyaan sunaati thin.) - My grandmother used to tell me stories.
बच्चे पहले बहुत शरारती होते थे। (Bachche pehle bahut sharaarti hote the.) - Children used to be very mischievous before.
When To Use It
raha tha)- To describe an action in progress at a definite past time: This is its most direct use. The specific time might be stated or understood from context.
कल शाम को मैं खाना बना रहा था।(Kal shaam ko main khaana bana raha tha.) - Last evening, I was cooking food.जब फोन बजा, वह सो रही थी।(Jab phone baja, vah so rahi thi.) - When the phone rang, she was sleeping.
- To set a scene or provide background information: Often used at the beginning of a narrative to establish the context of a story.
सुबह सूरज निकल रहा था और चिड़ियाँ चहचहा रही थीं।(Subah suraj nikal raha tha aur chidiyaan chahchaha rahi thin.) - In the morning, the sun was rising and birds were chirping.
- To indicate two or more simultaneous ongoing actions in the past: When multiple actions were happening concurrently.
मैं पढ़ रहा था और मेरी बहन टीवी देख रही थी।(Main padh raha tha aur meri bahan TV dekh rahi thi.) - I was studying and my sister was watching TV.
- To express interrupted actions: When one action was ongoing and another sudden action occurred.
हम बात कर रहे थे जब अचानक बिजली चली गई।(Ham baat kar rahe the jab achaanak bijli chali gayi.) - We were talking when suddenly the power went out.
- To describe a gradual change in the past: Less common, but
raha thacan imply a process unfolding over time. उसका स्वास्थ्य धीरे-धीरे बिगड़ रहा था।(Uska svaasthya dheere-dheere bigad raha tha.) - His health was slowly deteriorating.
ta tha)- To describe routine or habitual actions in the past: This is its primary function, translating often to
Past Continuous vs. Habitual Conjugation
| Subject | Continuous (Masc) | Continuous (Fem) | Habitual (Masc) | Habitual (Fem) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Main
|
raha tha
|
rahi thi
|
ta tha
|
ti thi
|
|
Tu
|
raha tha
|
rahi thi
|
ta tha
|
ti thi
|
|
Tum
|
rahe the
|
rahi thin
|
te the
|
ti thin
|
|
Aap
|
rahe the
|
rahi thin
|
te the
|
ti thin
|
|
Woh (sg)
|
raha tha
|
rahi thi
|
ta tha
|
ti thi
|
|
Hum
|
rahe the
|
rahi thin
|
te the
|
ti thin
|
Meanings
This grammar distinguishes between a specific ongoing event in the past and a recurring past habit.
Past Continuous
An action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.
“Main kal TV dekh raha tha.”
“Woh baarish mein khel rahe the.”
Past Habitual
An action that happened repeatedly or was a routine in the past.
“Main bachpan mein cycle chalata tha.”
“Woh roz school jaati thi.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Cont)
|
Subj + Verb-root + raha/rahi + tha/thi
|
Main ja raha tha
|
|
Affirmative (Hab)
|
Subj + Verb-root + ta/ti + tha/thi
|
Main jaata tha
|
|
Negative (Cont)
|
Subj + nahin + Verb-root + raha/rahi + tha/thi
|
Main nahin ja raha tha
|
|
Negative (Hab)
|
Subj + nahin + Verb-root + ta/ti + tha/thi
|
Main nahin jaata tha
|
|
Question (Cont)
|
Kya + Subj + Verb-root + raha/rahi + tha/thi?
|
Kya tum ja rahe the?
|
|
Question (Hab)
|
Kya + Subj + Verb-root + ta/ti + tha/thi?
|
Kya tum jaate the?
|
Formality Spectrum
Main bhojan kar raha tha. (General)
Main khana kha raha tha. (General)
Main kha raha tha. (General)
Main kha raha tha. (General)
Past Tense Map
Ongoing
- raha tha was doing
Routine
- karta tha used to do
Continuous vs Habitual
Examples by Level
Main so raha tha.
I was sleeping.
Woh khel raha tha.
He was playing.
Main padhta tha.
I used to study.
Woh gaati thi.
She used to sing.
Kya tum TV dekh rahe the?
Were you watching TV?
Main school nahin ja raha tha.
I was not going to school.
Hum roz cricket khelte the.
We used to play cricket daily.
Woh aksar yahan aati thi.
She often used to come here.
Jab baarish ho rahi thi, main ghar par tha.
When it was raining, I was at home.
Bachpan mein hum har garmiyon mein gaon jaate the.
In childhood, we used to go to the village every summer.
Kya woh us waqt kaam kar rahi thi?
Was she working at that time?
Main pehle yahan kaam karta tha.
I used to work here before.
Main padh raha tha jab tumne phone kiya.
I was studying when you called.
Woh hamesha der se aati thi, jo mujhe pasand nahin tha.
She always used to come late, which I didn't like.
Hum soch rahe the ki kya karein.
We were thinking about what to do.
Pehle log zyada paidal chalte the.
People used to walk more in the past.
Woh us waqt apni kahani likh rahi thi, isliye kisi se baat nahin kar rahi thi.
She was writing her story at that time, so she wasn't talking to anyone.
Bachpan mein, main har roz subah jaldi uth kar yoga karta tha.
In my childhood, I used to wake up early every morning to do yoga.
Kya tum us waqt wahi kar rahe the jo maine kaha tha?
