Telling Stories in the Present
Storytellers switch to the present for past events to make them vivid.
How It Works
In Awadhi stories the storyteller often leaves the past tense at the exciting point. Everything before it is in the past. The turn uses the present.
| Part | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| setting the scene | past | रामू घर पहुँचि गवा |
| the surprise | present | अउर का देखत अहै कि दरवाजा खुला अहै |
The switch makes the listener feel they are there. Common cue words are तब, अउर and का देखत अहै कि (and what does he see).
The surprise is usually something seen or heard. After it, the storyteller may return to the past. The present is only a short flash.
You hear it most in spoken storytelling.
Examples (4)
- रामू घर पहुँचि गवा, अउर का देखत अहै कि दरवाजा खुला अहै।
Ramu got home, and what does he see but the door open.
The story moves from the past to देखत अहै.
- बुढ़ऊ बजार गए, तब देखत अहैं कि सब दुकान बंद अहैं।
The old man went to the market and finds all the shops closed.
देखत अहैं is the present for a respected person.
- मुन्नी रात मा उठि गई, अउर सुनत अहै कि कउनो अँगना मा चलत अहै।
Munni got up at night, and hears someone walking in the yard.
सुनत अहै brings the scene close.
- हम स्टेशन पहुँचेन, तब देखत अही कि ट्रेन छूटि गई।
I reached the station, and see that the train has left.
The speaker uses अही with हम.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The example mixes पहुँचि गवा and देखत अहै कि.
- -त अहैDoing Now or Usually: -त अहै
Know the form देखत अहै, because the storyteller uses it for a past event: का देखत अहै.
Level 1 - पहुँचि जाबCompleting a Change: जाब
Know पहुँचि गवा, because the example opens with that real past.
Level 3 - किThat: कि
Know कि, because the example continues with देखत अहै कि दरवाजा खुला अहै.
Level 3
Related Patterns
Practice Telling Stories in the Present in Bubblegum
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