-त रहा

Was Doing or Used to

Level 2Sounds Like ta rahā

A verb in -त plus रहा says what was going on or used to happen.

How It Works

Whoनाचब
हमनाचत रहेन
तुमनाचत रहेव
ऊ (man)नाचत रहा
ऊ (woman)नाचत रही
ऊ लोग, or respectनाचत रहे (a respected woman: नाचत रहीं)

Take the stem, add -त, then the right form of "was" (रहा, रही, रहे, रहेन, रहेव). The helper agrees with the subject.

Some stems add a sound: आउब gives आवत, and बनाउब gives बनावत. Hindi puts a different ending on the verb; Awadhi keeps -त and changes only the helper.

Examples (5)

  1. हम छत पर नाचत रहेन।

    We used to dance on the roof.

    नाचत रहेन shows a past habit.

  2. ऊ खाना बनावत रही।

    She was cooking.

    रही agrees with a woman.

  3. ऊ लोग रोज आवत रहे।

    They used to come every day.

    रोज makes it a habit.

  4. काम साफ दिखात रहा।

    The work was clearly visible.

    रहा agrees with काम.

  5. तुम का करत रहेव?

    What were you doing?

    रहेव goes with तुम.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the present helper for a past action.

    ऊ काल्हि खात अहै।
    ऊ काल्हि खात रहा।

    Use रहा, not अहै, for the past.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-त रहाLevel 2Was Doing or Used to

Learn This First

This form joins the -त form to a past form of to be.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

रहारहीरहेरहेन