kisha / kishe / kishte
Imperfect of 'Kam'
The imperfect of kam (to have) describes what you 'used to have' or 'were having' in the past. It focuses on the duration or state rather than a single completed action.
How It Works
The imperfect tense of kam is essential for describing past situations. It is irregular because it changes its stem to kish-.
1. Conjugation Table:
- Unë kisha (I had / used to have)
- Ti kishe (You had)
- Ai/Ajo kishte (He/She had)
- Ne kishim (We had)
- Ju kishit (You all had)
- Ata/Ato kishin (They had)
2. When to use it:
- Possession: Describing things you owned for a period of time (e.g., 'I had a dog').
- Physical/Mental States: In Albanian, feelings like hunger, thirst, or cold use kam. In the past, these use the imperfect (e.g., 'I was hungry' = 'I had hunger').
- Background Info: Setting the scene in a story (e.g., 'The house had a red door').
- Auxiliary: It is used to form the Pluperfect tense (e.g., kisha punuar - I had worked).
Examples (4)
- Kur isha fëmijë, kisha një mace.
When I was a child, I had a cat.
Word by Word: When I-was child, I-had a cat.
This describes a continuous state of possession in the past.
- Ne kishim shumë etje pas vrapit.
We were very thirsty after the run.
Word by Word: We had much thirst after the run.
Albanian uses 'kam' (to have) for states like thirst; the imperfect shows the state was ongoing.
- Ata kishin një shtëpi të madhe në fshat.
They had a big house in the village.
Word by Word: They had a house [linking-article] big in village.
Used here to describe a past situation or background detail.
- Kisha shumë punë dje, prandaj nuk erdha.
I had a lot of work yesterday, that's why I didn't come.
Word by Word: I-had much work yesterday, therefore not I-came.
Describes the ongoing state of being busy during the day.
Common Mistakes
Using 'jam' (to be) for hunger or thirst in the past.
Isha uri.Kisha uri.In Albanian, you 'have' hunger, you aren't 'hungry'. Therefore, use the imperfect of 'kam', not 'jam'.
Both are fine; 'kisha' fits a childhood situation better.
Different MeaningPata një biçikletë kur isha i vogël.Kisha një biçikletë kur isha i vogël.'Pata' (aorist) treats the time as one finished block. 'Kisha' (imperfect) describes a situation that lasted, like owning a bike through childhood, and is the usual choice.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn the imperfect of 'kam' (kisha, kishe, etc.), you first need to be familiar with the verb's basic meaning in the present tense. You also need to understand personal pronouns for conjugation and the general concept of the imperfect tense, which is typically introduced through the verb 'jam'.
- kamVerb 'Kam' (To Have)
Understanding the present tense of 'kam' (to have) is essential as it establishes the base meaning and irregular nature of this core verb.
Foundations - isha / ishe / ishteImperfect of 'Jam'
The imperfect of 'jam' introduces the concept of the imperfect tense in Albanian, which shares similar usage contexts and endings with 'kam'.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- -ja / -je / -nteImperfect Tense: Regular
Shows the standard imperfect endings that 'kam' adopts after its irregular stem change.
Level 2 - Aorist: Irregular Suppletive Verbs
Contains the simple past (Aorist) forms of 'kam' (pata, pate...), which contrast with the imperfect.
Level 2 - kisha + ParticiplePluperfect Active with 'Kam'
The pluperfect tense is built using the imperfect of 'kam' as an auxiliary verb.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice kisha / kishe / kishte in Bubblegum
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