می‌خواستم و توانستم
Wanting and Being Able in the Past
Past wanting uses می‌خواستم, and a past try that worked or failed uses توانستم or نتوانستم.
How It Works
The helper verb carries the time. The second verb stays in the present subjunctive, the same form you know from می‌خواهم بروم.
| Dari | Meaning |
|---|---|
| می‌خواستم بروم | I wanted to go |
| نمی‌خواستم بروم | I didn't want to go |
| توانستم بروم | I was able to go |
| نتوانستم بروم | I couldn't go |
| می‌توانستم بروم | I could go (back then) |
| نمی‌توانستم بروم | I couldn't go (back then) |
The endings follow the person: می‌خواستیم (we wanted), می‌خواست (she wanted), نتوانستند (they couldn't). Compound verbs with کردن or شدن usually skip the بـ: می‌خواستم کمک کنم (I wanted to help).
Use توانستم or نتوانستم for one try that worked or failed. Use می‌توانستم and نمی‌توانستم for an ability that lasted or never existed, such as in childhood. When the second verb is clear, you can drop it: می‌خواستم بروم، اما نتوانستم.
Examples (5)
- می‌خواستم به بازار بروم، اما نتوانستم.
I wanted to go to the market, but I couldn't.
می‌خواستم is wanted, بروم is the subjunctive, and نتوانستم is couldn't.
- ما می‌خواستیم به پغمان برویم، اما باران بارید.
We wanted to go to Paghman, but it rained.
The ending ـیم matches ما in both می‌خواستیم and برویم.
- مریم نمی‌خواست امروز کار کند.
Maryam didn't want to work today.
نمی‌خواست is didn't want, and کار کند has no بـ, as usual for a compound verb with کردن.
- با کمک مادرم توانستم قابلی پلو بپزم.
With my mother's help, I managed to cook Kabuli palaw.
توانستم means managed to, and بپزم is the subjunctive of پختن.
- در کودکی می‌توانستم خیلی تیز بدوم.
As a child, I could run very fast.
می‌توانستم means could, for an ability that lasted through childhood.
Common Mistakes
Putting the past stem after the helper verb.
می‌خواستم رفتم.می‌خواستم بروم.After می‌خواستم, the second verb is the subjunctive with بـ: بروم. The past form رفتم would mean I went.
Using the present می‌خواهم with a word for the past.
دیروز می‌خواهم نان بخرم، اما نتوانستم.دیروز می‌خواستم نان بخرم، اما نتوانستم.A past time word needs the past helper. می‌خواستم says what you wanted yesterday.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Wanting and being able in the past use the simple past, and the second verb stays in the subjunctive, like می‌خواستم بروم.
- The Simple Past
Know the simple past, because خواستم and توانستم are past forms.
Level 2 - Wanting to Do Something
Know می‌خواهم with the subjunctive, because the past form keeps the same pattern, like می‌خواستم بروم.
Level 3 - Being Able to Do Something
Know می‌توانم with the subjunctive, because the past form keeps the same pattern, like توانستم بروم.
Level 3
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice می‌خواستم و توانستم in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Dari lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
