Past Simple Tense Conjugation: First Person (আমি করলাম - ami korlam)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To say 'I did' in Bengali, take the verb root and add the suffix '-lam' to indicate the first person past.
- Identify the verb root: 'kor' (to do).
- Add the suffix '-lam' for 'I': 'kor' + 'lam' = 'korlam'.
- Use this for completed actions in the past: 'Ami bhat khelam' (I ate rice).
Past Simple Conjugation (First Person)
| Verb Root | Suffix | Full Form | English |
|---|---|---|---|
|
kor
|
lam
|
korlam
|
I did
|
|
khe
|
lam
|
khelam
|
I ate
|
|
dekh
|
lam
|
dekhlam
|
I saw
|
|
ge
|
lam
|
gelam
|
I went
|
|
por
|
lam
|
porlam
|
I read
|
|
likh
|
lam
|
likhlam
|
I wrote
|
Meanings
This tense describes a completed action performed by the speaker in the past.
Completed Action
An action that started and finished in the past.
“আমি কাজটা করলাম।”
“আমি ঢাকা গেলাম।”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Root + lam
|
Ami korlam
|
|
Negative
|
Root + lam + na
|
Ami korlam na
|
|
Question
|
Ki + Root + lam?
|
Ki ami korlam?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Yes/No
|
Hyan, korlam
|
Espectro de formalidade
আমি কাজটি সম্পন্ন করলাম। (Work/Task)
আমি কাজটা করলাম। (Work/Task)
কাজটা করলাম। (Work/Task)
কাজটা সেরে ফেললাম। (Work/Task)
Past Simple Components
Suffix
- lam Past marker
Exemplos por nível
আমি খেলাম।
I ate.
আমি গেলাম।
I went.
আমি করলাম।
I did.
আমি দেখলাম।
I saw.
আমি গতকাল ঢাকা গেলাম।
I went to Dhaka yesterday.
আমি কাজটা শেষ করলাম।
I finished the work.
আমি চা খেলাম না।
I did not drink tea.
আমি কি এটা করলাম?
Did I do this?
আমি গত সপ্তাহে বইটা পড়লাম।
I read the book last week.
আমি তাকে বাজারে দেখলাম।
I saw him at the market.
আমি অনেক চেষ্টা করলাম।
I tried a lot.
আমি তাকে কথা দিলাম।
I gave him my word.
আমি প্রকল্পটি সফলভাবে শেষ করলাম।
I successfully finished the project.
আমি তার পরামর্শ গ্রহণ করলাম।
I accepted his advice.
আমি এই সিদ্ধান্ত নিলাম।
I took this decision.
আমি তাকে সাহায্য করলাম।
I helped him.
আমি দীর্ঘক্ষণ অপেক্ষা করলাম কিন্তু সে এলো না।
I waited for a long time but he didn't come.
আমি আমার ভুল স্বীকার করলাম।
I admitted my mistake.
আমি পরিস্থিতির গুরুত্ব বুঝলাম।
I understood the gravity of the situation.
আমি তাকে কঠোরভাবে সতর্ক করলাম।
I warned him strictly.
আমি আমার সমস্ত সঞ্চয় এই ব্যবসায় বিনিয়োগ করলাম।
I invested all my savings in this business.
আমি তার যুক্তির অসারতা প্রমাণ করলাম।
I proved the invalidity of his argument.
আমি অনিচ্ছাসত্ত্বেও তাকে ক্ষমা করলাম।
I forgave him reluctantly.
আমি আমার জীবনের লক্ষ্য স্থির করলাম।
I set my life goal.
Fácil de confundir
Learners mix up 'I did' and 'I have done'.
Erros comuns
Ami kora-lam
Ami korlam
Ami gelam-e
Ami gelam
Ami korechi
Ami korlam
Ami korilam
Ami korlam
Padrões de frases
Ami ___ lam.
Real World Usage
Ami pouchalam.
Ami project-ti shesh korlam.
Ami ticket katlam.
Ami ghurte gelam.
Ami order korlam.
Ami porlam.
Root is Key
Don't over-conjugate
Context matters
Politeness
Smart Tips
Always check the root.
Use time markers.
Think of the root.
Chain your actions.
Pronúncia
Suffix pronunciation
The 'lam' is pronounced with a soft 'l' and a short 'a'.
Statement
Ami korlam. ↓
Falling intonation for facts.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Remember: 'I am a LAMb' (I = -lam).
Associação visual
Imagine yourself holding a lamp (lam) that lights up a memory of something you did yesterday.
Rhyme
For the past, I am the man, I add the suffix -lam.
Story
Yesterday, I woke up. I brushed my teeth (brash korlam). I ate breakfast (khelam). I went to work (gelam).
Word Web
Desafio
Write 5 sentences about what you did this morning using the -lam suffix.
Notas culturais
Very common in daily conversation.
Standard usage.
Dialectal variations exist.
Derived from Sanskrit roots.
Iniciadores de conversa
What did you do yesterday?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
Ami kajta ___ (kor).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ami koralm.
Ami kori -> ?
Is -lam used for third person?
A: What did you do? B: Ami ___.
Ami / gelam / Dhaka.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesAmi kajta ___ (kor).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ami koralm.
Ami kori -> ?
Is -lam used for third person?
A: What did you do? B: Ami ___.
Ami / gelam / Dhaka.
Match root to past.
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, only for 'Ami' (I).
The rule remains the same.
It is neutral and used everywhere.
Check your root identification.
It's like adding -ed but as a suffix.
Yes, it is standard.
Very few irregular verbs.
Write daily logs.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Pretérito indefinido
Bengali uses one suffix for all first-person singular.
Passé composé
Bengali uses suffixation.
Präteritum
Bengali keeps the stem.
Ta-form
Bengali is more regular.
Past tense
Arabic has gendered suffixes.
Le particle
Bengali conjugates verbs.