Were you doing exactly what I said at that time?
Woh aksar purani yaadon mein kho jaati thi.
She often used to get lost in old memories.
Main us waqt ek aisi duniya mein jee raha tha jahan sab kuch alag tha.
I was living in a world at that time where everything was different.
Woh aksar ghanton tak khidki ke paas baith kar baarish dekha karti thi.
She often used to sit by the window for hours watching the rain.
Hum tab tak intezaar kar rahe the jab tak tum nahin aaye.
We were waiting until you arrived.
Pehle ke zamane mein log ek dusre ko khat likha karte the.
In the old days, people used to write letters to each other.
Easily Confused
Learners use continuous for completed actions.
Learners use continuous for habits.
Mixing up 'hoon' and 'tha'.
Common Mistakes
Main ja raha tha kal.
Main kal ja raha tha.
Woh ja raha thi.
Woh ja rahi thi.
Main karta hoon tha.
Main karta tha.
Main raha tha jana.
Main ja raha tha.
Hum ja raha the.
Hum ja rahe the.
Woh roz ja raha tha.
Woh roz jaata tha.
Kya tum khate the?
Kya tum khate the?
Jab main aaya, woh so raha hai.
Jab main aaya, woh so raha tha.
Main bachpan mein khel raha tha.
Main bachpan mein khelta tha.
Woh aksar ja raha tha.
Woh aksar jaata tha.
Woh hamesha bol raha tha.
Woh hamesha bolta tha.
Main wahan ja raha tha har saal.
Main har saal wahan jaata tha.
Woh likh raha tha jab main dekha.
Woh likh raha tha jab maine dekha.
Humne socha ki woh ja raha hai.
Humne socha ki woh ja raha tha.
Sentence Patterns
Main ___ raha tha.
Main roz ___ tha.
Jab tum aaye, main ___ raha tha.
Bachpan mein, main ___ karta tha.
Real World Usage
Main aa raha tha, par traffic tha.
Main wahan project lead karta tha.
Hum wahan har saal jaate the.
Main khana order kar raha tha.
Main kal party kar raha tha!
Woh us samay padh raha tha.
Gender Check
Don't mix
Use adverbs
Respect
Smart Tips
Use 'raha tha' to set the background.
Use 'karta tha' for all your memories.
Use 'raha tha' to explain why you were late.
Use 'karta tha' for the past and 'karta hoon' for now.
Pronunciation
Tha/Thi/The
Ensure the 'th' is aspirated (like 'th' in 'thin').
Question
Kya tum ja rahe the? ↑
Rising intonation at the end for yes/no questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Continuous is 'Raha' (Moving/Running), Habitual is 'Ta' (Time/Routine).
Visual Association
Imagine a 'Raha' runner sprinting (continuous action) and a 'Ta' clock ticking (repeated routine).
Rhyme
Raha tha for action in the flow, Ta tha for habits of long ago.
Story
Yesterday, I was cooking (raha tha). I remembered that in college, I used to cook every day (karta tha). Now, I am eating.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about what you were doing 1 hour ago and 3 sentences about what you used to do as a child.
Cultural Notes
Habitual forms are often used to describe family traditions.
Use of 'karte the' is very common for respect.
Often drop the 'tha' in very casual speech.
Derived from Sanskrit roots combined with the auxiliary verb 'tha' (to be).
Conversation Starters
Bachpan mein tum kya khelte the?
Jab tumne mujhe call kiya, main kya kar raha tha?
Pehle tum kahan rehte the?
Jab baarish ho rahi thi, tum kya kar rahe the?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Main kal school ___ raha tha.
Woh roz ___ thi.
Find and fix the mistake:
Main roz ja raha tha.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I was eating.
Answer starts with: Mai...
Hum ___ rahe the.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use 'aksar' and 'khelta tha'.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesMain kal school ___ raha tha.
Woh roz ___ thi.
Find and fix the mistake:
Main roz ja raha tha.
tha / raha / main / so
I was eating.
Hum ___ rahe the.
Match: 1. Raha tha, 2. Ta tha
Use 'aksar' and 'khelta tha'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesMain padh ___ ___.
Which sentence is Habitual?
Hum pizza kha raha tha.
Woh cigarette pee___ ___.
Select the correct translation:
Mummy khana bana rahi thi (informal). -> Make it respectful.
Tum kya kar ___ ___?
She knew the answer.
Main naach raha tha.
Ve hans ___ ___.
Select the correct translation:
Hum cricket khel rahe hai (Past).
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No, that is incorrect. Use 'karta tha' for habits.
It depends on the gender of the subject.
Yes, it is the standard way to express past habits.
No, 'raha tha' is strictly past.
Default to masculine 'tha' if unsure, but try to learn the gender of the person.
Some verbs like 'chahna' (to want) are often used in habitual forms even for states.
Use 'karte the' for respect.
Yes, it is standard Hindi.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Imperfecto
Hindi uses 'raha' for continuous and 'ta' for habitual, whereas Spanish uses one form for both.
Imparfait
Hindi requires aspectual markers ('raha' vs 'ta') to distinguish.
Präteritum
Hindi explicitly marks the aspect of the action.
Te-ita
Hindi's 'ta tha' is a dedicated habitual form.
Kana + Imperfect
Hindi's gender agreement makes it more complex.
Zai + Verb
Hindi conjugates verbs for gender and number.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
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